Childhood memories are relived and Hollywood blockbuster conventions received a swift kick in the butt with “The Lego Movie,” one of the wittiest and most charming pieces of cinema in quite a while.
Not only is there constant bombardment of action and jokes to keep the viewer’s attention but the surprising lack of cynicism makes for a truly refreshing experience that seems nonexistent nowadays.
And as if that wasn’t enough, it might also have just revolutionized the animation industry for years to come. I never kid around when talking about this stuff.
The story focuses on Emmet Brickowski, voiced by Chris Pratt, an ordinary construction worker who lives by the exact same routine every day in the city of Bricksburg. Things change, however, when he accidentally discovers a magic artifact called the Piece of Resistance and becomes the “Special,” a prophesied hero destined to defeat the villainous Lord Business, voiced by Will Ferrell and stop him from destroying the Lego universe.
Unfortunately, Emmet is anything but special and must team up with a group of Master Builders that includes the femme fatale Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), Vitruvius the Wizard (Morgan Freeman), and Batman (Will Arnett) if he’s going to stop the forces of evil and discover his own creativity.
From a technical standpoint, this film is absolutely unforgettable. A refreshing alternative to the excessive CGI employed by Pixar and DreamWorks, this ingenious use of stop-motion animation involving actual Lego pieces is truly a sight to behold and definitely ranks among the most innovative and cutting-edge special effects in the history of cinema. This also results in eye-popping action scenes that both embody and directly parody those of modern blockbusters, where lasers, explosions, and high-speed chases are abundant but highly innocent and comical in nature. Such energetic style creates the illusion of invisible children playing with a giant set of Legos and enjoying every second of it.
But this also far from being just an eye-popping children’s movie. Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller supply plenty of thematic material that gives the viewer something to think about, which is something you’d never get in your average toy movie. Traditional messages of self-worth that frequently populate modern animated films are given a more believable spin and the final act is incredibly thought-provoking. Throw in a few satirical jabs at conformity and consumerism and you’ve got quite the philosophical handbook.
That’s not also to say, however, that the movie is completely serious and there’s a non-stop stream of clever gags that are perfectly integrated into the story. Everything from pop culture spoofs to subtle adult references gets used and various character cameos from other franchises play for an abundance of chuckles. The result is pure comic genius that never fails to disappoint and puts most R-rated comedies to shame.
Among the film’s most notable highlights is the better than average voice acting that many other animated films lack. The lead actors Pratt, Banks, Freeman, Arnett and Ferrell are perfect in their respective roles and provide plenty of endearing depth and personality but there are some pleasant surprises among the supporting cast too.
Liam Neeson is utterly enjoyable as the comically schizophrenic Bad Cop/Good Cop character, while Charlie Day is naturally unforgettable in his hyperactive performance of Benny the Astronaut and Nick Offerman sounds like he’s having fun as the mechanical pirate Metal Beard.
By the time this review is published, I will have seen this film twice. I almost never pay to see a movie in theaters twice, which is a sure sign I absolutely love it. Even if you have no interest in Legos, there’s plenty to enjoy in the way of humor, characters, and pure imagination.
It’s a film perfectly in tune with modern styles of filmmaking that never quite feels like a commercial for the titular product and hopefully ushers in a whole new era of animation. Seriously, you would be wasting your time by not seeing this movie.
