Studio: Warner Bros. (1hr. 40 min.)
Plot: An ordinary LEGO minifigure, mistakenly thought to be the extraordinary MasterBuilder, is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil LEGO tyrant from gluing the universe together.
Cast: Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Morgan Freeman, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Neeson, Shaquille O’Neal
Rating: PG
Bottom Line: ****
By J.R. Johnson
It’s been years since I’ve played with Lego building bricks. Other than stepping on stray blocks peppered across my little cousin’s house, which send me leaping into the air in pain, I never thought I would touch them again. But after watching the “The Lego Movie,” amazingly shot in digital 3-D animation, the first thing I wanted to do was buy a set for myself.
Emmet, voice of Chris Pratt, is the hero of this ambitious story. As a pretty mild-mannered guy, Emmet finds joy in everything – from waking up for breakfast– to spending all day at work. A smile is permanently engraved on Emmet’s face. It’s like that everyday—in fact, it’s like that for everybody in the Lego city Bricksburg.
Bricksburg works like clockwork, thanks to the strict rules placed by Lord Business (Will Ferrell). This never-ending routine is all Bricksburg citizens know, until a ripple emerges to interrupt their mechanical way of life. Suddenly, Emmet finds himself recruited into the Fellowship of Strangers to save the Lego Universe –a familiar and yet refreshing plot device.
The amazing voices of Morgan Freeman, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Neeson and many other A-lister’s punctuate this wonderful film. They provide a fun, comedic and consistently entertaining atmosphere that never lets up. Laughs are seconds apart. “The Lego Movie” is a surprisingly enjoyable film. The writing deserves most of the thanks for that.
The directing and writing team of Phil Lord and Chris Miller (“21 Jump Street,” “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”) collaborated for a third time on the big screen, combining a unique and adventurous vision. Watching the Lego character’s stiff gestures as they pop and lock across the screen feels genuine. There are no false moves.
Lord and Miller perfectly use 3-D processing, which has become so popular in Hollywood these days, and has become annoying in many films. Not here. Accompanying the amazing visual execution, “The Lego Movie” delivers a message that transcends any age. It’s filled with extraordinary heart and sincerity. Smart and inventive, there is something for everyone.
Source: blackflix.com
This was printed in the March 9, 2014 – March 23, 2014 edition
