WORDS Colum Holland
The Lego Movie always had the danger of being nothing more than a ninety minute commercial, that a flimsy plot would be created around the Lego brand to ship more units. Due to the fact that this film is intrinsically linked to the Lego product it is essentially a giant ad, but that doesn’t stop it from being one of the funniest, creative and most entertaining films of the year so far.
This film centres on Emmet (Chris Pratt), a regular construction worker who is ordinary in virtually every way, fitting (all Lego puns intended) into the oppressive regime of Lord Business perfectly well. Lord Business (Will Ferrell) wants to stop “the builders” who are free and independent thinkers, who build whatever they want from destroying what he sees as the rightful order in the world. As it turns out Emmet is the chosen one, much to the disdain of Wyldstlye (Elizabeth Banks), one of the most experienced builders. While this may seem like a typical chosen one/prophecy film, instead of following the beaten path the Lego Movie lampoons this clichéd plot and adds its own unique take on the storyline.
Where the Lego Movie really excels is in its humour. Jokes in this film come hard and fast. if you don’t like one there will be another just around the corner. It is hard to describe why something is inherently funny but there is a wonderful timing present in the Lego movie where jokes seems to hit at just the right time and have the audience in stitches. Whatsmore, the world the Lego movie is set in is just filled with so much positivity, optimism and silliness that it’s hard not to laugh, smile and strap in for the ride.
The greatest asset of the Lego movie is possibly the extensive franchises they can call upon to cameo in this film. Take a trip to your local toy shop and look at all the Lego. if a franchise is there it will probably make an appearance. The writers also brilliantly twist the characters to great effect, such as Green Lantern becoming a loser who wants friends or Gandalf, who gets extremely infuriated if you call him Dumbledore. However, the star of these characters is Batman (Will Arnett). Here, Batman is a complete and utter jerk, constantly showing off and making others feel inadequate. He’s the perfect competition for Emmet, as everything comes naturally to him and he isn’t afraid to show it and be the centre of attention. While there are many other brilliant cameos in this film, the real success of the writers is to keep the focus on their creation Emmet. No matter how interesting or funny the cameos, the story always reverts to Emmet and it doesn’t miss a beat. Emmet exudes charisma and is the most interesting character on screen with the most intriguing character arc. He doesn’t merely progress as the chosen one in the same vein as Neo in the Matrix, but provides a different perspective for the other characters to reflect on. He is the character that the audience roots for and the one we wish to succeed.
The film uses CGI to perfectly recreate stop motion animation and Lego bricks. Make no mistake this film has style in buckets and is a constant joy to watch. Large set pieces feature the characters scrounging up every last brick to build large contraptions and fighting off the hoards of Lord Business’ robots. The action is fluid, and the expressions and minimalist movements of the characters often add to the humour. Overall this is one of the most stylish films of the year and the speed of the action is breathtaking. The Lego Movie is without a doubt the slickest film made entirely of rectangular bricks you’ll ever see.
The Lego Movie is a hilarious and stylistic romp that will keep you entertained throughout, while also having a heartwarming core and a third act that will take you by surprise. It is a film for all the family but thoroughly enjoyable for adults as well. Most importantly it ties in with the Lego message to just have fun and let yourself go.
