It's safe to say
that films based on toys, video games and even most cartoons, fail to live up
to the hype from the fans or the potential of some of these vivid creations.
Usually they end up with Razzies and become the butt of many jokes. Even the
rare exceptions, like the Transformers series became overblown and focused more
on cramming as much of the toy and carton canon in as possible. So when a film
based on Lego was announced, it would be a lie to say I was eagerly awaiting
it.
The plot of The
Lego Movie is pretty straight forward, so it’s all the secrets I’ll try and
keep out of this review. A dull every man called Emmett accidentally stumbles
across an artefact that will help to stop Lord Business from using a WMD (in
Lego terms) on the Lego world.
Honestly, how
this plot was pitched I will never know, but it's a simple set up and plot that
allows the film makers to add ideas and depth to the world and message they are
trying to get across.
One of the
biggest reasons that this film works so well is Chris Pratt as Emmett.
Brilliantly written and superbly performed, his growth throughout the story and
his reluctance to be a real hero and embrace what he is capable of is one of
the most well developed and executed transformations you will see this year.
Where Pratt excels and Emmett comes to life, is in the deadpan, 100% serious
moments of mistimed honesty or his belief in one particular furniture-related
idea. It's his go to idea and he believes in it as much as any hero will ever
believe in any quest or mission you will witness.
The supporting
cast here really build up the world and enhance the humour, especially as we
move from world to world. The repressed happy land you see is a stroke of
master world building (in both ways). But it's hard to argue past Batman, or
this version of him, as the films main film stealer. He's a bit of douche
throughout, he knows how good he is and plays it up. His self-written, self
centred death metal song is side-splittingly funny and his run in with some
Star Wars Lego is a moment I recall again and again whenever this film is
brought up. He may not be the film’s main character or even its hero, but the
film is all the better for it.
But there are so
many great supporting characters that it would be almost impossible to mention
them all and give them the respect and attention they need, from Liam Neeson’s
Bad Cop (and Good Cop) to Will Ferrell’s Lord Business, a man surrounded by
such incompetence you almost feel sorry for him.
The humour with
The Lego Movie covers pretty much all the bases, from sarcastic, physical, to
sight gags and the very risque. There is hardly a joke that lands flat, even
the ones that are repeated, to brilliant effect, still land even though we know
exactly what is coming even if it has gotten bigger or more elaborate.
Like Toy Story 3
this is a film that may look like a children’s film on the outside, but there
is so much here for everyone and while it doesn't touch on as many of the real
world issues as Toy Story 3 did, it's driving message that anyone is capable of
creating something great is one of the most important messages a film, or any
kind of story can tell.
Directors: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
Writers: Phil Lord (Story and Screenplay), Christopher
Miller (Story and Screenplay, Dan Hageman (Story) and Kevin Hageman (Story).
