The Lego Movie (2014)

The Rundown: The beloved children’s toy comes to the big screen with a story too big to be told in a single universe. Lego fans of all shapes, sizes, and ages will enjoy this irreverent, silly tale. The jokes are amazing, infusing each scene with just a hint of nostalgia, as well as bringing something new to the table. It is remarkable how well the brand of humor that Lego has adopted for its video games and shows translates to the big screen. This is definitely a must watch for anyone who has ever picked up a Lego brick and put it on top of another Lego brick.

When I first heard about a Lego movie I was somewhat skeptical. I mean, I love Legos. I played with a lot of them when I was younger, but I didn’t see an identity for Legos except for the ones they’ve adopted from other places. I would see the Star Wars line, or the Lord of the Rings line of Legos, and think they were cool, but I never saw a cohesive universe. With the rise of the Lego video game universe, I knew that they had a particular brand of humor, and that is in full force in this delightful film.

The Lego Movie follows the story of simple construction worker, Emmet Brickowski (Starlord himself, Chris Pratt) who find the mysterious ‘Piece of Resistance’ after a long day of singing while doing construction work. This ‘Piece of Resistance’ is the legendary artifact needed to defeat the evil President Business (Will Ferrell) before he unleashes the Kragle and destroys all the Lego universes. In order to do this he must become a Master Builder, which he strives to do with the help of Batman (Will Arnett), Wildstyle (Elizabeth Banks), 80s Space Guy (Charlie Day), and a cast of characters from throughout all the Lego universes.

This movie could very easily have been two hours of product placement punctuated by some jokes, and it still would have made money. People love Legos. They’d go to see them on the big screen; however, instead of the mediocre viewing experience we could have gotten, the people over at Lego have created something really awesome. This movie combines elements of nostalgia, silly humor comparable to Cloudy With a Chance of Meatball (which makes sense, as some of the same people are behind it), and even a bit of depth in what could easily have been one long commercial for a new line of toys. I am very impressed with how, even in a comedy that contains something as amazingly ridiculous as the double sofa, they manage to fit in a meaningful story that everyone can relate to on some deeper level.

If you were worried that The Lego Movie was just an example of commercialism going one step too far, let me put your mind at ease. The Lego Movie is easily one of the most entertaining films you’ll see this year, and definitely good for you and any smaller child-like people you may have lying around who could use some entertainment. If you have ever picked up a Lego and thought ‘AWESOME!’ you really need to check this movie out.