Released back in 2014, the first Lego Movie was a unique and pleasant surprise. Rather than being the mindless and apathetic corporate feature-length commercial many of us feared it would be, the film successfully surpassed its central product placement intentions and became a more profound and entertaining movie ever committed to cinema. It was a heartfelt and thought-provoking story about free expression, wild imagination, and the absolute value of the inner child within us all. Add to that some relevant commentary on classic movie cliches (in particular the overused "chosen one" trope), and there is no denying that The Lego Movie is one of the most talented, most interesting, and most extraordinary films to ever grace the silver screen...okay, maybe not all of that but it's really close. If you have not yet seen it, I would highly encourage you to give it a shot. I assure you that it is a lot deeper than you might suspect.
The sequel, as in today's subject, may not entirely be as impactful as its predecessor, but it still manages to be on par with its charm and wonder. Mainly because it chooses to tackle another equally important aspect of our inner child: the true nature of growing up.
The story takes place shortly after the events of the first film had been wrapped up. The familiar world we grew familiar with has descended into a dark and bleak post-apocalyptic setting after the war against the Sis-Star System. Our ever optimistic hero Emmit (Chris Pratt) continues to enjoy his life with his friends, including his girlfriend WildStyle (Elizabeth Banks). After achieving some semblance of new civilization, a warrior from the world as mentioned earlier kidnaps some of the fiercest and strongest leaders, including WildStyle. Emmit then embarks on a solo mission to save his friends. Along the way, he encounters a mysterious and bad-ass space rogue who agrees to help him on his quest. Meanwhile, WildStyle and company are greeted by the Queen Whatevra Wa'Nabi (Tiffany Haddish) and are tempted to join her seemingly strange and cult-ish lifestyle. Now, Emmit must brave through the scary world to save his friends and, ultimately, learn a valuable lesson about what it really means to grow up.
Without spoiling anything, as I believe this movie must be seen to be genuinely appreciated, the film tackles an aspect of both childhood and adulthood that plays a vital role in both our ability to be the best person possible and how important it is to work together for a better future. Speaking personally, the story mentioned aspects about growing up which I struggled with and, eventually, came out of the other side all the better. I very much appreciated this movie for sharing and understanding my personal philosophy about childhood and the relevance of retaining the joy therein.
The animation, as you might have expected, is incredible. When I saw the first movie in theaters, I genuinely believed they had used traditional stop-motion animation with actual Legos. When I discovered the true nature of the animation, I was bummed but also very impressed. The visuals succeed once again in capturing the beautiful aesthetics and realistic movement of the toys they are representing. While the visuals were achieved through digital technology, I remain astonished at how it never looks obvious. Even though I probably would have preferred traditional stop-motion animation, I very much appreciated the level of detail that went into making the film at least look as such.
This may count as a minor spoiler, but the film does feature a few original songs. Not only that, but it also has characters breaking out into song ala classic Disney films. A practice which was mostly absent from the first Lego Movie. Despite this unexpected addition, it is still executed pretty well, and the songs themselves are pretty catchy and fun.
Special mention and the MVP award has to go to Tiffany Haddish as Queen Whatevra Wa'Nabi. I love this character! Her design, her voice, her motivations, even her songs. She is the main reason I might download the soundtrack to this movie. I say "might" because I have not yet done so, but the point still stands. She is, arguably, the perfect embodiment of this movie's relevant and impactful theme and message of the importance of collaboration and love. Furthermore, they could not have gotten a better person to portray this character.
The best aspect of this movie is how hard it works to maintain its own individuality. Most of the time sequels will waste their time trying to recapture the spark that made the first film so successful without realizing that it can never genuinely do so. This is one of those rare films that not only understands the futility of that practice, but actively avoids it, and chooses instead to expand further upon the mythos laid down by its predecessor. Rather than trying to repeat the same story, it expands upon the ideas presented, thereby exploring even more possibilities. In other words, it is on par with the likes of Aliens in that it is a proper sequel.
This is a beautiful expansion of a remarkable idea. It offers fantastical entertainment value while continuing to provide more heartfelt lessons about creativity and the importance of childhood. If you loved the first movie, then you will certainly get a kick ouf of this sequal. If you haven't seen the first movie yet, pleast do so then immediatly go see this new one. I promise they are both worthy of your time and emotional investment regardless of your age.
Is this movie worth seeing?
Yes!
Is it worth seeing in theaters?
Yes!
Why?
It is a joyful celebration of both the inner-child within us all, and the relevant role it can play well into adulthood. Please don't miss this one.
Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm, thank you all for reading.
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