The Lego Movie is possibly one of the cleverest films that you will see this year. For those of you unaware of the premise of the film, it features a “Lego” cast who must, with the help of construction worker Emmet (Chris Pratt), stop the evil President Business (Will Ferrell) from freezing their world with the ominous “Kragl”.
Don’t be deceived by the U rating or the childish trailers: The Lego Movie is not just a children’s film. Boasting references to films like The Dark Knight Rises, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and The Lord of the Rings to name a few, this ridiculously witty script will have you laughing. It never takes itself too seriously, and embraces just how ridiculous it is, even mocking its own time sequences and monologues (“blah, blah, blah. Proper name. Place name. Backstory stuff…”).
The Lego Movie has also assembled one of the greatest casts ever. Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Alison Brie, Jake Johnson and Dave Franco are all only in supporting roles, while Elizabeth Banks provides a feisty heroine to the relatively unknown Chris Pratt’s sort-of hero. Pratt’s comedic timing makes him one to watch when he appears in films like Age of Ultron later this year.
There are times when The Lego Movie gets so caught up in its progression that you begin to forget what has come before; but it never slows down, and the sparkling dialogue doesn’t allow you to find the time to protest – although at the beginning you may find yourself getting a bit lost.
Due to the nature of its “cast”, The Lego Movie achieves some weird and wonderful feats, including magnificent Transformers-style scenes, and literally flying through the sun. Particular highlights include the relationship between Superman (Channing Tatum) and the Green Lantern (Jonah Hill) (“Does anybody have any Kryptonite?”) and any scene with Batman (Will Arnett) – which you’ll understand when you see it.
With a fairly surprising plot twist, which will have you questioning the merit of imagination versus instruction, and something for everyone, The Lego Movie could prove to be a strong contender for Movie of the Year.
The Lego Movie (2014), directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, is distributed in the UK by Warner Bros. Pictures, Certificate U.
