The Lego Movie -- The Right Kind of Genius

By Trevor Pacelli

If there was ever a movie that contained a highly innovative style of animation that has rarely been done before, in which it takes things that are already familiar and presents them in a totally new way, while at the same time telling an extraordinarily well written story, then that film would be Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s The Lego Movie.

The overall plot of the film is about a generic Lego man, Emmett (Chris Pratt), who lives in a Lego world as a construction worker. He always follows the instructions of how to live his life and although happy, he is also ignored and overlooked by others. But then he happens upon a special device that holds the secrets of the Lego world, and finds that he is in fact part of a prophecy destined to stop the world’s leader (Will Ferrell) from freezing everyone with glue. Along with him, he’s got the aid of secret agent Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), the wizard Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman), and Batman (Will Arnett) to fulfill the prophecy.

When I first saw the trailer for this film, I was actually not looking forward to it. My immediate thought was that it was going to be a kid-targeted 90-minute commercial loaded with lame jokes and potty humor. But fortunately, it did not contain any of that.

Contrary to all the branded characters making cameos (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Gandalf, Dumbledore, Abe Lincoln, and many others) this film did not feel like a toy ad at all. The supporting characters were used wisely without calling too much attention to themselves. While it would be very tempting for attention to be called to the brand itself and subliminally persuade kids to buy the Lego products, it certainly was not exploited here.

The animation in this film is breathtaking to look at. It was accomplished through a mixture of stop-motion animation and computer animation, and the two just flew together flawlessly. The animators showed the mind-blowing capacity to create heavily detailed Lego landscapes including robust cities, rough oceans, never-ending desert plains, and a tower that seems to never end in the sky. Everything- even the puffs of smoke coming out of the cars are made of Lego bricks. I said before that this animation style is highly innovative, but it is also a flawless piece of work worthy of the film historian’s textbook. If this movie does not revolutionize the film industry, I don’t know what will.

Most animated films that I’ve seen have had poorly executed product-driven stories with annoying characters and unfunny one-liners. But The Lego Movie has in fact a surprisingly smart screenplay with very memorable characters. Though this movie typically has a very fast pace, there are slower, more intimate moments where the character’s emotions and interactions are delved into. In addition, this movie actually has a message. Both kids and parents alike can pick up the significant message that everyone, no matter how average or boring they feel, are unique in their own special way. Despite what everyone may tell you, nobody is a nobody.

In addition to having a stupendously well written story, The Lego Movie is also one of the funniest movies I’ve seen in theaters in a long time. Many gags were used that played around with the fact that everyone is a Lego character. For example, when Emmett is going through is morning routine, and he does jumping jacks to start his day. Since he has fixed joints that only move forward and backward, and not side-to-side, he does jumping jacks in a very “Lego-like” fashion. Other funny moments include characters taking human objects, mispronouncing their names, and a cameo by Han Solo and Lando Calrissian on the Millennium Falcon. Overall, the jokes follow a much more witty style of humor that takes full advantage of the fantasy setting.

However, there are some downsides to this film that the viewer should be aware of. One drawback is the excessive use of violence, including lasers going off, things blowing up, lots of really fast vehicle chases, and the death of a major character. But there is absolutely no blood or gore and the many action sequences have an incredibly cartoony feel to them (it is a Lego world after all, don’t expect it to look realistic). The content appeals mainly to younger boys, who upon seeing these excessive action sequences will want their parents to buy them more toy racecars and action heroes. It’s still a good idea to take caution with younger audiences, as the incredibly fast pace and excessive violence may be too much for them.

In conclusion, The Lego Movie is a monumental film in the era of digital effects and the recent surplus of toy merchandising for young boys. The special effects used to create the highly imaginative Lego world is a real treat for the eyes that has been missing for quite some time. This is not just another animated film, it sets a whole new standard for humor, writing, and creative storytelling that other animation companies should start to consider. I absolutely recommend this movie to anyone aged seven and up. Grown-ups, don’t feel awkward seeing it if you don’t have any kids, because The Lego Movie has the right dose of nostalgia and maturity that will keep adults as equally entertained as any child.

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