Building Art, Brick-By-Brick: The Lego Movie Review

The Lego Movie
Directed by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller
Starring Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett
8.5/10

It’s popular opinion by now that The Lego Movie is an absolute delight. It is so enjoyable, in fact, that I would be willing to call it the Toy Story of a new generation, or at least a film with a heart like Wreck-It Ralph‘s — because just like any top-tier animated film, The Lego Movie succeeds in appealing to all age groups.

Among other feats, The Lego Movie is notable for its ability to nail its cultural references with precision and charm. Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, the DC Comics universe, The Matrix, even The Simpsons — with so much potential to mess up these references, it’s refreshing to see The Lego Movie get them right. Why hasn’t Batman ever dedicated a bad-ass electro-rock anthem to himself about being an orphan? Who knows, but with Will Arnett voicing him, all you need to know is his character makes this film great. Additional voice work by Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks and Will Ferrell, as well as cameos by Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson and the always enjoyable Alison Brie (Community) and Charlie Day (It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia) help to paint this film with its quirky colour.

And speaking of visuals, the animation was accomplished almost entirely by an Australian studio, Animal Logic, so there’s every reason to go along and appreciate this film’s beautiful brick world. Interestingly, The Lego Movie sometimes creates its visual appeal by mimicking the way a child plays with Lego, but with an added pinch of imagination. This produces a fascinating aesthetic that could only be achieved in a film about children’s playthings, but it’s nonetheless pleasing to watch — even the stop-motion action scenes are fantastic.

Perhaps the film’s only throbbing sore is its theme song, ‘Everything Is Awesome’ (The Lonely Island, Tegan & Sara), which is just too catchy for its own good. Separate to that though, The Lego Movie gets its appeal by directly addressing its young and old audiences, and ultimately builds (cough) a tale that brings them together. The result is a film that is touchingly nostalgic, constantly hilarious, and most of all, creative (even though it risks becoming a 100-minute commercial in the process, which it only narrowly avoids).

There’s no age sticker on this movie, and no shame in a group of adults walking out of its cinema. It’s a must-see.

Andrew Nardi

Interested? Take a peek at the trailer for The Lego Movie.