Not Your Average Product Placement
by Hunter Isham
Months from now, when we're once again entrenched in the awards season releases that tend to fill up the year-end "best of" lists, don't be surprised if you find The LEGO Movie alongside those prestige pictures. It is, without question, one of the most imaginative films I have seen in quite some time, more than earning its right to exist despite being a giant commercial that will no doubt sell millions of LEGO sets. Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the writer/directors of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and directors of 21 Jump Street (and this year's upcoming 22 Jump Street), have created a film that is fast, funny, and creative in the way you would expect a Pixar release to be, although with an extra dash of subversive and satirical humor for the grown-ups.
Taking place in the LEGO universe, the story centers on Emmet, a construction worker who is more than content with his life in the corporate-run, homogenized world he inhabits. Before long, he is mistaken for a Master Builder (one of a group who build things with their creativity rather than instructions) known as "the Special," and he sets off on an adventure to stop the evil Lord Business from using a secret weapon to bring about the end of the world. Although The LEGO Movie's plot may seem ripped from about a dozen other blockbusters, that's part of the point, as it subverts conventions with its wit, and dazzles with a unique visual style.
An ingenious combination of stop-motion and computer generated animation (though mostly the latter) makes the film look as though these were real, tangible LEGO pieces that happen to move and talk on their own. Imagine if Toy Story's Buzz and Woody were truly photo realistic, and that's what The LEGO Movie delivers. It's an interesting approach that becomes more and more relevant to the story as it progresses, and it never distracts in the way having such realism in a Pixar film might. I would wager that for most audience members, this will be the first time since 1995's Toy Story that they are shocked to see what truly looks like toys come alive. Of course, one of the key's to Pixar's characters coming to life is the wonderful casts the studio always assembles, and Lord and Miller have done the same for their block-buster.
Chris Pratt brings his heart, humor, and charming naiveté to Emmet, making him a frequently entertaining and intriguing protagonist who finds himself in the role of an unlikely hero. If you're at all familiar with Pratt's work on Parks and Recreation, you will not be disappointed by his work in LEGO form. Morgan Freeman is similarly cast with his past work in mind, as he voices the sage-like Vitruvius, a character who might as well be Gandalf or Obi-Wan Kenobi with the voice of Bruce Almighty's God. Vitruvius is an excellent send-up of the wise old man character found in so many hero stories, and Freeman plays up the character's absurdity without losing his gravitas. Will Arnett brings LEGO Batman to life with a deadpan and egomaniacal delivery that will make you wish he had his own film, as he steals scene after scene. Elizabeth Banks, Alison Brie, Nick Offerman, and Will Ferrell round out a central cast of characters that are just as fun and captivating as their compatriots (Brie in particular does great work as a unicorn/cat combination who struggles to stay upbeat through the dangerous adventure).
The LEGO Movie is, plain and simple, joyous fun with a good deal of heart packed in for good measure. It does what few big movies do these days by taking you on an adventure that feels wholly original despite it's origins not just in a toy, but in all the films it lampoons and to which it pays homage. The charming characters go a long way toward making The LEGO Movie the film that it is, but the sly sense of humor that Lord and Miller bring to the table truly puts it over the top. The vocal talent's they've assembled are known for their collective work on Arrested Development, Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock, and Community, and trust me when I say that The LEGO Movie fits in perfectly with those deliriously funny comedies. It's a rarity for a movie for the entire family to truly operate on different levels, reaching audience members of all ages, but that's exactly what The LEGO Movie does, and it does so with ease. Cynical moviegoers tend to groan at the appearance of yet another sequel or movie based on a toy or board game, but if the next film in the LEGO franchise arrives with the same creative spark of this first installment, I'll greet it with enthusiasm and an ever-growing itch to dig out my old LEGO kits. 9/10
Taking place in the LEGO universe, the story centers on Emmet, a construction worker who is more than content with his life in the corporate-run, homogenized world he inhabits. Before long, he is mistaken for a Master Builder (one of a group who build things with their creativity rather than instructions) known as "the Special," and he sets off on an adventure to stop the evil Lord Business from using a secret weapon to bring about the end of the world. Although The LEGO Movie's plot may seem ripped from about a dozen other blockbusters, that's part of the point, as it subverts conventions with its wit, and dazzles with a unique visual style.
An ingenious combination of stop-motion and computer generated animation (though mostly the latter) makes the film look as though these were real, tangible LEGO pieces that happen to move and talk on their own. Imagine if Toy Story's Buzz and Woody were truly photo realistic, and that's what The LEGO Movie delivers. It's an interesting approach that becomes more and more relevant to the story as it progresses, and it never distracts in the way having such realism in a Pixar film might. I would wager that for most audience members, this will be the first time since 1995's Toy Story that they are shocked to see what truly looks like toys come alive. Of course, one of the key's to Pixar's characters coming to life is the wonderful casts the studio always assembles, and Lord and Miller have done the same for their block-buster.
Chris Pratt brings his heart, humor, and charming naiveté to Emmet, making him a frequently entertaining and intriguing protagonist who finds himself in the role of an unlikely hero. If you're at all familiar with Pratt's work on Parks and Recreation, you will not be disappointed by his work in LEGO form. Morgan Freeman is similarly cast with his past work in mind, as he voices the sage-like Vitruvius, a character who might as well be Gandalf or Obi-Wan Kenobi with the voice of Bruce Almighty's God. Vitruvius is an excellent send-up of the wise old man character found in so many hero stories, and Freeman plays up the character's absurdity without losing his gravitas. Will Arnett brings LEGO Batman to life with a deadpan and egomaniacal delivery that will make you wish he had his own film, as he steals scene after scene. Elizabeth Banks, Alison Brie, Nick Offerman, and Will Ferrell round out a central cast of characters that are just as fun and captivating as their compatriots (Brie in particular does great work as a unicorn/cat combination who struggles to stay upbeat through the dangerous adventure).
The LEGO Movie is, plain and simple, joyous fun with a good deal of heart packed in for good measure. It does what few big movies do these days by taking you on an adventure that feels wholly original despite it's origins not just in a toy, but in all the films it lampoons and to which it pays homage. The charming characters go a long way toward making The LEGO Movie the film that it is, but the sly sense of humor that Lord and Miller bring to the table truly puts it over the top. The vocal talent's they've assembled are known for their collective work on Arrested Development, Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock, and Community, and trust me when I say that The LEGO Movie fits in perfectly with those deliriously funny comedies. It's a rarity for a movie for the entire family to truly operate on different levels, reaching audience members of all ages, but that's exactly what The LEGO Movie does, and it does so with ease. Cynical moviegoers tend to groan at the appearance of yet another sequel or movie based on a toy or board game, but if the next film in the LEGO franchise arrives with the same creative spark of this first installment, I'll greet it with enthusiasm and an ever-growing itch to dig out my old LEGO kits. 9/10
