I hated Legos growing up because my creativity laid dormant at the sight of those colorful interlocking bricks. Those around me could build wondrous worlds in the blink of an eye. I hid behind the notion that He-Man and Transformers were much cooler, which helped to justify my disdain. I recently watched a movie starring these same toys, and while I didn’t expect much, I took away so much from this movie.
The Lego Movie is a thoroughly entertaining adventure that doesn’t let up. Emmett, the main character who is wonderfully voiced by Chris Pratt, is an average Joe with a heart of gold mistakenly identified as a highly-skilled master builder and chosen to save the world. What Emmet lacks in ingenuity, he makes up for with a keen immigration he never knew he had. I can relate to Emmett because sometimes, ingenuity escapes me due to paralysis by analysis. In those moments when I shut my mind off, the ideas start flowing.
Some films try to send a message that goes along with the story, and Lego is no different. However, it is cleverly done in the vein of choice and circumstances. Emmet likes to follow the instructions and lacks the ability to be a “creative type.” Wild Style, voiced by Elizabeth Banks, prefers to make it up on the fly, and her desire to not follow the instructions interferes with her ability to do so. Through their trails and tribulations, Emmett and Wild Style learn to open their mind to new things, which shows that it’s ok to broaden your horizons because there isn’t one definitive way of doing things.
While this is movie is marketed towards kids, there are some themes that adults will enjoy. Everything is Awesome is the trendy song of the Lego universe. Like most, this is Emmett’s favorite song, but Wild Style hates it because it’s popular. This is reminiscent of my high school experiences where friends would rag on me for liking music that aired on MTV, and because they didn’t, they were more automatically more enlightened. However, that is a trend in itself because you’re simply trying to gain popularity at the expense of the establishment. At the end of the day, you like what you like, and that’s ok.
If themes and life lessons don’t tickle your fancy, prepare for the ultimate crossover film with characters from many different franchises. DC Comics, Star Wars, Lord of the Ring, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the list goes on and on, and it was delightful to watch it all unfold. Plus, the animation was presented as if someone was playing with their Legos, which adds a unique charm to the film. I absolutely adore everything about The Lego Movie. It contains an abundance of fun that may change your perception of a few things.
Ringside Logic 