Film Review: Big Laughs Await in Sly, Fun ‘The LEGO Movie’

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly versionE-mail page to friendE-mail page to friendPDF versionPDF version
Average: 5 (1 vote)

CHICAGO – The funniest movie in a long while features no human beings, just animated bland faces among interlocking plastic bricks, the toys which inspired the film. “The LEGO Movie” never takes itself seriously, which means huge laughs for the audience.

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 4.5/5.0
Rating: 4.5/5.0

Combining parts of a Big Brother “1984” plot with a raft of pop culture references, the animated 3D film succeeds through great comic writing, that is never lazy or expected. There are a million jokes you can make about Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Abraham Lincoln, “Star Wars” and so on, but all the jokes made in “The LEGO Movie” are sharp and impeccably timed. This is a film in which the laughs just keep coming, floating like waves on the Lego sea (yes, water is made of Legos, everything is made of Legos). To get happy for 100 minutes, put this film in the entertainment line-up.

The Lego society is specifically structured. Each individual citizen is designed for their jobs, and they happily go about them – while buying expensive coffee and singing the big hit, “Everything is Awesome.” Emmet (voice of Chris Pratt) is one of those citizens, so bland that his co-workers can’t quite place him. Everything changes when Emmet discovers a infiltrator named WildStyle (Elizabeth Banks), who thinks Emmet is the “MasterBuilder,” a savior foretold by prophecy.

There is a plan to actually destroy society for control, perpetrated by President Business (Will Ferrell), and Emmet becomes the unlikely Legotian to stop the plan. With the help of Batman (Will Arnett), a pirate named Metal Beard (Nick Offerman), a Unicorn Kitty (Alison Brie), 1980s Astronaut Benny (Charlie Day) and a guru name Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman), they might be able to save this interlocking universe.

“The LEGO Movie” opens everywhere on February 5th. See local listings for 3D theaters and show times. Featuring the voices of Chris Pratt, Will Arnett, Elizabeth Banks, Alison Brie, Charlie Day, Morgan Freeman, Will Ferrell, Liam Neeson and Nick Offerman. Written and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Rated “PG

StarContinue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of ”The LEGO Movie”

The LEGO Movie
Everything is Awesome in ‘The LEGO Movie’
Photo credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

StarContinue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of ”The LEGO Movie”

Mr. Leland's picture

Good job

Sounds like a hoot. Legotians? Why not Legonese? Lots of reviews have mentioned that it’s got something for the adults in it, so maybe I’ll take the nephews.

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

User Login

Free Giveaway Mailing

TV, DVD, BLU-RAY & THEATER REVIEWS

  • Manhunt

    CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on March 21st, 2024, reviewing the new streaming series “Manhunt” – based on the bestseller by James L. Swanson – currently streaming on Apple TV+.

  • Topdog/Underdog, Invictus Theatre

    CHICAGO – When two brothers confront the sins of each other and it expands into a psychology of an entire race, it’s at a stage play found in Chicago’s Invictus Theatre Company production of “Topdog/Underdog,” now at their new home at the Windy City Playhouse through March 31st, 2024. Click TD/UD for tickets/info.

Advertisement



HollywoodChicago.com on Twitter

archive

HollywoodChicago.com Top Ten Discussions
tracker