When my friend asked me to go see “The LEGO Movie” late this Friday night, I had to do a double take.
Seriously? A movie about talking Legos, that’s the best they can do?
But, oh, was I wrong.
The movie sets you up about eight years ago in a fight between the evil Lord Business (the well-known Will Ferrell) and the wizard Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman) on the quest to obtain the magical “Kragle.”
When Vitruvius fails to protect the superweapon, he warns Business of the prophecy where a person called the “Special” will find the Piece of Resistance and put an end to the Kragle once and for all.
Eight and a half years later, Emmet Brickowski (Chris Pratt), a plain-as-day construction worker who is okay with living by the manual, comes across a woman, Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), who is searching endlessly through the work site. When he goes to confront the woman, he falls endlessly down a chasm and upon finding himself at the bottom, he finds the Piece of Resistance.
Compelled to touch it, Emmet experiences crazy visions and passes out, later awakening in a strange office with the piece stuck to his back.
Upon meeting Business’s henchman, Bad Cop/Good Cop (Liam Neeson), he then figures out Business’s evil plan to destroy their world on so-called “Taco Tuesday.” Wyldstyle then swoops in to save the day and takes Brickowski to Vitruvius, who is now old and decrepit, to learn of his prophecy to become the “Special.” He also learns of the Master Builders who are capable of building anything and everything at extreme speeds without a manual.
Inspired, they all band together to save the world.
The movie was a non-stop blast from beginning to end. Jam-packed with puns, it made you want to watch the movie again just to catch all of them. Amazing state-of-the-art CGI (courtesy of Animal Logic) might make you want to see it even a third time in 3D just because.
Not to mention the top-of-the-line voice actors.
You even get to see your favorite characters like Batman (Will Arnett), who I just about keeled over at everything he said. More to add to the list are Wonder Woman (Cobie Smulders), Green Lantern (Jonah Hill), Super Man (Channing Tatum), and even Anthony Daniels and Billy Dee Williams reprise their Star Wars roles as C-3PO and Lando Calrissian.
It is such a great movie to see with your family. While your younger brother or sister are in awe at the bright colors and catchy music, we will laugh ourselves silly at the adult-like puns and goggle in wonder at all the things we remember best about childhood.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars