Oh brother, right? Just what I need. A movie to tell my kid that he is the special-est person in the universe (or he MIGHT be anyway), business is evil, and following instructions is for chumps.
But I was so intrigued by the clever use of well-known characters in the trailer, and I'm such a fan of stop motion animation (this isn't true stop motion, but the cgi is very true to the feel of traditional Lego stop motion), and my older boys were so very willing to be blackmailed by the chance to go see it . . . that we just had to go.
And . . .
I really enjoyed it.
None of the issues I was concerned about was problematic at all. Lord Business is a bad guy but not in a "corporations are evil" kind of way. Our hero is special mostly because he isn't, reminiscent of Bilbo of The Hobbit the book (but not so much Bilbo of The Hobbit the movie, sigh). Direction following is treated in a very balanced way. As in real life, in the movie there is a time to follow the instructions and a time to be creative.
I really enjoyed it.
None of the issues I was concerned about was problematic at all. Lord Business is a bad guy but not in a "corporations are evil" kind of way. Our hero is special mostly because he isn't, reminiscent of Bilbo of The Hobbit the book (but not so much Bilbo of The Hobbit the movie, sigh). Direction following is treated in a very balanced way. As in real life, in the movie there is a time to follow the instructions and a time to be creative.
The things I thought I would enjoy, I really did enjoy. The cameos by well-known characters from literature, history, sports, and pop-culture are awesome. My favorite was "Nineteen Eighty Something Spaceguy." Brilliant.
The animation was both my favorite and my least favorite part of the movie. The jerky movements and limited joints are used to great advantage. Scenes of fire and water and bubbles are all managed in really creative and visually interesting ways. I loved the kid-type sound effects that sneak in here and there, hinting at the ending that's to come. But, the whole thing was very bright and frantic and noisome. I wish they could have toned it down just a bit.
I don't want to spoil the ending for you, but suffice to say, it ends up having a very sweet family message. It has humor that appeals to both kids and adults, but without being secretly bawdy. I was really pleasantly surprised by the innocence of the whole thing. The language is cute, and the romance is limited to some very endearing hand holding.
It's not going to change your life but it's a fun, clever movie with a nice message. And my kids really REALLY liked it.
Update: people have asked me if it's appropriate for younger kids. I'd say it depends. I would let my 2 and 4 year olds see it, but only because their older siblings would like it. I don't think there's anything overly scary or inappropriate, but the whole thing would be a bit over their heads.
It feels like an action movie. There are intense action scenes, torture, and the death of a character we like, but it's all in Lego! So there's no blood or guts, and it's all handled in a lighthearted comedic way. There's also a Lego guys photocopying their butts scene. I hated it when the minions did it, but it totally cracked me up to see the little backs of Lego guy legs coming out of the machine. There's a running gag about a TV show called Where Are My Pants? in which, you guessed it, the main character isn't wearing pants. But -- he's a Lego. I thought it was all in good fun.
My only caution for younger kids is that the plot is pretty complicated and seems aimed at older kids, teenagers, and adults. I don't think my little kids would have much of an idea of what's going on. But I do think they'd be mesmerized by just watching the Legos.
Updated update: I've now seen this movie four times (I think?), and I've liked it more each time. It's just a well-written, clever movie. And I'm not sure what I was talking about up there about it being "frantic and noisome" (who talks like that?). We saw it again this weekend after Bobby and Gus' Lego Movie themed birthday party, and I though the Lego stop-motion-looking effects were just brilliant. The fire, the Lego waves, it's all just perfect. Even the ending credits are astounding. I highly recommend this movie.
To see the party details or download free printables to throw your own, click here.
Updated update: I've now seen this movie four times (I think?), and I've liked it more each time. It's just a well-written, clever movie. And I'm not sure what I was talking about up there about it being "frantic and noisome" (who talks like that?). We saw it again this weekend after Bobby and Gus' Lego Movie themed birthday party, and I though the Lego stop-motion-looking effects were just brilliant. The fire, the Lego waves, it's all just perfect. Even the ending credits are astounding. I highly recommend this movie.
To see the party details or download free printables to throw your own, click here.