Don’t be fooled, it’s not just for kids – The LEGO Movie has something for everyone

By EJ Mangahas

This month, moviegoers will be treated to a film unlike anything they have seen before. Dubbed as the biggest film ever assembled (pun intended), the LEGO Movie offers a visual treat to both kids and adults alike. Of course, adult fans of LEGO (AFOLs) will go nuts for the film as it is something that they will appreciate in a whole new level. Yes, while there were references to LEGO culture that only LEGO fans could relate, the film was careful enough to not alienate people who weren’t familiar with the iconic 60-year-old Danish brick.

Brought to you by 21st and 22nd Jump Street directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the LEGO Movie follows the adventures of an ordinary LEGO Minifigure, Emmet (voiced by Chris Pratt) as he is mistakenly identified as “the special” by a group of master builders led by the prophetic Vitruvius – brought to life by the golden voice of Morgan Freeman – who are hell-bent to put a stop to President Business’ (Will Ferell) and his henchman Bad Cop/Good Cop (Liam Neeson) tyrannical reign over the LEGO universe. Emmet and Vitruvius are accompanied by Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), a free-spirited female master builder, Batman (Will Arnett), Benny the Nineteen Eighty-something spaceman (Charlie Day), a jaded pirate Metalbeard (Nick Offerman), and the ever-so-jolly Unikitty (Alison Brie). Also appearing in the film are the rest of the Justice League led by Superman (Channing Tatum), Green Lantern (Jonah Hill) and Wonder Woman (Colbie Smulders). Central to the film’s plot is the Piece of Resistance, an object that Emmet accidentally finds which is capable of stopping President Business’ mysterious Kragle weapon.

The setting takes place in Bricksburg – a city in the LEGO universe. The inhabitants of Bricksburg are “instruction-loving” citizens which happily follows the rules that President Business sets. They routinely live their lives by listening to the same song, watching the same recycled TV shows, and engaging only in acceptable, government sanctioned activities. Obviously this environment doesn’t allow them to discover the wonders of creativity and self-thought as they constantly just chew on what’s being fed to them. Unbeknownst to the citizens of Bricksburg, other LEGO realms, like the Old West, Pirate’s Cove, Middle Zealand and lawless Cloud Cuckoo Land exist, kept from them by President Business.

While it is easy to dismiss the LEGO Movie as a kid’s film, adults would equally enjoy it because it doesn’t talk down to them as an audience. In fact, while the movie is generally funny for all ages, some of the humour used will go over kids’ heads. The movie also tackles issues like oligarchy and conformity, both of which are pretty grown-up topics. It’s also a bit ironic that the LEGO Movie, a film about big business and how it can take over every aspect of a person’s life (media, services, consumerism and privacy) was and released by LEGO and Warner Brothers, both of which are big businesses. The movie also manages to brilliantly inject satire into the smallest of moments. While you will find yourself laughing at joke after joke, you will also get a moment of realization that maybe the joke’s on you – it’s funny because it is very real. This is the aspect of the film that cleverly uses the source material – LEGO – as an unlikely medium to portray very disturbing social realities.

But that is just one aspect of the film. Truth be told, it is a LEGO movie, and it obviously puts LEGOs as a tool for endless creativity. While technically a branded film, it is not afraid to poke fun at LEGOs and take a slight jab at AFOLs for taking the toy too seriously; that while adults can enjoy the hobby, the toy is still ultimately for kids. LEGO enthusiasts of all ages will appreciate the fact the directors were able to balance both respect and slight irreverence to the brand.

On the technical side, the film is really impressive. While it uses CGI, it incorporates real builds and creations that anyone (with the right amount of LEGO bricks) can easily imitate. According to a Warner Bro. executive, the film utilized 15 million – that’s right million – actual bricks. It’s also a nod to the thousands of “brick films” (fan-generated LEGO stop motion clips) found online, only this time it’s done in a far larger scale. You’ll also notice that all the movements of the bricks and figures are faithful to the actual physics of the toy which makes it even more relatable. While it was expected that LEGO would use most of its properties (like Space, Castle, Fabuland, Blacktron, etc) in the film, it was also a treat to see Warner Bros use several of their licensed properties like Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and DC. A little trivia for you guys: this is technically the first time that the Justice League appeared complete in one major film and Wonder Woman’s debut on the big screen. There’s also a cameo of a bunch of much-loved heroes and their iconic vehicle from a galaxy far, far away. This was, for me, the biggest surprise because their license is owned by rival Disney Studios.

As far as voice acting is concerned, the film showcased surprising voice talent from big Hollywood names. We all know that Liam Neeson and the Morgan Freeman can narrate, but this is the first time that they flexed their vocal chords for an animated film as actors. In an interview, Morgan Freeman admitted to the challenge of being funny and acting with his voice which turned out pretty effective as his character Vitruvius delivered some of the movie’s most memorable punch lines. Liam Neeson was impressive as he was able to juggle to different voice in his character as Bad Cop/Good Cop.

I have no doubt that this film will be an animated classic alongside the likes of Space Jam and the Polar Express. As an AFOL dad myself, this film is particularly special for reasons I cannot discuss now as it will spoil the whole film. You would never expect a film with the title The LEGO Movie to be brilliant in so many levels in both the story and the production. The film really does have something to offer for everyone in the audience, young and old. It managed to elevate itself from being just a kid’s film to a genuine family classic that everyone can enjoy.

Rating: 4.7/5

The LEGO Movie will begin screening in the showing Philippine theatres starting Feb 6, 2013. It is distributed by Warner Bros. International.

For more on the only LEGO-exclusive community in the Philippines head over to The Philippine LEGO Users Group on FB.