Year: 2019
Director: Mike Mitchell
Starring: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Tiffany Haddish, and Stephanie Beatriz
Tagline: They come in pieces
Starring: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Tiffany Haddish, and Stephanie Beatriz
Tagline: They come in pieces
Synopsis: Five years after the first movie, everything is not awesome in Bricksburg, now Apocalypseburg. When a mysterious visitor kidnaps his friends, Emmett must set out to rescue them before Our-Mom-Ageddon.
Review
Frenetic: fast and energetic in a rather wild and uncontrolled way. Also, the word that best describes The LEGO Movie 2.
Like its predecessor, LM2 is a wild ride of pop culture references, colorful animation, and catchy songs. It's funny and enjoyable, and requires multiple viewings to catch it all. The animation is still top notch. Kids will love it. Adults will likely find plenty of things to enjoy (such as a certain air duct cameo).
Also like the first movie, the film has a real world story that ties in. That story is good, and has a satisfactory, makes-ya-smile conclusion. The only problem with it is that it isn't a surprise this time. The first movie only hinted that there was a reality outside of the LEGO world. So when real world Will Ferrell walked down the stairs, the entire movie changed and was put into a new perspective. This movie didn't have the chance for such a dramatic reveal. As clever as the "Sis-star System" is, we always knew where this would lead and how it would likely wrap up. It was emotionally satisfying, but it didn't have the same impact as the first movie.
I did enjoy LM2. It is funny and at times quite clever. But the entire time I was comparing it to the first movie, and it simply couldn't compare. The satirical elements and self-referential jokes were there, but they weren't as on point. The "Catchy Tune" was no worse musically than "Everything Is Awesome," but it had no substance. OK, "Everything Is Awesome" isn't really substantive, but it relayed a lot about who Emmett was and the world he lived in. So it fit the story. "Catchy Tune" is a hollow song simply designed to "get stuck inside your head." And it does.
The first film also had clear themes. It was about the reconciliation of a father and son; about learning to work together, which sometimes means following "the instructions"; and that we all have unique traits that can make us "special" as we use them to contribute to the team.
This film is about, um, being yourself ... so long as being yourself is in line with everyone else and involves glitter and sparkles and catchy pop tunes. No, that can't be it. It's about how we all need to toughen up and be brooding and cynical, because that couldn't possibly backfire and be disastrous. Hmm. It's about how we shouldn't end up cynical and brooding ... that we should all be kumbaya happy and just get along ... that females can be just as horrible communicators as males ... I'm not really sure what the moral of the story is. I guess it's that brothers and sisters should learn to get along and that they shouldn't leave LEGOs on the floor.
I know, that's a bit harsh. Perhaps my expectations were too high after the first movie. But while LM2 is fun and enjoyable, it's about as empty as its "Catchy Tune."
The film is rated PG for pretty much the same reasons as the first one.
The LEGO Movie 2 is a fun, wild ride of a movie. It's very funny. And the human storyline has heart. Go see it. Take the kiddos to see it. Just don't have expectations that it will be as good as the first movie.
*** Spoiler Section ***
Time travel is always tricky. I did love all the time machines Rex stole parts from in order to make his own. And I loved that it was in the shape of a destructive fist. But the time-space continuum logic there at the end ... I don't think it quite worked. Maybe it does. It's making my head hurt to try and figure it out.
My biggest gripe with LM2 started in the trailers. General Mayhem breaks in and asks who the fiercest warrior is. Lucy tells about how Emmett saved the world. But then Mayhem points out that Lucy did all the building and fighting, and they leave it there with Emmett coming across as the hapless male (which he kinda sorta is). At no point (that I recall) do they remember how Emmett was the one who brought them all together to work as a team and that without him, none of what Lucy did would have mattered. Moreover, all the other Bricksburg citizens have forgotten how to be special and work together. And never once is it mentioned that Emmett sacrificed his life to save his friends and all of Bricksburg. Lucy is great. And she does a lot of great things and is a likable character. But undermining what Emmett did does not somehow make her more heroic by the contrast. (That's a part of Hollywood "feminism" I can't stand. <gets off soapbox>)
Like its predecessor, LM2 is a wild ride of pop culture references, colorful animation, and catchy songs. It's funny and enjoyable, and requires multiple viewings to catch it all. The animation is still top notch. Kids will love it. Adults will likely find plenty of things to enjoy (such as a certain air duct cameo).
Also like the first movie, the film has a real world story that ties in. That story is good, and has a satisfactory, makes-ya-smile conclusion. The only problem with it is that it isn't a surprise this time. The first movie only hinted that there was a reality outside of the LEGO world. So when real world Will Ferrell walked down the stairs, the entire movie changed and was put into a new perspective. This movie didn't have the chance for such a dramatic reveal. As clever as the "Sis-star System" is, we always knew where this would lead and how it would likely wrap up. It was emotionally satisfying, but it didn't have the same impact as the first movie.
I did enjoy LM2. It is funny and at times quite clever. But the entire time I was comparing it to the first movie, and it simply couldn't compare. The satirical elements and self-referential jokes were there, but they weren't as on point. The "Catchy Tune" was no worse musically than "Everything Is Awesome," but it had no substance. OK, "Everything Is Awesome" isn't really substantive, but it relayed a lot about who Emmett was and the world he lived in. So it fit the story. "Catchy Tune" is a hollow song simply designed to "get stuck inside your head." And it does.
The first film also had clear themes. It was about the reconciliation of a father and son; about learning to work together, which sometimes means following "the instructions"; and that we all have unique traits that can make us "special" as we use them to contribute to the team.
This film is about, um, being yourself ... so long as being yourself is in line with everyone else and involves glitter and sparkles and catchy pop tunes. No, that can't be it. It's about how we all need to toughen up and be brooding and cynical, because that couldn't possibly backfire and be disastrous. Hmm. It's about how we shouldn't end up cynical and brooding ... that we should all be kumbaya happy and just get along ... that females can be just as horrible communicators as males ... I'm not really sure what the moral of the story is. I guess it's that brothers and sisters should learn to get along and that they shouldn't leave LEGOs on the floor.
I know, that's a bit harsh. Perhaps my expectations were too high after the first movie. But while LM2 is fun and enjoyable, it's about as empty as its "Catchy Tune."
The film is rated PG for pretty much the same reasons as the first one.
The LEGO Movie 2 is a fun, wild ride of a movie. It's very funny. And the human storyline has heart. Go see it. Take the kiddos to see it. Just don't have expectations that it will be as good as the first movie.
*** Spoiler Section ***
Time travel is always tricky. I did love all the time machines Rex stole parts from in order to make his own. And I loved that it was in the shape of a destructive fist. But the time-space continuum logic there at the end ... I don't think it quite worked. Maybe it does. It's making my head hurt to try and figure it out.
My biggest gripe with LM2 started in the trailers. General Mayhem breaks in and asks who the fiercest warrior is. Lucy tells about how Emmett saved the world. But then Mayhem points out that Lucy did all the building and fighting, and they leave it there with Emmett coming across as the hapless male (which he kinda sorta is). At no point (that I recall) do they remember how Emmett was the one who brought them all together to work as a team and that without him, none of what Lucy did would have mattered. Moreover, all the other Bricksburg citizens have forgotten how to be special and work together. And never once is it mentioned that Emmett sacrificed his life to save his friends and all of Bricksburg. Lucy is great. And she does a lot of great things and is a likable character. But undermining what Emmett did does not somehow make her more heroic by the contrast. (That's a part of Hollywood "feminism" I can't stand. <gets off soapbox>)
Quotable Quotes
- "With Batman gone and Marvel not returning our calls ..." -- Gandalf
- "Emmett! Did you draw stubble dots on your face?" "What? No." -- Lucy and Emmett
- "Behold, the Sis-star System." "Whooooa!" "No 'whoas'! Do not giver her the satisfaction of whoaing this." "Ooooohhh!" "That's even worse." "Ahhhh!" "Stop it!" -- General Mayhem, Unikitty, Metal Beard, Batman, Benny, and Lucy
- "Bruce Willis?" "I, uh, spend a lot of time in air ducts." -- Lucy and Bruce Willis
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