The Lego Movie

You know, I'm one of the naysayers. I'm one of those guys who looks at the Lego franchise and says... I don't know if I can do this. Don't get me wrong. I love Legos, I love Legos with a passion. They were my childhood. I knew I was going to see this movie eventually for the very fact that its Legos. I wouldn't feel right with myself if I did not see this movie, I would feel like I'm shitting on my childhood if I don't. That and the reviews for this movie have been great. But honestly, I didn't think I was going to like this movie as much as other people do. I've seen the Lego video games and as much as people tell me they're great, they're something I should get, I can't bring myself to spend money on a game with Legos... and its not that I don't think it could be a good game, its just I feel Legos should be enjoyed in person. I don't want to build things in a video game, I don't wanna see people building things with Legos, I want to build things with Legos! I wanna get my Legos right now and build something because Legos are brilliant and awesome!

But then I saw the movie... and I have to say, the same nostalgia and creativeness that I now feel when I watch the Toy Story movies has hit me hard when I think of the Lego Movie.

Before I get too ahead of myself, I'll explain the premise.

The Lego Movie takes place in the world of Legos... duh!

The story follows a run of the mill pretty average looking Lego man named Emmett (played by Chris Pratt). Emmett lives in a normal world where everyone follows the rules, everyone does the same thing and Everything is Awesome!

Seriously, that god damn song!

But Emmett is soon thrown into danger when he obtains "The Piece of Resistance" and becomes "The Special". He soon realizes that the world is controlled by the evil Lord Business (voiced by Will Ferrell). Lord Business has locked up all the "master builders" and wishes to keep things in an orderly manner where everything follows the rules, everything is kept prestine and "perfect".

Emmett is joined by an awesome cast of "Master Builders" people who can just build creative things out of nothing. This cast includes a woman named Wild Side (voiced by Elizabeth Banks) A wizard named Virtuvius (voiced by Morgan Freeman). But it also includes a cast of recognizable Legos who are the Masterbuilders, like Batman (voiced by Will Arnett) a 1980s spaceman lego (voiced by Charlie Day) Superman (voiced by Channing Tatum), etc. Alison Brie also voices a unikitty... Its Alison Brie... I'm happy. Nick Offerman voices Metal Beard, a pirate robot... thing.

Seriously the cast in this movie is just superb. Liam Neeson plays a minion of Lord Business called Good Cop Bad Cop, he literally has two faces and switches between the two. Its stuff like that that makes the humor of the Lego movie really, really funny.

Its hard to explain this movie without giving too much away so eventually I will go into spoiler territory.

I really recommend this movie. The plot basically is that Emmett is the Special, he needs to stop Lord Business... Yes I know the plot sounds like something a 6 year old could make but believe me, the humor is great. The story is better and if anything else, the casting is phenomenal. I was in the same boat and a part of me still is, but the more I think about this movie, the more I love it. Put aside all skepticism, put aside all notions that Legos are for kids, and if you haven't seen The Lego Movie, go see it now!

I am now moving into spoiler territory so be warned!

____________________________________SPOILERS____________________________________

Like I said, I wasn't wild about the idea of this movie. Again, I feel like I'd be shitting on my childhood if I didn't go see it, but it wasn't high on my list of priorities.

Even while I was watching the movie, I felt like I was watching something a 6 year old could have written.

I mean, Emmett must use the "Piece of Resistance" with the help of the Master Builders, all of which are characters from other franchises, to stop the evil plot of Lord Business.

I mean I could see the messages to kids, be original, don't be afraid to go outside the box, but also don't be afraid to follow the rules. That's the great thing about Legos is you can do both! Its celebrating the toy while giving a fun movie to watch with kids. But I'm a 22 year old man, as much as my childhood wants me to love this film and as much as I see myself as a child at heart, I can't really relate to this movie because the plot makes it a movie for kids...

And then Emmett falls through a portal and comes out on the other side different. Suddenly the movie isn't stop motion animated, suddenly he's an actual Lego in the real world. There's talk of "The man upstairs" earlier in the film but suddenly we realize that Emmett and his friend are toys. This isn't a movie only set in the Lego universe alone, this is pulling an actual Toy Story moment. And I know what you're thinking, isn't that just the same as Toy Story? No person who obviously didn't see the Spoiler Warning and hasn't seen the movie.

It turns out this story that I've been saying could have been written by a 6 year old, was actually the imaginings of a 6 year old kid. It's one of the most adorable and really nostalgic moments I've seen in film in a long time. Cause I've been that kid! I've done these silly stories with Legos, taking Legos from the Cowboy world, putting them in a spaceship, the world of Legos is really unlimited. But at the same time, again, that doesn't apply to me as much anymore. As much as I would love to sit around playing Legos I don't do it any...

And then Will Ferrel comes in.

It turns out Lord Business has been this kids Father this entire time. There's a great dialogue between this kid and his dad where he says, why can't I play with these Legos, the age thing says 8-13, and Will Ferrel says, that's a recommendation.

That's the beauty of Legos. While they're kids toys, they've really grown with us and a lot of people, including a lot of older people I know have massive collections of Lego sets they put up like trophies. Legos, while a toy, are similar to model airplanes of an earlier day.

Will Ferrel sees them as things to build and keep in preteen condition and they're perfect just the way they are.

While you know he's stiffling creativity probably putting a little more emphasis on his own selfish desires than those of his kid, you understand where he's coming from. I grew up with Legos. A lot of times I feel they're a toy of my generation and they're something the new generation won't understand the way I did.

But then he sees how creative his son has been, he sees how the Legos can be used to have fun, play outside the box and it gives way to a reconciliation scene that would melt a heart of stone.

The humor can be good in the film, the cast is good, and while a little childish, the story is pretty fun for people of my age and older. But its that last scene that makes this movie bigger than just a kids movie adults can enjoy. It gives the movie heart.

It is just a precious ending scene and that's saying something because the movie made me use the word precious.

And it opens up for a lot of creative ideas and stories that could happen all with that same feeling of nostalgia we get from movies like Toy Story.

I want to watch the movie again, because while I feel like the movie has a lot of potential to be the Toy Story of the modern day, I feel like the story leading up to that ending scene is a little childish. But I'm buying this movie regardless because its just a fun movie all around.

There's probably more that I didn't like about this movie, but there's obviously so much that I did like that whatever is there that I didn't, its not important.

I need to re-watch it, but The Lego movie has the potential to go down as a legend of a movie. Its fun, its nostalgic, its light hearted, and its fun for both kids and adults. And I love those kinds of movies.

Maybe I'm overplaying this movie, so I want to hear from you all. What did you think of The Lego Movie. Is it the new Toy Story? Or is it just an alright animated film? Comment and Discuss Below.

I'll leave you with this. So because all that is left are people who have seen the movie. I'll leave you with the way The Lego Movie should have ended. Everything is Batman!