Too often, animated movies aimed at younger audiences play more like feature-length commercials for branded merchandise. "The Lego Movie" could've easily been the worst offender, especially considering the fact that it tied in not only to those expensive Danish interlocking blocks but also to intellectual properties like Batman and Harry Potter. Instead, "The Lego Movie" became one of the freshest ever entries into the computer animated space, and it did so with a visual style that perfectly captured its inspiration and a story that thumbed its nose at corporate cynicism.
Aesthetically, the movie renders its characters and their world in a way that feels familiar and tactile, but it still makes spectacular use of what CGI can do, especially in how it all moves about the screen. As for the plot, generic minifig Emmet Brickowski becomes "the Special" and must defeat the evil President-slash-Lord Business before his super weapon, the Kragle, destroys Bricksburg. Emmet and his friends' quest is punk rock yet heartwarming, and the film's final act builds to a twist that really pays off.
- Starring: Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks
- Directors: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
- Year: 2014
- Runtime: 101 minutes
- Rating: PG
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
