A movie based on a simple children’s toy should not be able to set the high benchmark for sharp-witted commentary on popular culture; and yet LEGO defies all logic and has accomplished this feat, not only once, but once again with their latest film, The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part.
If you thought their first effort (The LEGO Movie) was incredible, The Second Part continues to deliver a hilarious, thoughtful and irreverent parody of almost everything – plus stuff I’m sure I won’t catch even after multiple viewings. It has a lot of heart and is one of the funniest and most uniquely original films since… well, the first LEGO movie.
And for all the uptight Bill Mahers of the world: if you are thinking this is all kids’ stuff, think again. This is an intelligent film that will please smart kids and adults of all ages. I know, I regretfully doubted it myself back in 2014 when the first film came out.
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part has our heroes Emmet (Chris Pratt) and Lucy (Elizabeth Banks) living in an apocalyptic LEGO wasteland, with the ever-positive Emmet still determined to make everything awesome.
After being invaded by General Mayhem (Stephanie Beatriz) of the Systar System, several of the LEGO characters are captured and taken off to the alien Queen Watevra Wa-Nabi (Tiffany Haddish) for re-conditioning.
The Queen has her eye on making Batman (Will Arnett) her King, unless Emmet and his reinforcements can make it to the Systar System in time to stop the ceremony. So much wackiness ensues that your head will spin in the best of ways.
If you are familiar with the end of the first film then you know that the action is all taking place in the mind(s) of the kids playing with the toys. In The Second Part, the cutaways to the live-action bits add some unnecessary back-story to the main action, but they also took me completely out of the fast-paced narrative and broke its exciting rhythm (a minor complaint.)
And speaking of rhythm, there are a handful of great musical numbers in this film, with one that literally gets inside your head – and not necessarily in a good way – but plays great in the context of the movie. One of the best tunes is “Super Cool” by Beck and The Lonely Island, but you’ll need to stick around for the closing credits to hear it.
Directed by Mike Mitchell (Trolls – 2016) and written by Christopher Miller and Phil Lord (who helmed the first film), The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part also stars the voice talent of Nick Offerman as the pirate, MetalBeard; Will Ferrell as President Business and the off-screen father; and Channing Tatum as Superman.
If you are a fan of the first film then I’m sure you are already excited for The Second Part, but if you are still on the fence, I highly recommend you come down and check out both films. Grade: 8/10
