Everything is Awesome: THE LEGO MOVIE

by Le Anne Lindsay, Editor

When I watched The Lego Movie trailer and saw they mixed superheroes and Star Wars Legos with Pirates, a Ninja Turtle and Abraham Lincoln Legos, I pictured a really wacky, random, filled with pop-culture reference type animated flick. Something along the lines of Family Guy. Well, it doesn’t really pull that off, but what it does do, it does very well!

@TheLEGOMovie main character Emmet (Chris Pratt) has a regular yellow Lego face and a regular Lego life. His whole day is about following the rules and instructions “suggested by” President Business (Will Ferrell) the leader of all Lego worlds (or as we know it – Playlands). Not only does Emmet not have an original thought, he’s unaware that other Legos do. These Legos that think outside of President Business’s instruction manuals and need for order, are called Master Builders; they are lead by Vitruvius (Hollywood’s voice of authority and magic Morgan Freeman). Vitruvious and the other Master Builders have had to go underground to escape President Business’ reign, waiting for the prophecy to come true – that “The Special” will find “The Piece of Resistance” and all Lego Worlds will once again be free to inhabit each others Playlands.

Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

I never played Legos as a kid. I was a total Fisher-Price People fanatic. Still, I can appreciate how closely the animators and writer/directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, worked to make you feel like you’re inside a Lego Land. Love the vehicles Legoed by the Master Builders, which come together faster than a Transformer; the significance of the hands that clasp together, which in Lego Land is as intimate as a kiss; and the face that spins – Bad Cop/Good Cop (Liam Neeson), the right hand henchman of President Business. It’s all quite cleverly done.

Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Young kids will enjoy the pace, color and upbeat tone of #TheLegoMovie. But older adolescence and adults will find it to be a bit like The Matrix for Legos. Emmet is on a quest and learns not only about himself and his purpose, but discovers the world outside his world. Important themes are examined, like the fact that we all long for someone to claim we’re “The Special”, but that claim needs to come from within. That as important as it is to walk to the beat of your own drum, there are times when working as a team and following instructions is the better way to go. And lastly, things easily dismissed may serve a greater purpose.