The Lego Movie

Trailer- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ_JOBCLF-I

I love Lego- I feel no need to lie about it. There is nothing in the world more satisfying than slowly watching lots of little bits coming together to create one big model. That being said, just because I like building Lego (like David Beckham, Guy Martin and Richard Hammond, jusayin) doesn't mean I'll like a film made out of the stuff. You don't get a sense of humour or storytelling when you're building a Lego bike say- it's something the film-makers needed to create for this film. Fortunately they have created something that really works and turns the Lego Movie from being a 90 minute toy advert to a legitimately funny, heartfelt film.

The film starts by introducing us to the Lego world through construction worker Emmet, your average mini-figure that you wouldn't look twice at in the Tesco toy aisle. It follows his journey as he discovers he's a master builder and if it sounds like its a bit kiddy it's because the story is. Without spoiling it though- there is something much deeper going on in the Lego Movie that turns it from being just a goofy kids film to something much more clever. You'll have to watch it to find it what I mean.

The humour is also hilarious and as much as some of the jokes fall flat a lot of The Lego Movie is laugh out loud funny. The first half hour in particular when the world being made out of Lego is still a novelty is particularly great. The way the Lego horses walk, things exploding in plastic fire and stop-motion brick mushroom clouds and the general naivety of Emmet all warrant a laugh. That's not to mention all the hilarious licensed character interactions. Batman is a bit of douche, The Green Lantern is seen as the little brother no one wants to hang out with and Dumbledore and Gandalf quarrel with each other. It's like something you'd do with your Lego toys as a child.

There's big names lending their voices here as well and I doubt they would have gotten involved if they thought the Lego Movie wasn't going to be a success. You hear the voices of Morgan Freeman, Will Ferrell and Liam Neeson but to be honest they don't really have to be there. It sounds stupid to complain about big actors starring in films but in the cases of some characters in the Lego movie I just found it a little distracting. The Lego cop in the film isn't a Lego cop, it's just Lego Liam Neeson.

The film also loses steam once your mind adjusts to the Lego world. It's incredible what's been made, even with the CGI input, but once you're used to it the Lego based humour doesn't hit you the same. The action and fight scenes are also a bit rubbish near the end which wouldn't be a problem if there just a few of them but unfortunately there are. I also lost interest in the story entirely half way through and looking back it was is if the film makers were just filling run-time before that ending.

THAT ending though really saves the film however and leaves you with a movie with a strong hilarious start, weak-ish middle and heartfelt clever ending. Everything is awesome? Not quite, but it definitely silences all the voices that said 'they're making a Lego Movie, that'll be crap' a year ago. Not perfect but an impressive result for a film based around little plastic bricks.

7/10