In TV shows and movies directed toward children, there are often references and adult jokes that kids will not understand but parents and perhaps older siblings will. Many kid-focused programs can also persuade older viewers to look fondly at their past.

“The Lego Movie” does both. Although it is rated PG and primarily geared toward kids, its multi-leveled humor can be enjoyed by anyone, as well as bring adults back to a time when their imaginations ran wild.

The film centers on Emmet Brickowski (voiced by Chris Pratt), a friendless, average Joe construction worker who nevertheless loves his life. Emmet lives in the Lego city of Bricksburgh, which is run by the evil President Business (voiced by Will Ferrell).

Though Ferrell was funny as the villain, it was odd that Lego allowed the main antagonist to be named President Business. After all, Lego is a business, and has already made millions off of its feature film. Additionally, it was inappropriate to place such a slight to two important entities like government and business in a family movie.

One day, Emmet sees someone walking around the construction site after hours. When he goes to confront the individual, he stumbles through a hole and discovers something called the Piece of Resistance, created by the character he was chasing Wyldstyle (voiced by Elizabeth Banks). Wyldstyle is a member of the resistance against President Business, and is a “Master Builder,” someone who has the vision and skill to build anything out of the pieces that surround her.

Wyldstyle informs Emmet that since he found the Piece of Resistance, he must fulfill the prophecy of the “Special,” and be the one to ultimately thwart President Business’ plot to destroy the world. Wyldstyle leads Emmet to Vitruvius (voiced by Morgan Freeman), an old wizard and Master Builder who heads the resistance against President Business.

Emmet, Vitruvius and Wyldstyle must assemble a team of Master Builders with enough dexterity to battle President Business and his evil army.

Throughout the adventure, “The Lego Movie” writers Dan Hageman, Kevin Hageman, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller cleverly filled in celebrity cameos. For example, actors who have smaller parts in “The Lego Movie” include Jonah Hill, Liam Neeson and Will Forte. This was a fun aspect of the film, as it kept the audience guessing about who might show up next.

References to pop culture staples were abundant, with some lines taken directly from the likes of “The Terminator” and “The Dark Knight.” Many actors from other hit movies revisited their roles, reimagined in Lego form, which was another enjoyable quirk.

The plot flowed nicely, as Emmet and the rest of the resistance had to travel to the far reaches of the Lego universe in order to stop President Business. The different worlds the team visits include classic Lego theme sets, such as the Wild West, the Middle Ages and pirate ships.

“The Lego Movie” could have used more of these vignettes, as each was a standout moment for the film. There was potential for hilarious interactions with Lego characters of other worlds that was left on the table.

One outstanding feature of the film was its animation. The characters moved brick-to-brick, as Lego figures would. Though this could have made the movements choppy, lead animators Tim Gibson and David Williams were able to make the characters’ motions totally fluid.

In action scenes, the animation was even more impressive. For example, in a scene that features a large splash of water, the long blue panels of Legos broke into smaller, lighter blue pieces, mimicking the way water would rise. This added authenticity to the Lego franchise and was a humorous sight gag.

“The Lego Movie” is far from your run-of-the-mill children’s flick. It has a script that will make anyone laugh, outstanding visuals, and will tug on the hearts of those who grew up with Legos. If you are one for goofy humor and a little bit of nostalgia, “The Lego Movie” is a must-see.

Published on February 11, 2014 at 11:45 pm