Read the review of The LEGO Movie 2 on UHD 4K.
As evidenced by the numerous LEGO-related articles I’ve contributed to senses.se, I’m demonstrably a LEGO fan. Consequently, it was inevitable that I would see the sequel to The LEGO Movie from 2014. The question is: does The LEGO Movie 2 achieve the same high standard as its excellent predecessor?
Emmet (Chris Pratt) and his friend Wildstyle (Elizabeth Banks) now reside in the post-apocalyptic wasteland resulting from the Planet Duplo space creatures’ actions. Life is harsh, and everyone has become a hardened survivor. Except, naturally, Emmet, who remains his characteristically optimistic self. A new spaceship arrives, and General Mayhem (Stephanie Beatriz) emerges, seeking to speak with the leader. Confusion ensues regarding the leadership, and before anyone fully understands the situation, General Mayhem kidnaps Wyldstyle, Unikitty (Alison Brie), MetalBeard (Nick Offerman), Retro Spaceman Benny (Charlie Day), and Batman (Will Arnett). Now, Emmet must become tougher to rescue his friends from the villainous Queen Watevra Wa´Nabi (Tiffany Haddish). He soon discovers that this is no easy task, and that the reality of the situation may not be what he expects…
Ingenious how well executed Queen Watevra Wa´Nabi is.
I will begin by discussing the strengths of The LEGO Movie 2, followed by a few of its weaker points. Firstly, I highly recommend viewing the film in its original language; the Swedish dub would likely detract from the experience. The film incorporates numerous film references and other elements that might not translate well. For instance, Bruce Willis appears, humorously referencing his John McClane character, a joke primarily aimed at adults familiar with the R-rated action classic Die Hard.
The animation, consistent with the first film, is exceptionally well-executed. The filmmakers employ the same technique as in other LEGO movies, utilizing a stop-motion style rather than a purely computer-animated approach, which is undoubtedly the correct choice. A new element in The LEGO Movie 2 is the inclusion of musical numbers, which are implemented effectively at specific points in the film, demonstrating a positive response to external influences.
The voice acting performances, as in the previous film, are strong, particularly from Chris Pratt and Elizabeth Banks as Emmet and Wildstyle. However, Will Arnett’s portrayal of Batman remains a standout. It’s easy to understand why the character warranted his own movie. Tiffany Haddish also delivers a commendable performance as Queen Watevra Wa´Nabi, and her scenes with Will Arnett are genuinely entertaining.
The script, penned by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, exhibits cleverness but also possesses certain weaknesses. A recurring issue in both LEGO Movies is an ambiguous internal consistency. The mechanics of the world are not fully defined, leading to some confusion. At times, the LEGO characters appear as sentient beings capable of independent movement, reminiscent of Toy Story. Yet, we also observe human characters manipulating ships and other objects. Are children actively playing with these items? Furthermore, when the LEGO figures exist within our world, they are also portrayed as toys being played with, even though they demonstrably move autonomously. They even seem bound by rules limiting their movement without LEGO bricks underneath them. Are the humans simulating this limitation during play, or are the figures genuinely alive? This inconsistency proves distracting and is arguably the film’s primary flaw. It would have been preferable to either exclude the human characters entirely or, at least, establish a clear distinction between playtime and the characters’ autonomous existence. Nevertheless, the film does present compelling emotional connections between the human characters, contributing to a worthwhile subplot. Therefore, completely removing the human element would have been detrimental.
Another factor that contributes to the sequel feeling less substantial than the original is its reduced scale. The first film’s depiction of LEGO city was impressive, showcasing thousands of LEGO figures and events. In contrast, this film presents a more contained environment with fewer characters. Notably, Will Farrell is limited to voicing his Lord Business character in an off-screen capacity, with the father’s voice merely heard. The reason for this limited involvement remains unclear. Instead, Maya Rudolph appears as the children’s mother and is featured in one of The LEGO Movie 2’s weaker sequences, where she steps on LEGO bricks and compares the pain to childbirth in a rather unconvincing manner.
In summary, The LEGO Movie 2 is a largely satisfactory sequel. It offers several enjoyable and entertaining scenes, some of which possess surprising depth. However, it lacks the consistent quality of its predecessor, whose strength lay in its cohesive theme and plot. The sequel feels somewhat disjointed, transitioning between plot points without clear rationale. Therefore, it is a qualified recommendation, but not necessarily a must-see.
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