The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part – Movie Reviews by Ry!
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part – Used Blocks of Imagination
Sequels always puts forth that question, is there a worthy ‘next’ part to tell? The mastering of any storytelling is evolution. No matter the genre, you must be able to engage your audience with a purpose in watching a continuation of a previous journey. This animated sequel manages to move the story forward, but stumbles through repeated tropes. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part is fun but doesn’t reach the height of being impressive.
Starting seconds after the first film, you have an invasion of the unknown. From here, the prologue sets the stage of a wasteland centered on the conflict between two entities of Legos. This imaginative scenario plays parallel to the ‘real-life’ sibling rivalry. At the center of the Lego story is Emmet (Chris Pratt), who finds himself (again) oblivious to the world around him. Through the cliché of ‘Saving the Captured’ trope, Emmet goes on a mission to save his beloved Lucy (Elizabeth Banks) from the Sistar System. After the foundation is set, the direction falls flat on bringing any excitement to recognizable characters, places and the ‘Lego’ imagination. Even with colorful aesthetics, the script reuses a lot of cheesy one-liners, musical quips and pop-references to engage the audience. The obvious brings a lack of adventurous worth, with the basic linear motion waning on the experience. Once the film shifts to Emmet’s mission, there is a trickling of new characters and oddities that provide a spark of enjoyment. The unexplained nature of the imaginative worlds (through the eyes of children) creates a sense of genuine heart in the escape. Through subtlety, there is a spark that creates the intent of fun. Even if things continue to feel familiar, the thematic details begin to pull you towards something more.
Once you get into the bulk of the new material, the script flips through a plot twist that renders all the obvious detail unimportant. What happens is an emotional take of self-reflection, one that compliments the sibling rivalry. As the story reaches the climax, there is an exposition of enlightenment that brings all the random detail into focus, leading to amazing highlight of characterization. This creates a point where Emmett’s purpose in his story goes alongside the real-world counterpart themes of family. Once in the epilogue, you get that happy ending the leads to a conclusion on a high note. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part might have started with a rehashing of previous elements, but it eventually gets to a point where the adventure is imaginative and fun. For all fans of this series or animation, it is a fun trip for the family. It might not be the best of the series, but it is worth checking out at the theaters.
Final Score – 3 out of 5 (Theater Discount)