Review: “The Lego Movie 2” is stellar, despite a missing piece or two
From the moment I left the theater after seeing this movie, I was at a loss for any explanation as to how Phil Lord and Chris Miller manage to turn a solid, tightly written, hilarious product out of nearly every creative endeavor of their professional lives. From classic superheroes to fairly recent superheroes to ’80s police procedurals, any IP seems to be more than safe in their hands, especially those in need of redemption. And no franchise covers more IPs than The Lego Movie, which is now three-for-four in quality with The Second Part.
I admit I’m starting to get tired of seemingly only writing about sequels and reboots lately, but Lego Movie 2 uses its status as a sequel in many respects to its advantage. The main plot is focused on resolving the cliffhanger of the Duplo invasion at the end of the first film, and since the presence of the live-action family is no longer kept secret from the audience, there’s room to really lean into the parallels between the action involving the Lego characters and life in our world. The conflicts between the citizens of Bricksburg and the invaders from the “Systar System” cleverly echo the sibling dynamic without needing to see too much of the actual siblings in question, which has some added tension now that the boy who orchestrated the entirety of the first film’s plot is becoming a teenager and starting to take himself perhaps a little too seriously. What follows is another hilarious and witty entry into the legacy of one of the biggest surprise hits of the last decade.
Emmet, however, has not followed suit and remains his peppy and optimistic self in a world that doesn’t seem to have room for any positive attitudes. This is highlighted in his dynamic with Rex Dangervest, his gritty and hyper-masculine counterpart that satirizes just about every Chris Pratt role outside of this series and Parks and Rec. Emmet’s arc doesn’t seem to end with him having changed much, but it does address some crucial questions about what it means to be “mature” or masculine. The gender dynamic involved is more understated, however. No one ever tries to say that Emmet isn’t “manly” enough, just that he needs to adjust to his environment, which now starkly contrasts his personality and outlook on life. The movie isn’t preachy regarding gender roles and toxic elements of society, rather it presents its arguments on the subject clearly, concisely, and in a way that blends in seamlessly with the film’s environment.
The script even critiques the shortcomings of the first movie: the relegation of Lucy’s accomplishments in The Lego Movie to the seemingly sole purpose of supporting Emmet as a character is called out within this film, but by no means lampshaded. They improve on this dynamic from the first film by making her more active on her own and giving her a bit of a stronger arc, though it may be a touch too similar to her previous one. Even so, where she was originally a supporting character leaning toward a token role, she’s now unquestionably on the same level as Emmet in her presence and development.
But despite the film’s efforts to grow and improve on its characters, much of it comes off as being too similar to their progression within the first film. The specifics of their individual journeys vary, but they more or less learn the same lessons by the end. It’s still well-executed and makes sense for this particular story, but a good portion of it feels like stuff we’ve seen in this series before, only now the emotional conflict lies more in how their viewpoints affect their relationship.
And speaking of arcs, Batman’s character progression from his 2017 spin-off/sequel seems to be either reversed or simply ignored altogether. While he largely retained his egotistical nature and comedic role throughout his own film, there was also a layer of emotion that fleshed him out and now makes his presence in Lego Movie 2 feel like a step backwards. Not that the events and characters of The Lego Batman Movie had to have a heavy bearing on this film, but it’s an odd choice to hardly even acknowledge the effect it had on him.
Regardless of some character issues here and there, The Lego Movie 2 still achieves its overall goals: it expands on the world and characters, tying them in to real world dilemmas through quick, witty, self-referential and even self-critiquing comedy that makes the entire journey fun and upbeat while also making some of the more emotional moments hit a bit harder. And that’s the core strength of Phil Lord, Chris Miller, and their collaborators — in this instance, director Mike Mitchell. They have an innate sense of tone, never taking themselves so seriously as to make their work pretentious or dull, but also knowing when to give the comedy a break and allow the characters a moment to breathe or drive home an important point in their development. Even the relative dud that was Lego Ninjago was able to nail down the contrast between its comedy and emotion, and Lego Movie 2 has this going for it along with a host of strong elements in its plot and pacing. The characters, both old and new, are likable and creative in design and personality, and you still feel for them as you laugh almost non-stop throughout the entirety of the film.
The Lego Movie 2 may not be my favorite entry into the series, but it’s a fun time that might get you thinking about how you approach the issues presented in its messages. After this, I’d welcome another sequel in this main storyline, but until then, I’m just waiting for the recently confirmed Lego Batman sequel.
Because dang it, I miss Robin.
A junior at Hollins University whose penchant for Disney led into a love for all things film. Amateur film critic and aspiring screenwriter/director. View all posts by Mary McKeon
Originally published at miseensense.wordpress.com on February 25, 2019.
