Alright! Today I'm reviewing the third LEGO movie, the first released to mixed critical and box office reception. And you know what? It's just as good as the other ones. In some ways, I like it even better.
Now, it has its fair share of problems, and I am admittedly extremely entrenched in nostalgia for the Ninjago TV show. Now, a lot of fans hate this movie because of how terrible of an adaptation of the TV show it is. I don't blame them. This is about as accurate as Percy Jackson or The Last Airbender, and that's not great company.
Where does the movie go wrong? Well, for starters, they do not keep the voice cast from the TV show. While I can understand replacing the leads (Lloyd and Garmadon) for a more classically "cinematic" sound, the supporting cast is so underdeveloped in this movie that they really could have used the distinctly professional voice actors instead of the bland celebrity sound-alikes.
The ensemble is laughably underdeveloped as well - while fans of the show will understand why Zane is a robot and why Jay is awkward around Nya, the movie gives literally zero explanation for why this man is a robot man. It makes no sense in the context of the movie. None of the ensemble gets to have personalities either, the story is centered solely on the Lloyd and Garmadon dynamic.
That dynamic's incredible, by the way. I love the chemistry the two have, the emotional core of the movie. But that story does lead to some extremely familiar beats (The "learning to catch" moment is so generic it hurts and the frame story is redundant). The pacing for said story derails around 2/3 before the giant action finale, about when they reach the temple. That's when I always seem to zone out.
The humor in the movie also hits more than it misses. While it does miss more than the franchise's past theatrical outings, the solid gags hit hard enough to make up for it - The "L-l-o-y-d" and baby gags never fail to make me laugh. The movie also never fails to make me tear up. While the father-son dynamic is cliched, the amazing performance of Dave Franco makes up for it. He puts his heart and soul into the role.
The animation on display is also absolutely gorgeous. Every shot is a wallpaper and a half. Nearly every frame has something beautiful and subtle to be amazed at. I'm divided on the natural elements such as fire, ice, water, and foliage not being LEGOs - on one hand, it loses the allusion that you're watching an elaborate fan film like The LEGO Movie. On the other hand, it's cool to see these LEGOs interact with "real" things, makes it feel different.
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| I loved how cluttered the city felt. The tie-in sets were beautiful as well. |
Now, why am I so fond of this movie? Well, not only were the tie-in sets absolutely spectacular, but the vibe that the movie contained was spectacular. Cheesy as it sounds, some scenes make me really feel like I could live in this LEGO world. The vibe of the first trailer, set to Taylor Swift's Bad Blood, is also incredible. I love that trailer.
But above all else, the movie's themes are really what hit me hardest. The LEGO Ninjago Movie, for all of its silly gags and underdeveloped characters, is about insecurity, fitting in, destiny, and family. Out of all the LEGO movies, this one is probably the one with the best thematic relevancy. While the setting of high school is quickly thrown out, the questions every high schooler faces remain throughout the entire movie. The balance between good and evil, the quest for power and knowledge, of understanding and acceptance.
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| This is my guilty pleasure movie. |
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