Note: This is a spoiler-free LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part movie review
Throw out the Kragle and break out the cameos. Everything awesome is back.
LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part sticks to the formula that brought the first one so much success, with a little more singing, a little less story, and a deeper message this time around.
3 Reasons You’ll Enjoy LEGO Movie 2
When it comes down to it, LEGO Movie 2 is a kids movie, right? So I’m gonna make this elementary for you. Here are three reasons you’ll enjoy LEGO Movie 2 (and one why you may not).
Famous LEGOs, Old And New
You gotta give the people who put these movies together credit. They know what works. And what works best in The LEGO movie is famous people and characters portrayed as LEGOs. These plastic bricks ain’t broke, so don’t fix em.
Batman is back (obviously). Superman is back (with some new friends). Characters made famous by the first LEGO movie like Emmet, Lucy, Unikitty, Benny, and MetalBeard never left. They’re still the same toys you know and love, just a little hardened by their surroundings (except for Emmet of course).
What makes LEGO Movie 2 enjoyable, and a fun watch for adults is again the quick cuts and cameos to the fame existing in the LEGO world. There are plenty of new faces this time around, represented by both Hollywood characters and some real-world people. These are mostly references only adults, and some would even say only die-hard fans, can catch onto.
The LEGO movie franchise continues to uniquely cater to the parents while remaining a kids movie.
These Songs Gonna Get Stuck Inside Yo Head
If you remember correctly, there is a song in the first LEGO Movie. It’s called “Everything Is Awesome”. Have you heard that song before? Did you know it’s from the first LEGO movie?
The most memorable song from a kids movie (any movie?) over the last five years is BACK with a vengeance. But LEGO Movie 2 decides to take the music up a notch and have multiple songs throughout, a la the traditional animated film.
“Everything Is Awesome” is back. I wasn’t joking about that. So for better or worse, you’re going to hear that tune again. But it won’t be the song you’ll leave the theater singing, which actually may be this movie’s greatest accomplishment. It’s blatantly obvious which song that award goes to, and it’s appropriately named.
For the most part, the songs in LEGO Movie 2 are catchy and geared toward the kids to enjoy. The one exception is a song about Batman, which is still catchy but more appreciated by the adults in the theater. Even the end credits song delivers once again.
The only song that wouldn’t classify as “upbeat” comes toward the end, and exists for a reason.
A Message Bigger Than A Duplo Block
This is, in my opinion, the biggest difference between The LEGO Movie and LEGO Movie 2. While the first movie does have a message about family and the father/son bond by the end, the “lesson” message is much bigger this time around. It makes a universal statement that can be made personal to anyone watching the movie, kids and adults alike.
If that sounds heavy for a PG-rated animated film, that’s because it kind of is. The moment comes unexpectedly but also in a way that demands the attention of the entire audience. It’s an impressive feat during a movie about a world built with blocks and 2-inch people.
A Head And Body With No Legs
There are many components that come together to make LEGO Movie 2 what it is. Most of them are entertaining. That’s what makes it so confusing when I say I don’t like the main storyline of the movie itself.
The best part is figuring out who Rex Dangervest really is (something adults will do MUCH quicker than kids), but other than that the adventure seems forced with some new characters difficult to latch onto. And again the songs are catchy for the most part, but they actually hurt the movie in this case because they make the story even more disjointed.
It is a kids movie, so maybe this part of LEGO Movie 2 connects more with a younger audience, which is what’s important. It just doesn’t resonate with me. There are other reasons to see the movie.
Should I see LEGO Movie 2?
If you saw and enjoyed The LEGO Movie, there is plenty of reason to see LEGO Movie 2. If you have kids, there is plenty of reason to see LEGO Movie 2. There are probably better movies to see this weekend if you don’t fall into either of these categories.
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(Featured Image courtesy of Warner Brothers)
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