{"id":1658,"date":"2014-03-06T16:36:29","date_gmt":"2014-03-06T20:36:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/~reviewing\/?page_id=1658"},"modified":"2014-03-06T16:36:29","modified_gmt":"2014-03-06T20:36:29","slug":"lego-movie-powerful-entertaining","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reviewing\/?page_id=1658","title":{"rendered":"‘Lego Movie’ powerful, entertaining"},"content":{"rendered":"

Posted March 6, 2014<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

By PABLO CHACON<\/p>\n

After the title wave of 2014 Oscar nominated films receded, \u201cThe Lego Movie\u201d washed up on Hollywood\u2019s sandy shores and blew all of its box office competition out of the water.<\/p>\n

To say that this film surpassed expectations is an understatement. Then again, with such a star-studded cast it\u2019s pretty hard to go wrong. Starring Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson and countless other recognizable names, \u201cThe Lego Movie\u201d reached audiences in a way that animated movies haven\u2019t been able to do since \u201cToy Story.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Lego Movie\u201d definitely starts with a bang as the wizard Vitruvius attempts to protect the Kragle, a super weapon, from the evil Lord Business. The film really hits its groove when the main character, Emmet, is introduced and the social commentary of the movie becomes apparent<\/p>\n

Emmet lives in a perfect Lego city, where everything has a place and everything is in its place. All of the citizens of this Lego city love singing along to the popular song, \u201cEverything Is Awesome,\u201d and laughing to the recurring gags in the hit TV show, \u201cWhere Are My Pants?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Lego Movie\u201d is full of social and political satire. The satire is thinly disguised through the character of Lord Business, who literally creates everything in the Lego society. From generic pop music to rigged voting machines, Lord Business is responsible for it all.<\/p>\n

These heavy themes will go right over the heads of children in the audience, but will hit close to home for all adults. Don\u2019t worry, there are plenty of laugh a minute gags to keep the kids entertained.<\/p>\n

As the film progresses, the jokes begin to feel a bit stale, and the pacing seems to drag as the action builds. The ending is slightly disappointing, as the deus ex machina<\/i> solution to the film\u2019s conflict does not match the overall feel or message of \u201cThe Lego Movie.\u201d The last scene felt especially forced as it simply serves to set audiences up for a sequel.<\/p>\n

Overall, \u201cThe Lego Movie\u201d is a powerful film that will entertain parents and children alike. Clearly movie goers agree, as the film just recently finished its third week at the top of the weekend box office charts, beating out newer releases such as \u201cPompeii.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of the movie\u2019s best moments comes when the character of Batman, voiced by Will Arnett, is introduced. His character is presented as a foil to the typical law abiding Lego citizen and, as such, he does not conform to Lord Business\u2018 cookie cutter policies. Instead, Batman is a real artist who writes dark and brooding songs about being an orphan.<\/p>\n

\u201cStar Wars\u201d fans also got a special treat with the surprise appearance of the Millennium Falcon carrying Hans Solo, C-3PO and Lando Calrissian. The latter two were actually voiced by their original actors, Anthony Daniels and Billy Dee Williams respectively.<\/p>\n

Most feature length toy commercials are utter failures, but \u201cThe Lego Movie\u201d manages to succeed where \u201cG.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra\u201d failed. Don\u2019t be surprised if sales of Lego toys skyrocket in the near future.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Lego Movie\u201d was able to shift the narrative at a time when it seemed the only movies people wanted to discuss were \u201cThe Wolf of Wall Street\u201d or \u201cAmerican Hustle.\u201d Let\u2019s just hope the already planned sequel doesn\u2019t tarnish the legacy this film is sure to leave behind.<\/p>\n