Parents, beware. If your kids made you listen to “Everything Is Awesome” over and over after watching the surprisingly delightful “The Lego Movie” in 2014, its sequel has their new favorite song – and likely your least favorite after the number of times its repeated in this movie. “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” blasts the pop earworm probably titled “This Song’s Gonna Get Stuck Inside Your Head,” without even offering a pretense for its existence other than what its title implies. It’s joyful, silly and (unfortunately) immediately memorable, but like the movie itself, it’s not on the level with its predecessor.
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Part of what made “The Lego Movie” so great was the shock of it; a movie based on a toy wasn’t supposed to be that good or that inventive. But directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller invoked the creativity of millions of kids who’ve played with LEGOs over the years and turned in a film that was a delight for parents and children alike, full of life despite being about tiny plastic blocks. The world building (no pun intended), both in terms of the animation and the created universe, was terrific, leaving viewers awe-inspired and wondering what else Lord and Miller could possibly bring their Midas Touch to. Here, they’re credited as screenwriters alongside Matthew Fogel and Raphael Bob-Waksberg, but they’ve stepped aside as directors, with Mike Mitchell (“Trolls” and, umm, “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked“) sitting in the chair. With “The Lego Movie 2,” part of that freshman sparkle has faded by the mere fact that it isn’t the inaugural experience and it isn’t a surprise, but the team this time around makes an effort to reinvent the world to keep that feeling of innovation.
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In the ‘Second Part,’ it’s five years after the events of “The Lego Movie,” and everything is not awesome, despite the insistence of Emmet (voice of Chris Pratt) to the contrary. He might be his same ol’ cheery self, but everyone else in the “Mad Max: Fury Road“-esque Apocalypseburg (formerly known as Bricksburg) has seen better days. Thanks to Finn’s (Jadon Sand) younger sister Bianca (“The Florida Project“‘s Brooklyn Prince !!!) being allowed to play with the LEGOs in the basement in the real world, the DUPLO invaders have turned the previously bustling city into a wasteland. But a new threat arrives in town, led by General Mayhem (voice of Stephanie Beatriz). She kidnaps Lucy aka Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), Batman (Will Arnett) and Unikitty (Alison Brie), and takes them to meet her boss: the mysterious, quick-changing Queen Watevra Wa’Nabi (Tiffany Haddish) who has a plan for her guests. With the help of his bold and brave new friend Rex Dangervest (also Pratt), it’s up to Emmet to save his friends and figure out what Queen Watevra Wa’Nabi and General Mayhem are really up to.
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“The Lego Movie 2” is all over the place, bouncing around like a kid who’s had too much candy and pinging off the walls with an energy that’s at once enviable and exhausting. The jokes come fast and furious, with some landing and others to be forgotten five seconds later, but there’s always another one around the corner to keep things moving. “The Lego Movie” was hilariously funny, equally capable of sending adults and kids into fits of giggles with jokes for both demos. This second outing isn’t nearly as successful on that front, but it’s still better and more entertaining than many movies adults have to sit through because of their life choices – either being a parent or a film critic (I hear the former is far more rewarding). With a story credited to Michelle Morgan and Dominic Russo, the script from the four screenwriters works in the frame of child’s play logic, with plot developments that wouldn’t quite work otherwise but ultimately make sense here. But while the first film had a big IRL reveal, its sequel makes its final act obvious from its early scenes, and even some kids will likely guess its final destination.
Through all that silliness (and there’s so much silliness), “The Lego Movie 2” continues the first film’s tradition of sharing a heartwarming message that kids can benefit from, which will almost redeem it for parents who will walk around mumbling, “This song’s gonna get stuck inside your, this song’s gonna get stuck inside your, this song’s gonna get stuck inside your head” for weeks. The film reinforces that there’s no one right way to play – or be – a lesson that’s particularly valuable for us older siblings in the audience, whether they’re children or adults.
Like its signature song (which has taken up permanent residence inside my brain), “The Lego Movie 2” is fun and full of energy, but unlike the original, it’s not entirely memorable. Hopefully, its kind message will stick with kids and parents, even if none of the jokes do. [B-]
Super Bowl Update: Warner Bros. U.K. has released a 2:20 LEGO Ad Break commercial with new footage.