Runtime: 106 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG (for some rude humor)
Who should see it? Appropriate for all ages.
The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part may have one of the most redundant subtitles ever, but thankfully The LEGO Movie 2 is nowhere near being an unnecessary sequel. Since Phil Lord and Chris Miller were preoccupied producing Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse and *sigh* developing Solo: A Star Wars Story before leaving the project late in production due to creative differences, Mike Mitchell's wound up in the director's chair. It's undoubtedly an unenviable task to build a better sequel considering everyone's unexpected obsession with The LEGO Movie, but Mitchell leans into Lord and Miller's frenetic style that made the original so beloved. However, Lord and Miller are still solely responsible for the sequel's screenplay while Matthew Fogel lent the duo a hand constructing the story.
Picking up right where The LEGO Movie left off, audiences are treated to an opening sequence of the DUPLO destruction teased in the original's ending. After a five year time jump (mirroring the distance between The LEGO Movie 2 and its predecessor), viewers discover that Bricksburg has become a Mad Max: Fury Road-esque apocalyptic wasteland in the wake of said mayhem. Consequently, every citizen of Bricksburg is now edgy and battle-hardened, paralleling the newfound teenage angst of their owner Finn, except for Emmet... Emmet still has the cheery, naive disposition audiences will remember from the last movie, so Lucy asks him to change with the times, believing a tough exterior is the only way to survive in their world. When Lucy and co. are kidnapped, this all sets Emmet's arc into gear.
Also voiced by Chris Pratt, Rex Dangervest enters the picture as an amalgamation of Pratt's live action roles and a fascinating foil to Emmet. Dangervest is the prime example of a hyper-masculine tough hero Lucy wants Emmet to be. Now, EVERYTHING I've mentioned thus far is showcased prominently in the trailers, but I thought it ought to be regurgitated before I continue. I'm about to touch on story elements which could be considered somewhat spoilery, but I can assure you these are things you will quickly pick up on in the first fifteen minutes or maybe have already gleaned from the trailers. They aren't bombshell revelations in the slightest, but if you're sensitive to knowing story information beforehand, I figured I'd give you the courtesy of a warning so you can click away and come back once you've seen The LEGO Movie 2. With that said, the sequel's thematic material is a progression of the original's message to be yourself. This time around, it's more about staying true to yourself and not compromising your identity when growing up. Additionally, The Second Part trades in the parental-child dynamic for an allegory about sibling relationships.
Coexistence is key, and as someone with three younger sisters, I relate to the depicted central struggle between siblings. I've witnessed many overblown misunderstandings firsthand where both sides were well-intentioned. This fits together nicely with the arc mentioned above. Maturing doesn't mean you have to ditch the compassion in favor of cynicism. There's room for skepticism, but also a healthy dose of optimism. It's up to us to find the balance.
Lord and Miller haven't abandoned the witty meta-humor that popularized the first though. From the get-go, they satirize the concept of darker sequels by offering the antithesis and poking fun at the notion in their dialogue. The LEGO Movie 2 often delves into self-parody by becoming a full-blown cheery musical. If you thought "Everything is Awesome" was an obnoxious ear-worm, you better prepare for a soundtrack filled with upbeat, original pop-tunes (I promise there's a narrative purpose). "Catchy Song" in particular delivers on the promise of its lyrics and WILL get stuck in your head for a while. The music may alienate viewers who perceive it as annoying, but I found the lyrics in most songs to be utterly hysterical. On that note, there's not a post-credits scene, but stick around during the first part of the credits and just listen carefully to the song playing over the credits. Trust me, you won't regret it.
Otherwise, the animation offers plenty of sensational spectacle. In addition to improving on the LEGO animation style, the animators ensure the sequel's more colorful, dynamic, and eye-catching than the original. There's extraordinary attention to detail in the mini-figure's restrictive movement and the reflection of light off the brick-built people which enhances the authenticity of the animation. Regarding the music, Jon Lajoie's responsible for the aforementioned original songs while Mark Mothersbaugh's score serves as an excellent accompaniment to the whole ordeal.
As I previously mentioned, Chris Pratt voices both Emmet and Rex Dangervest, effectively differentiating the two while often bantering back-and-forth with himself. In the meantime, Elizabeth Banks lends Lucy an abundance of spunk to further downplay the character's insecurities. Pratt and Banks once again have a wonderful on-screen dynamic.
Reprising their roles, Will Arnett, Alison Brie, Charlie Day, and Nick Offerman click into the grand picture as quality comic relief, playing Batman, Unikitty, Benny, and Metal Beard respectively. Joining the cast, Stephanie Beatriz's General Mayhem and Tiffany Hadish's Queen Watevra Wa'Nabi prove to be exciting additions. As a fan of The Florida Project, I was also VERY delighted to see Brooklynn Prince show up in the live action segments as Finn's younger sister Bianca. Acting alongside her are Jadon Sand, Will Ferrell and fellow franchise newcomer Maya Rudolph.
