DAVID ADAMS finds the second Lego movie just clicks…
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (AU – PG/UK – U/US – PG)
In a Word: Constructive
Emmet and friends are confronted with a new all-powerful enemy in The Lego Movie 2. PICTURE: Courtesy of Warner Bros Pictures.
Everything’s no longer awesome. It’s five years since we last met Emmet Brickowski (Chris Pratt) and his friends Lucy (Elizabeth Banks), Unikitty (Alison Brie) and Batman (Will Arnett), among others, and, as you may recall, amid the celebrations following the defeat of Lord Business (Will Ferrell), the first Lego movie ended with the arrival in the city of Bricksburg of a mysterious group of aliens from the planet Duplo who wanted to destroy the city.
Wave after wave of the aliens has attacked Bricksburg in the years since, leaving the city destroyed and many of its inhabitants abducted. Those that remain have retreated into the desert and there created a new home, Apocalypseburg, where they seek to eke out a living ever watchful for the return of their enemies. It is, as Lucy points, a bleak time.
Emmet, however, remains as optimistic as ever and, amid general bouncing around, has even constructed for himself a brand-new dream home which he proudly shows off to Lucy. But the undamaged property proves attractive to a mysterious alien ship with advanced weaponry and Emmet and Lucy flee back to what they hope will be safety in Apocalypseburg (Emmet’s new house now destroyed) with the alien in pursuit behind them.
Batman leads the fight against the interloper but even he is without success and before anyone can stop her, the mysterious alien flying the visiting ship (voiced by Stephanie Beatriz) kidnaps a group of key (mini-figures) including Lucy, Batman, the spaceman Benny (Charlie Day) and MetalBeard (Nick Offerman) and sets off for their home world in the Systar system.
Emmet immediately decides to act and sets off in pursuit in a spacecraft he’s built and along the way bumps into another rather enigmatic figure, the all-round superstar Rex Dangervest, who is everything Emmet wants to be – a dashing adventurer with stubble on his face. He lends a hand to ensure that not only can Emmet reach the Sistar system but that he is able to successfully defeat its shape-shifting evil ruler, Queen Watevra Wa’Nabi (Tiffany Haddish) – think for a moment, you’ll get it.
This is a stellar outing (and not just because they’re in space) but, picking up where The Lego Movie left off, director Mike Mitchell steers us on an exciting journey through a land built by bricks with, like the first film, a parallel “real world” story running alongside. Humour abounds as you might expect but the story’s also suffused with warmth as we learn about the importance of sibling relationships.
There’s plenty of star power here – alongside the main players were have the likes of Richard Ayoade voicing an ice-cream cone while Bruce Willis also makes an in-airduct appearance (as himself). The graphics are brillant with the Lego given that lovely worn-in feel (an idea George Lucas pioneered in Star Wars) and the music is again a highlight – as well as Everything’s Not Awesome, there’s the wonderful Not Evil and the Catchy Song (just try and get it out of your head!).
A strong voice cast, superb graphics and a fun, uplifting storyline which has plenty for adults as well as kids. Everything might not have initially been awesome for Emmet and friends but The Lego Movie 2 is just that from the get-go.
