Following along the lines of films like "The Matrix," we essentially have the same story. A boring, ordinary guy is thrust into an extraordinary situation in the belief that he fulfills a prophecy. His name? Emmet (Chris Pratt). He blends in with most of the Lego World - no one much cares for him and his personality is dull. He follows instruction manuals for every aspect of his life, from the hilarious first scene in which he prepares for the day, all the way to work, where he builds massive skyscrapers using the standard Lego building instructions you'll recognize from the toy boxes.
Not soon after, he stumbles on the job site into a secret cave, and in doing so, becomes glued to "the Piece of Resistance," a small red cap that we will later learn it the cap for a Krazy Glue bottle. This small piece is what a group of master builders have been searching for for years, and in finding it, Emmett is believed to be able to save the Lego World from the evil Lord Business (Will Ferrell). His plan? To glue all of Lego Land together, thus eliminating the ability for limitless creation.
Along the way, he meets his potential love interest, free-spirited Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), ancient wizard Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman), and Batman (Will Forte). Traveling from world to world through secret tunnels in between, there is a strong sense of location established through the lego pieces and colors we see. From an Old West town to "Middle Zealand," it's a roller coaster ride that it too much fun to get off of.
The animation itself is a key reason to check out this film. Why it's released so early in the year is baffling, especially considering this movie is a lock for the Animated Feature Oscar in any given year. Designed to look like stop-motion, the computer animation is just stunning, as is the attention to detail. We get a sense of the size of these places, and in certain shots you can even see the dust floating in the air. It's a genius concept that is played out to perfection.
Almost everyone going into this movie will find something special. From a wide array of movie references from "The Empire Strikes Back" to "The Green Hornet" to "The Lord of the Rings," it's jam-packed with action, humor, and wit, and had me laughing from start to finish. With a strong visual style and incredible talent in every aspect of the movie, this is a grade-A winner.
(Awards potential: Best Animated Feature, Best Editing, Best Original Score, Best Original Song (Everything Is Awesome!!!))
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