Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Bland and unoriginal but may still amuse young kids.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Playmobil: The Movie
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 10 parent reviews
Based on 20 kid reviews
Kids say this movie often goes unappreciated despite its enjoyable plot, great animation, and catchy songs, although many reviewers criticize it for being too similar to the Lego Movie. While younger children may find it entertaining, adults and older viewers generally perceive it as a disappointing and unoriginal film with excessive clichés and some darker themes that might not be suitable for sensitive kids.
- animation quality
- entertaining for kids
- similar to lego
- cliché storyline
- darker themes
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In PLAYMOBIL: THE MOVIE, Brooklyn-raised high school senior Marla (Anya Taylor-Joy) loves playing with her 6-year-old brother, Charlie (Gabriel Bateman), but she can't wait to graduate and start traveling the world with her brand-new passport. Then life takes an unexpected turn when tragedy strikes. Four years later, Marla struggles to raise 10-year-old Charlie, who runs off to Manhattan to join a friend but gets sidetracked at a toy convention that features a huge Playmobil display. When Marla tracks her brother down there, they get magically transported into the animated Playmobil universe, where Marla looks basically the same but Charlie looks like a warrior with super strength. The siblings are drawn into a war between pirates, Vikings, and knights, and Charlie is kidnapped at the bequest of Maximus (voiced by Adam Lambert), a Roman-style emperor who hosts gladiator-style battles to the death featuring the strongest warriors of the universe. Now Marla must figure out a way to once again find and rescue her brother.
Is It Any Good?
There aren't enough moments of delight, humor, or joy in this toy-based movie, which is likely to bore parents but may well appeal to young kids who enjoy Playmobil sets. After the success of the Lego movies, it's hard not to see Playmobil: The Movie as a completely derivative endeavor that falls far short. In a reverse of the original Lego Movie, this one begins with the live-action part and then transitions into the animated toy world. But this one isn't nearly as clever or funny, the music isn't as catchy, and the set pieces and characters are only vaguely familiar, unless you're an existing (or former) Playmobil fan.
All of that said, the talented voice cast saves this from being a completely wasted 90 minutes. While the songs are bland and forgettable, Lambert's Freddie Mercury-esque vocals as the villainous Maximus are fun. (Just don't expect to leave singing the new "it song" of the season.) The buddy road-trip subplot between Marla and Del is silly, though it lacks sparkling banter and chemistry. But it's still funnier than the parts with Charlie and his fellow imprisoned "gladiators." Disappointing but not unwatchable, Playmobil feels more like a C-grade copycat than an original idea.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Playmobil: The Movie capitalizes on familiarity with the toy brand. What toy-based movies have worked the best? Does seeing toys in a movie make you want to get them?
Why do you think lots of family-targeted movies feature orphans and dead parents? What is it about orphans that make them appealing as characters? Who are your favorite pop culture orphans?
Who do you consider a role model in the movie? How do they exhibit character strengths like perseverance and courage?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 6, 2019
- On DVD or streaming : March 3, 2020
- Cast : Anya Taylor-Joy , Daniel Radcliffe , Jim Gaffigan
- Director : Lino DiSalvo
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : STX Entertainment
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Family Stories ( Siblings )
- Run time : 99 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : action/peril and some language
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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