The Lego Movie

Movie review by Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media
The Lego Movie Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 6+

Hilarious toy tale plugs product but is nonstop fun.

PG 2014 100 minutes
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Parents say

age 7+

Based on 99 reviews

Kids say

age 6+

Based on 251 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

Stands out for .

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Lego Movie is an action-packed animated family-friendly adventure following original and existing Lego characters. Featuring an all-star voice cast and some of the brand's most popular figures (Batman, Superman, Gandalf, Wonder Woman, etc.), the inventive movie should appeal to all ages, from young Duplo players to teens who consider themselves Master Builders. Although there's nothing overly objectionable (a few mild exclamations like "dang," "heck," "stupid," and "darn"), there's definitely a lot of action and peril, plus quite a bit of violence with the villain's security forces shooting at the good guys, and a character getting "beheaded" (since minifig heads pop off) or erased (with nail polish remover). Kids will love seeing some of their favorite minifigures come to life, but of course they'll probably ask for the tie-in Lego kits after the movie.

Community Reviews

stop bulling
stop bulling Adult
May 24, 2021
age 4+

besst movie

stop hating this movie and bullying it

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
2 people found this helpful.
ellend
ellend Adult
July 27, 2014
age 3+

know your child, but calm down!

To respond to the 'consumerism/advert for product' angle, what did anyone expect? Is is a film set in a fictional universe made of Lego, which is a child's play product. It seems pretty unreasonable to pay your money to sit in a multiplex cinema with your kids and complain about this stuff. It's a really good film that will definitely shift some merch, but Lego is an excellent toy, and I'll take that over a plastic Disney Princess figure any day. Is the film a bit frantic? Yes, I think it is, and it depends on your kids- I suspect the DVD will be better for some, as the volume can be adjusted and you can take breaks if needed. My little girl adored it in the cinema and grasped a surprising amount of the plot, but she's not unsettled by load or fast-paced stuff. The film has been constructed (pun intended) to charm parents and kids, in the hope of becoming a family favourite, and it does a good job if you allow yourself to be entertained. It's total fluff and very tame when it comes to supposed 'off colour' gags, which of course will only make sense to anyone old enough to understand them. The 'violence' is there, but again, nothing 'dies', there's no blood, and the peril is interspersed with jokes and silliness to take it down a peg. Again, it's up to parents to know their kids. I think it's a shame when people impose their adult perspectives (political, social etc.) on things like this film. Kids aren't kids for long, but adults for a long while, and being an adult comes with all these concerns whether you like it or not. Talk to your kids and have a balanced view, and your kids will grow up to be balanced too, without having stupid hissy fits over every single thing that jars mildly with their world-view. Isolated things will not damage them, why not let them enjoy it and just temper with guiding principles as they grow up? Isn't that parenting? If you think your kid will like it, they probably will. And if they do...just let them!

This title has:

Great messages
2 people found this helpful.
See all 99 parent reviews

What's the Story?

THE LEGO MOVIE opens with the legendary battle between evil Lord Business (Will Ferrell) and noble Master Builder Lord Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman). Lord Business plans to dominate the entire Lego universe with a deadly weapon called the Kragle, but Vitruvius has a vision that a yellow-faced someone, the Special, will defeat the villainous Lord Business with the missing "piece of resistance." Years later, completely ordinary construction worker Emmet (Chris Pratt) spies a suspicious figure (Wyldstyle, voiced by Elizabeth Banks) on the construction site and, while following her, ends up finding the legendary red piece of resistance. Wyldstyle believes Emmet to be the Special and takes him to Vitruvius, but they soon realize he's more of a nice-guy rule follower than a visionary Master Builder. As Business and his cronies, led by a ruthless Bad Cop (Liam Neeson), attempt to steal the piece of resistance, Emmet must discover whether he has what it takes to be the Special and save Lego kind.

Is It Any Good?

Movies based on toys aren't ever this good, and it's a testament to the veteran animation filmmakers that this one is so smart, humorous, and visually fun to watch. The perfect cast of voice actors completely embodies their Lego counterparts: Pratt's adorable earnestness is legendary to any Parks and Recreation fan; Banks is a go-to girl-power voice; Arnett sounds exactly like Michael Keaton's Batman; and Freeman, Neeson, and Ferrell are master voice actors. But The Lego Movie is not just your typical animated adventure; there are real messages and sophisticated criticisms of popular culture and consumerism (rather subversive -- or very, very smart -- for a movie tied to a multi-billion-dollar toy company).

Like Luke Skywalker or Harry Potter or Neo, Emmet embarks on the archetypal hero's journey -– complete with his own mystical guide (Vitruvius), intelligent and fierce love interest (Wyldstyle), and larger than life nemesis (Business). Along the way, Emmet bumps into a cadre of hilariously depicted minifigures, from superheroes to historical legends, like Shakespeare and Lincoln. The story contains various brilliant cameos, laugh-aloud one liners, and a live-action interlude that is surprisingly touching. Families with kids of all ages will love this reminder of the joy of playing and laughing together.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about movies based on toys. How does The Lego Movie compare to the others, like Barbie or Transformers films? Does it make you want to get the Lego characters portrayed in the movie?

  • The movie pokes fun at aspects of popular culture, like dumbed-down TV comedies, catchy pop songs, and overpriced coffee. What do you think the filmmakers are trying to say?

  • How can we all apply Vitruvius' lesson that everyone is special if we believe in our own talents and abilities?

  • How do the characters in The Lego Movie demonstrate teamwork? Why is this an important character strength?

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