The Lego Movie, released in 2014, follows the Lego minifigure Emmet as he leads a campaign to stop the evil businessman Lord Business from permanently gluing every piece of Lego together. It depicts a story selected as “The Special.” Fulfilling his personal vision of perfection.
The Lego Movie was an incredible financial and critical success, grossing $468.1 million worldwide and being named one of the top 10 films of 2014 by the National Board of Review. It is a testament to the enduring power and influence of creativity and individuality. You can still track it in major Hollywood blockbusters.
“The Lego Movie” takes the popular “Chosen One” trope and puts a new spin on it. The prophecy mentioned at the beginning of the movie calls for the greatest, most interesting, and important person of all time. This portrayal is a far cry from Emmett, an ordinary, humble “everyman” who blindly followed instructions all his life. Making Emmett the main character may seem like a contradictory choice at first. However, the film's story leads him to discover his own form of creativity.
The message that “everyone is special” can become a cliché if not handled properly, but “The Lego Movie” avoids that trap by leveraging a great cast of complex supporting characters. Masu. Intelligent Wyldstyle learns to love his true self, the ever-happy Princess. Unikitty learns to control her emotions, and the brave but discouraged Metalbeard learns to trust his team again. Even the aforementioned master builders, though admired, suffer from their own problems and are special in their own personal way, separate from creative construction.
One of the film's most impressive achievements is its animation and style. This film is a tangible experience. When you watch it, you can feel every brick, every fingerprint, every scratch. Audiences can imagine playing with and building the Lego sets featured in the film. Filled with vibrant landscapes made from Lego, this film is a testament to the versatility that the medium of animation can offer.
The screenplay also recognizes its subject matter and capitalizes on it. Lines like “Rest in pieces” cheekily remind the audience that they're watching a movie about people who are actually made of bricks.
At the same time, “The Lego Movie” sometimes feels like a 101-minute commercial. The release of this movie significantly increased the toy company's revenue. In 2015, a year after the film's release, Lego reported that sales had increased by 25%.
While the commercial aspects of the film are obvious at first glance, “The Lego Movie's” greatest accomplishment is that it doesn't make you feel that way. The word “Lego” never appears in the movie. The pop culture inserts like Star Wars, Gandalf, and even Batman don't feel forced. Although this movie is a product of a major company, the villain is a businessman. They criticize and profit from consumerism and the media.
Fundamentally, “The Lego Movie” is self-aware. That is, he is aware of his position and at the same time successfully criticizes it. Additionally, by having an ordinary Emmett as the main character, the cultural references and social commentary don't overwhelm or bore the audience. They experience the journey through Emmett's eyes, just as he is curious and excited.
The influence of this film is still noticeable in major Hollywood productions that focus on previously established production lines, the most recent example being the 2023 film Barbie. There are striking similarities between these two films of his. Both movies start out as utopias and later become dystopias, both rely on Easter eggs and product characteristics to attract audiences, and both feature real human characters playing with toys. , and coincidentally starring in both. Will Ferrell plays a hostile businessman.
“The Lego Movie” is a great example of an effective commercial film made with care and love. Sharp writing, complex characters, and stunning visuals expand the world of beloved toys. Beneath its sophisticated supporting material, this film is a moving story about the eternal power of imagination and creativity.
—Staff writer Erlisa Demneri can be reached at erlisa.demneri@thecrimson.com.
