I have to admit, I felt a bit skeptical when I walked into the movie theater to view The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, the sequel to the widely popular movie The LEGO Movie.
Sure, I really enjoyed the first movie and its message to break the status quo, but when has there ever been a successful movie sequel? Look at sequels such as Back to the Future Part II and Jaws: The Revenge—they were absolutely terrible in comparison to their classic precursors.
But I was happily surprised by the charm and humor of the new LEGO movie.
The sequel picks right up where the original installment of The LEGO Movie series left off. LEGO DUPLO characters have invaded Bricksburg, destroying all of society and forcing Bricksburg citizens into a post-apocalyptic world. When invader General Mayhem (Stephanie Beatriz) kidnaps Lucy, also known as Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), and other LEGO characters, Emmett (Chris Pratt) must travel to the foreign Systar System to save his friends with the help of his new, cool mentor Rex Dangervest (also Chris Pratt).
I worried that The LEGO Movie: The Second Part would lose the fun-witted humor that made the original so comical. But continuous jokes cracked by characters like Emmett and Batman (Will Arnett) kept me chuckling to myself every few minutes. And I liked how the full story unveiled piece by piece (pun intended) as the movie developed, leading to the aha moment when the message of the movie finally becomes clear.
Pratt’s voice over as Emmett yet again entertains. Just like in the first movie, Emmett’s fun-loving innocence and optimism made me laugh out loud. I also particularly liked the dark, cold-hearted nature Will Arnett gave to Batman in his voice performance of the superhero.
However, I could have done without the two cheesy musical sequences that take place in the Systar System ruled by DUPLO characters. The song and dance was a little more than I could handle.
The LEGO Movie preached a message of breaking the status quo and being unique. The LEGO Movie: The Second Part preaches yet another important message that all can relate to, kids and adults alike, a message of cooperation and togetherness.
Don’t get me wrong, the sequel still doesn’t compare to The LEGO Movie. But the newest movie does a great job of telling a funny, engaging story with a deeper message that applies beyond the world of LEGOs.
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