David Pierdomenico
Back in 2014, most rolled their eyes at the prospect of an entire film based around selling a toy. Battleship hadn’t done well, and while the Transformers franchise made money, their quality greatly diminished with each sequel. But somehow, against all odds, screenwriters Phil Lord and Christopher Miller made a film that was way smarter and more fun than it should have been, much like their work with 21 Jump Street. With the immense success of the original Lego Movie, making a sequel that lived up to it was a rather daunting task. So let’s take a deeper look at The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part.
Picking Up Right Where it Left Off
The film opens on the very scene which ended the original, as “alien” Legos from Planet Duplo have invaded and want to play. Much like the little girl who they belong to, they’re immediately attracted to anything shiny and pretty, and have a wanton habit for destruction. Five years pass and we see that their city has turned into a Mad Max inspired wasteland called Apocalypseburg. Their thinking is that if they have nothing that looks nice, the Duplo aliens won’t return or want anything to do with their world. Everyone has adapted to life in this desolate landscape, devoid of happiness, except for Emmet, who still regularly sings “Everything is Awesome” and remains optimistic.
He even builds a beautiful house which Lucy believes will draw unwanted attention. And before long, a spaceship from Planet Duplo arrives and out steps the ominously masked General Mayhem. She requests the leaders of their world to attend a marriage ceremony. Lucy, Batman, Metalbeard, Benny, and Unkitty are taken and flown to a distant galaxy where they meet Queen Watevra Wa’Nabi who does a song and dance about just how non-threatening she is. Everything seems very positive and upbeat in this world, but Lucy finds it all unsettling, as if their hiding a true sinister motive. While they are preparing for the wedding, Emmett embarks on a journey to rescue them, where he meets Rex Dangervest, an all-around awesome macho hero who trains raptors as a hobby.
Signature Sense of Humor
Much like with the original, it’s the film’s sense of humor that really shines. Lord and Miller are experts at infusing their comedies with a very sharp and meta sense of humor. Many of the characters are from other franchises and are almost aware that their franchises exist. We even get Jason Momoa voicing Aquaman, the only Justice League member to be voiced by his counterpart actor in the DCEU. They even reference Lego Batman, explaining that Batman was on his own solo adventure, and apparently confirming that that film takes place in the same continuity. It’s rare for a kids’ film to resonate just as well with adults as with children, but once again the Lego franchise pulls it off!
Difficult to Capture Lightning Twice
While Lego Movie 2 does a lot of things very right, it still falls somewhat short of the original, but through no fault of its own. Part of what made the first film so groundbreaking was the revelation that their entire world and struggle was created by a father and son in the “real world”. It was all the more interesting when Emmet somehow entered that world and was aware of it, gaining the ability to move, which opened up the film to some sort of Matrix like dynamic of reality.
Not only did it metaphorically tie together the main theme of the film, but it took audiences by surprise. Going into this one, we know already that these new Duplo aliens are merely the representation of the little sister, and when this film does its real world scene, we already know that it’s coming. Its ultimate theme about togetherness and friendliness is very poignant, but because we’re aware of it in the back of our minds for the whole duration, it just doesn’t hit quite the same way as the first.
Overall, The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part is still an incredible and entertaining experience for kids and adults alike. Sure it doesn’t quite live up to the original, but that was an impossible task and it surprisingly comes close. Lord and Miller have proven once again (after 22 Jump Street) that they know how to avoid the pitfalls of a subpar sequel, and still deliver a great film!
