Full of energy and imagination

Rating: 8/10 (3 August 2014)

The cheerfully dystopic "The Lego Movie" is like a family-friendly version of "A Brave New World," with a little bit of "The Matrix" thrown in for good measure
Emmet Brickowski is a rule-following, law-abiding "good citizen," just like all the other countless conformist drones who make up the futuristic society in which he lives. Only Emmet is even more average than the average Average Joe, as evidenced by the fact that even the people he works with aren't really sure who he is. In true dystopic fashion, he lives in a society that demands unthinking and unquestioning obedience to the status quo, making it easier for those in positions of authority - particularly the arch-villain Lord Business - to accrue ever more power without any pesky resistance from the effectively pacified unwashed masses. Until, that is, Emmet is informed that, unlikely as it may seem, he just may be the long-awaited Messianic figure, know as The Master Builder, whom, it has been prophesied, will one day appear on the scene to mount a revolt against the tyrannical system and lead his fellow citizens to freedom.
Even though he's essentially an animated Lego figure, Emmet turns out to be the single most endearing everyman hero we've been asked to fall in line behind in quite some time. And the always under-appreciated Chris Pratt ("Everwood," "Parks and Recreation," "Guardians of the Galaxy") deserves much of the credit for that. So, too, do the writers, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who co-directed the film as well.
To add to the spirit of anarchic fun, a host of historical and pop culture figures, from Lincoln and Shakespeare to Superman and Batman to the casts of "Harry Potter" and "Star Wars," make cameo appearances in the film.
There's also a parallel story that takes place in the "real world" that underlines the part imagination and role-playing have in bringing people together.
Imaginative plotting, first-rate animation and sharp, snappy writing - backed by outstanding voice work by Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Nick Offerman, Liam Neeson and Morgan Freeman - instantly place "The Lego Movie" in the pantheon of great computer- animated films.