Everyone Is Special

Rating: 10/10 (26 November 2014)

If the Academy Awards had a category for "Fastest-Paced Feature", I think "The LEGO Movie" (hereafter "LEGO") would slaughter any competition (even "Hotel Transylvania" – see my Amazon review). "LEGO" has an interlocking-brick universe to show us, so it hardly pauses for breath as it attempts to show it all – from cities to oceans to clouds to outer space to even, believe it or not, our own human world. The movie demands multiple viewings just to take all the spectacular visuals in.
At an initial, casual glance, "LEGO" just seems concerned with being a movie-length commercial for the classic, versatile construction toy. And that it effectively is, but "LEGO" is insidiously so much more. Through a nondescript, super-ordinary construction worker Emmet Brickowski's (Chris Platt's) efforts to prove worthy of his "special" destiny and thwart Lord (President) Business's (Will Ferrell) goal to not only conquer the LEGO universe but also make it permanently in his own image with the "Kragle" (which is really sticky stuff), "LEGO" reassures us that we all have individual AND cooperative talents that can and deserve to be used to create great things.
For most of "LEGO" though, we have our doubts about Emmet's "specialness". Oh, he's a pleasant and genial enough LEGO figure, but he seems to lead a severely regulated but unproductive and almost invisible life. But then by chance within the rubble of a construction site, he finds the red "Piece De Resistance", also sought after by Wyldstyle (real name: Lucy) (Elizabeth Banks), a nimble, technically adept "Master Builder" and street fighter. Because the "Piece de Resistance" is the only object that can neutralize the "Kragle", Wyldstyle thinks that Emmet is the "Special" or chosen one prophesized to defeat Lord Business. Before Emmett knows it, Wyldstyle brings him to meet other Master Builders led by the blind sage Vetruvius (Morgan Freeman) also determined to stop the egotistical tyrant. Despite Vetruvius's and Wyldstyle's encouragement and guidance, Emmett has a very tough time living up to the prophecy. He vainly protests that not only is he not "special", he's not even a Master Builder.
As Emmett and company careen through the LEGO universe, Emmet's ego takes more of a beating as he meets a vast cast of characters from practically every action picture, comic, and cartoon ever made (from Milhouse Van Houten to Superman) who are all talented and/or Master Builders. Most damaging to Emmet's self-esteem is his rival for Wyldstyle's affections, none other than Lego Batman himself (Will Arnett), pumped up with humorless (but funny) self-importance and sense of duty. And these guys are his allies! As for the villains, aided by the schizophrenic Good Cop/Bad Cop (Liam Neeson), Lord Business cuts an imposing figure as he uses his "Galactus" helmet, his telescoping legs, and his huge law enforcement army to cement his rule. Maybe Emmet is out of his league.
Then things start to click as Emmet sacrifices himself to save all the Master Builders, imprisoned by Business in a Think Tank. He plunges into our dimension and into a basement occupied by 8-year old Finn (Jadon Sand), whose own dilemma mirrors Emmet's and may be even controlling Emmet and the other Lego people (no wonder "LEGO" seems to be directed by a child's wild flights of storytelling fancy, because it kinda is.) Finn's defiance of his father's (Will Ferrett in real life) stifling of his own imagination gives Emmett the courage to go back to "LEGOland" and confront Business in a surprising but calm and life-affirming climax.
LEGO offers boundless, wholesome (except maybe for the pantsless guy in the situation comedy, but don't worry, he's not anatomically correct.:) ) creative fun for people for all ages. But most impressively, LEGO painstakingly convinces us that we all have special talents and skills that should never be suppressed and that can contribute to the betterment of everyone's life. Yep, everyone is special. And that's just awesome!