Awesome movie with something for everyone!

Rating: 10/10 (13 April 2014)

The Lego Movie is a story about characters and objects from the famous Lego construction toy line. The number of successful toy-based theatrically released films can be counted on one hand (the Toy Story movies are really the only ones that come to mind instantly). The problem most of these movies face is that they are forced to follow a set storyline laid out by the toy line, which does not always translate well to film. The Toy Story films' stories worked because the toys (which were from different toy companies) were not bound to any single storyline. All the characters from The Lego Movie are from the same toy line, but the beauty of Legos is that they have never been bound to a set storyline. All the different themes, characters, and vehicles are interchangeable and can be used to reenact existing stories or to create something entirely new. The Lego Movie functions in the exact same way. The characters live in a seemingly utopian metropolis which is eventually shown to be based on a form of brainwashing and values defined by an oligarch. The situation is reflective of daily life in some countries with totalitarian regimes, and at times the oligarch is a SNL-esque parody of totalitarian heads of state. In fact, the movie's theme of individuality is reflective of Western ideals. After the villain's intentions are established, the rest of the movie shows the attempted thwarting of his plans, eventually leading to a completely unexpected plot twist that nobody will have seen coming.
The animation is excellent and the world of Legos is vibrant. Lego video games are very popular and their impact on this film is best seen in the animation, which uses some of their physics and mechanics. The story is never dull at any point, playing out like the Lego related adventures of people's childhoods. The writing continuously creates humor through both wit and whimsy. The voice acting is especially impressive, with voices for characters like Batman and Gandalf coming from unexpected yet effective sources. Will Ferrell does an especially good job of applying his Mugatu persona from Zoolander to his portrayal of Lord/President Business.
This movie is truly one that has something for everyone. Both children and adults will be excited by the sight of the characters they once played with/still played with moving of their own volition on the big screen. There is a very catchy song ("Everything is Awesome") that will be stuck in the listeners' head for days after watching the movie and sell well on iTunes. There are many cultural references that cover the wide range of Lego themes as well as some slightly more political jabs. Fans of the business aspect of film-making will rejoice at this excellent example of a company successfully incorporating elements from all of its product ranges in one film. Anti-establishment moviegoers can cheer on the little man trying to overcome the evil corporation while appreciating the irony that they will (most likely) be doing so at a multiplex owned by a large corporation. I highly recommend watching this movie, no matter how you do so, because it can teach something to every viewer while providing entertainment for all.