Funny, surprising, and absolutely charming.

Rating: 10/10 (9 February 2014)

I think it's safe to say that most movies based off of toys never really end well. So that brings up the question: does "The Lego Movie" fall into the same sad category such as the "Transformers" series and "Battleship" or does it break that problem that has plagued toy adaptations for years? The answer is, happily, the latter.
"The Lego Movie" is about the journey of one tiny Lego figure named Emmet. In an ancient prophecy it was foreshadowed that a mighty hero would come and save the Lego Universe from a terrible villain who planned on gluing the entire universe together.
Just like the toy that inspired it, this movie was brimming with imagination from top to bottom. From the Lego city that Emmet lives in to oceans of the Lego Universe this was imaginative all the way through. And honestly, that alone is worthy of praise. Many films now are mainly just recycled ideas without any true inspiration put into them. However, this was not the case with "The Lego Movie". Watching this movie you can tell the filmmakers had an absolute blast going into such an imaginative world. The possibilities were endless and that is really what made the difference.
On top of imagination, this film is also filled with an intelligent (and even satirical) look at everyday life and a look at the role of the government (and our roles included). Just having a look at Emmet's life in the city you could tell this made fun of ordinary life, not in a mean way but an honest way. We wake up everyday and go throughout our daily lives greeting people, working at our jobs (whatever they may be), going home to relax for the next day alone or with people we care about, and getting up the next day. This sequence was exquisitely done, from the first scene of the President giving a vague, yet threatening, message to his people being undermined by the plain brainwashing of his people to the overall idea of being who we truly are. Wonderfully done.
A lot of this is due to the excellent work by its A-list voice cast. Chris Pratt did wonderful work as Emmet, with him portraying the poor naivety of the Lego piece and his transition to someone willing to think for himself. The same can be said of Elizabeth Banks (hilarious as Wyldstyle), Will Ferrell as the villain, and Will Arnett (as Batman who ironically enough became the funniest character in the movie). Thanks to the great cast these characters will definitely be remembered for a very long time.
So adults, I just want to remind you that this is a movie that you will enjoy, maybe even more than your children will. Not only is it a smart satirical look at government and everyday life but it also has a self-aware humor mixed with pop culture references that will have you rolling on the floor laughing. A prime example of this is Batman and the wonderful way they play to his cynicism. In the movies and comics we know Batman as the cynic he is but in such a colorful world there is just so much material to play off of it would've been a miscarriage of justice to ignore it. Well done Lego.
In the end, this is a wonderful way to start off animation for 2014. Already at a stronger place than animation was this time last year, "The Lego Movie" has definitely raised the bar where toy adaptations (and maybe even animated movies in general) are concerned. Wonderful storytelling mixed with great characters, beautiful visuals, plenty of humor to spare, and a great message about finding the hero in all of us; "The Lego Movie" has proved that there is life for toy adaptations after all.