The LEGO Movie

Expectations:
To be perfectly transparent, I don't believe I have been this excited about an animated film since the age of 6, and I am perfectly fine with that! As a person who is fascinated by clever things, The LEGO Movie appeared to be the mecca of clever, which drew me right on in. I don't know if it was the use of superheroes and historical figures or the fact that EVERY SINGLE moment in the trailer contained nothing that wasn't a LEGO, but I just couldn't wait. I probably watch more animated films than the average 22 year old. So, you may think that my excitement for this film is no biggy. However, The LEGO Movie is one of my most anticipated films of 2014, and it has been ever since I saw the first trailer. The only thing that could possibly peak my interest more would be yet another Toy Story movie (which is inevitable). For those of you that enjoy animated films, this review is dedicated to you, because I have regained an understanding of your excitement.

Plot:
The word around the film-watching universe was that The LEGO Movie did a great job of providing laughs and telling a gripping story, that connected on an emotional level. My excitement for the film was grounded in the laughs, but I was quite curious about the film's ability to tell a great story. I didn't really expect it to be that great (at least in comparison to other emotional animated films). Boy, was I wrong! In fact, I heard a ton of people talking about how the film was bringing on the waterworks! I didn't get THAT invested in the LEGOs, but the meaning behind the story was actually really, really clever. The only thing I didn't like about the story was the fact that the end of the film felt like a 90s kids' movie, like Honey I Shrunk the Kids or Mighty Ducks. I won't offer up any details on that analysis, in an effort to avoid spoilers, but, if you do watch, keep it in mind. On top of the great story, there were many, many laughs that were mostly a result of the clever use of LEGOs. It was just hilarious to watch the LEGOs do LEGO stuff... but in a movie.

Characters:
While there were so many hilarious cameos made by LEGO versions of human people, there were some times when I thought they made the wrong decision when determining which characters to focus on. As far as the story went, most of the characters were important and well-used, but there were some that I just wanted a lot more of and did not get. However, overall, the film did a great job of creating good characters...

Negatives:
My least favorite character, by far, had to be Metal Beard, voiced by Nick Offerman. While I tend to like Offerman, there were just very few jokes for the character, and his storyline was the only one that was forced, in my opinion. Another character that I did not care for was the god-like Vitruvius, voiced by Morgan Freeman, who just didn't provide in the god-like-joke department. I wanted to like him, but it just wasn't happening.

Positives:
If you've pretty much EVER read my blog, you probably have a preconceived idea of my love for Jonah Hill, which may or may not be a healthy aspect of my life. In The LEGO Movie, Hill voiced The Green Lantern, who was the most hilarious character, and I had no clue, at all, that Hill was in the movie, until I heard his voice! It was quite a pleasant surprise, and I really wish his role would have been larger. However, it's probably a good thing that it wasn't, because, each time he appeared on screen, I got a little giddy. The most hilarious moment of the entire film was provided by Benny the Spaceman, who was voiced by the always funny Charlie Day. Hill and Day have topped my Above Average comedic actor list each of the last three years, which made for a pleasant surprise when I heard their voices and loved their characters.

Conclusion:
Kudos to whoever had the idea to create a movie made entirely of LEGOs! I can't wait to watch again, so I can see some of the cool, quirky, LEGO-induced moments that I might have missed while being distracted by the storyline. As far as animated films go, The LEGO Movie is sure to entertain anyone who has any sort of relationship with the classic toys and anyone who just likes a good laugh. With a great story, combined with a clever concept, The LEGO Movie is a great start to 2014 movie year, and I can only hope that this film is a sign of a great movie year to come. I give The LEGO Movie 3.48 out of 5 stars.