Film Review - The Lego Movie 2 : The Second Part

Being forced to play with your younger sister can be a terrifying thought to a teenage boy. That is the scenario brought up at the end of 2014's The LEGO Movie. For the sequel, it's five years later. Duplo invaders have come to Bricksburg smashing everything that they find shiny. To survive the city has been abandoned for a desert wasteland known as Apocalypseburg not to attract any attention. All of the main cast is back from the first installment. Lucy/Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) Unikitty (Alison Bree) Will Arnett's superb portrayal of Batman, pirate Metalbeard (Nick Offerman) Benny the Astronaut (Charlie Day) and Chris Pratt as the happy go lucky Emmet the only one keep his sunny disposition from the past. The big simple Duplo invaders return taking a group of the main players back to their planet for a wedding that Emmet as foreseen as an event that will lead to the end for his friends and himself. Emmet sets out to save his friends running into Rex Dangervest who seems to be his doppleganger only with confidence and stubble. Dangervest is a mix of Pratt's biggest screen roles including Star-Lord from Guardians of the Galaxy and Owen Grady from Jurassic World as evidenced by Rex's spaceship and its crew of wisecracking velociraptors.

Women play a big role in the film with Finn's sister Bianca (Florida Projects Brooklynn Prince) leading the way, a strong, fierce and independent Wyldstyle and new character Duplo Queen Waterva Wa'Nabi (Voice Tiffany Haddish). In the real world, Finn and Bianca's Mom (Vera Rudolph) threatens to shut down Lego all together if the siblings are not able to get along. The visuals continue to pop but the material seems not as fresh with some of the repeated cuts to live action becoming tiresome.

Music again is centre stage with the centrepiece song titled Catchy Song used as a brainwashing device that will definitely get stuck in your head. There's also a Will Arnett voiced piece that touches on every incarnation of the caped crusader from Adam West to Ben Affleck. Be sure to stay for the end credits song Super Cool with The Lonely Island Guys, Beck, and Robyn that hits all of the production departments then shifts to the cast the stars that rotate into centre frame Avengers style.

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part is an entertaining feature that had a hard act to follow in the first installment. There are some valuable lessons her for kids in teamwork, being true to yourself and the dangers of trying to change others. The narrative is an empowering message to girls but the narrative and some gags do get too repetitive making it a build that feels like it's missing a key piece.

** 1/2 Out of 4.

 The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part | Mike Mitchell | Denmark / Norway/ Australia / USA | 2019 | 106 Minutes.

Tags: LEGO, Toys, Sibling Rivalry, Dystopian, Time Travel, Glitter, Wedding, Washing Machine, Dryer, Storage.