The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

Years have passed since Emmet (Chris Pratt) and his friends, Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), Batman (Will Arnett), Unikitty (Alison Brie), Metalbeard (Nick Offerman), and Benny (Charlie Day) saved the town of Bricksburg. Since then, mysterious beings from another universe have attacked the city and reduced it to ruins. If that wasn’t bad enough, Emmet’s friends are abducted by alien invaders, and he needs to find ways to defeat these new threats, restore peace and harmony to Bricksburg, and generally ensure that ‘everything is awesome’ once again.

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who wrote and directed the first LEGO Movie, are back in their writing roles in this sequel. While they’ve handed over directorial duties to Mike Mitchell this time around, they are well aware of what worked for its prequel. ‘The LEGO Movie’ was funny, creative and heart-warming; this second part is no different. It’s a much bigger challenge to pen a compelling story especially since the reveal was made at the end of the previous film. Yet, their new premise builds on that while being fresh and heartfelt all at once. They are far more confident in this universe’s tonality, even crossing over to the real world and back to great effect while appealing to different age-groups.

The voice cast also quickly finds their groove again. Chris Pratt leads the charming charge by working on not one but two characters. Will Arnett and Elizabeth Banks get ample moments to take centre stage, and deliver consistently. New additions Tiffany Haddish as Queen Watevra Wa-Nabi, and Stephanie Beatriz as General Mayhem fit right into the mix. The inclusion of the new characters and the different perspectives they bring are indicators that this universe can keep throwing surprises while staying true to its quirky tone and kaleidoscopic visuals. Granted, it’s hard to shake off the feeling that the freshness of the original can never be matched, and even though the plot is seemingly straightforward – Emmett must save this world once more – ‘The LEGO Movie 2’ manages to be ‘awesome’ by turning some genre expectations into new opportunities. The makers continue to retain this world’s unique sense of self-aware humour and graphic style in this sequel, proving that the franchise is here to stay.

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