Sibling Rivalry

Wildstyle and Emmet

“Sibling Rivalry”

A Review of The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part by Nick Olszyk

MPAA Rating, PG

USCCB Rating, A-I

Reel Rating, Four Reels            

            The original LEGO Movie shocked the world in its ability to make a movie out of a toy brand that was 1) actually funny and 2) pretty darn heartwarming. Like Toy Story or The Incredibles, it was a tough act to follow, but fortunately it succeeds…sort of. The story, plot, and overall execution of this sequel was not nearly as sophisticated yet succeeded wildly in the most important element: creating a Universe that felt like it was designed by a twelve-year-old boy fighting for dominance with his eight-year-old sister – something that is relatable to many.

            The story begins immediately where the last film ended as Bricksburg was invaded by Dublo creatures from the sister of “the Man Upstairs.” Things go from bad to worse and five years later Bricksburg is a desolate wasteland now dubbed Apocalypseburg, populated by dirt, sand, and Mad Max inspired vehicles. Our hero Emmet (Chris Pratt) remains as optimistic as ever, insisting “everything is awesome” and even recently built a house with a literal white picket fence for him and his girlfriend Lucy (Elizabeth Banks). His outlook becomes dimmed slightly when Lucy is kidnapped by an alien from the Sistar System. With only his positive attitude and potted plant to help him, he rockets off to save her in an adventure that involves dinosaurs with lasers, a song that is way too catchy for its own good, exploding hearts, Batman in Elton John getup, and a shapeshifting queen who insists she isn’t starting the end of the world. It’s just another day in the imagination of a pretty cool kid.

            This film occupies several genres but does well in one of the most difficult: parody. Unfortunately, the “feature length parody film” is a lost art with most modern examples like Scary Movie, Meet the Spartans, and Epic Movie being absolute trash. Yet those that do succeed such as Airplane! and Spaceballs inevitably become beloved classics. The goal of parody is to highlight great literature through imitation and humor. 90s garage band Nirvana said they knew they “made it” after Weird Al lampooned one of their songs. Oddly enough, this tradition has strong Biblical roots. The book of Jonah constantly upends expectations by showing pagans repenting while the prophet of God is spiteful and disobedient. Jesus himself is constantly mocking the hypocrisy of the religious authorities in humorous ways. Throughout this sequel, there are constant references to other works of literature and popular culture. My personal favorite is how the evil queen convinces Batman to marry her by playing off his rivalry with Superman.

            I must be honest and say this film does carry a bit of basis as Legos were a favorite toy of mine in the past, but that would describe most males my age. Thus, I can state with some authority that this film brilliantly captures the spirit of Lego creation. Flouting the instructions, children will frequently go off script to create things from their own design. Thus, it is perfectly understandable that Emmet would reshape his dream home into a “dream home spaceship” adding rocket jets but keeping the picket fence. It’s also natural to put grenade launchers on raptors or that a Lego head could keep talking without a body.

            While the tone is pitch perfect, the story is weaker than the original film but still manages to connect all pieces. The struggle between Emmet and the queen of the Sistar System mirrors the real fighting between a brother and sister, whose mutual Lego destruction threatens to bring about Momaggeddon. To avoid punishment and confiscation of their toys, the unnamed siblings have to find a way to play together. It’s a “nice” moral but feels tacked on rather than organic.

            Films like are unjustly labeled “escapist,” as if such a term is an insult. Yet such a term has also been used by contemporaries to describe Casablanca, The Adventures of Robin Rood, or other movies now considered great art. Only time will tell if The LEGO Movie 2 will join these titles, but even if it doesn’t, it will find a lasting place in my collection.

This article first appeared in Catholic World Report on Feb. 17th, 2019.