{"id":5361,"date":"2019-06-09T11:01:29","date_gmt":"2019-06-09T15:01:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/?p=5361"},"modified":"2022-10-25T17:19:04","modified_gmt":"2022-10-25T21:19:04","slug":"the-lego-movie-2-the-second-part-movie-review-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/the-lego-movie-2-the-second-part-movie-review-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Toys buy happiness in the cloying The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Cloying, saccharine, and worst of all, painfully obvious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mike Mitchell’s The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part<\/em> emblematizes my biggest gripe with most contemporary animated features: that perhaps the purest form of cinema is so often overwritten to the point of death. With animation, everything must be literally created from nothing, and anything is possible. There are virtually no limits to the visuals or sound. But The Lego Movie 2<\/em> is yet another animated feature heavily weighed towards the written word — a betrayal of the form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No doubt a direct result of the extreme budget and time investments required to produce one of these monstrosities, there are business reasons for these projects to exist on paper for too long. Perhaps the financiers could not be wooed by dazzling pre-visualizations and concept art, and instead were convinced by a celebrity-heavy table read of a thick, verbose script, dumbed down a few levels below the basement of its all-ages audience. And so here we have yet another animated disappointment, drowning in oceans of dialog that repeatedly spell out didactic themes, with its biggest claim to visual spectacle probably being something like advancements in a computer algorithm to calculate the glint of magic-hour sunlight upon tiny pieces of Danish plastic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This third entry in what has somehow become a franchise exposes how derivative of Pixar<\/a> the premise is: from Toy Story<\/em> comes the device of children imbuing their toys with life through play, and from Inside Out<\/em> the conceit that these embodiments represent dueling facets of personalities that adapt with age. But this is to give too much credit to the sub-sitcom characterization of the parents: Will Ferrell literally phones in a voice cameo as a “honey have you seen my socks” type of husband, and Maya Rudolph is a zero-fun helicopter mom whose nuclear option punishment strategy is to take toys away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It’s right there in the title that The Lego Movie<\/em> is based on a toy line, but it’s just plain insulting that the happy ending is two kids maturing and working out their psychological issues through thousands of dollars worth of Lego product, under the gleaming smile of the parent that paid for it all. Even the subtitle is so irritatingly dumb that it barely qualifies as a pun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chris Pratt and Elizabeth Banks can’t dig themselves out of the reams of dialog, but the brightest aspect of the film is the rest of the cast: Tiffany Haddish challenges the animators to keep up with her sheer force of personality, Will Arnett’s material amusingly pierces the aura of self-seriousness around Batman, and I wouldn’t want anybody else to play the pivotal role of the cat than Alison Brie.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Cloying, saccharine, and worst of all, painfully obvious. Mike Mitchell’s The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part emblematizes my biggest gripe with most contemporary animated features: that perhaps the purest form of cinema is so often overwritten to the point of death. With animation, everything must be literally created from nothing, and anything is possible. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5362,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,2],"tags":[1872,1898,32,1893,1894,1896,1892,1895,1899,1409,1900,1897,145],"class_list":["post-5361","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2-stars","category-movies","tag-1872","tag-alison-brie","tag-animation","tag-chris-pratt","tag-elizabeth-banks","tag-lego","tag-maya-rudolph","tag-mike-mitchell","tag-tiffany-haddish","tag-toys","tag-warner-media","tag-will-arnett","tag-will-ferrell"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/lego-movie-2-second-part-1.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pa9lhB-1ot","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":428,"url":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/the-dork-report-for-september-30-2006\/","url_meta":{"origin":5361,"position":0},"title":"The Dork Report for September 30, 2006","author":"Chad Ossman","date":"September 30, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Like Doctor Who's perpetually predicted feature film, the Genesis reunion rumors keep coming back. Now The Sunday Mirror cites a source claiming Phil Collins' recent divorce has cleared the way for a 3-piece Banks\/Collins\/Rutherford Genesis reunion world tour (no longer online: sundaymirror.co.uk\/showbiz\/radar\/) in 2007. I call bullshit, but we'll see.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "The Dork Report"","block_context":{"text":"The Dork Report","link":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/category\/dork-report\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Dork Report","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/dork-report.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/dork-report.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/dork-report.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/dork-report.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/dork-report.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5279,"url":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/the-incredibles-2-2018-movie-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":5361,"position":1},"title":"Brad Bird’s The Incredibles 2 traps superheroes in motels and courtrooms","author":"Chad Ossman","date":"February 10, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Brad Bird's The Incredibles 2 sure went down easy when I saw it in a theater a few months ago, but it suffers on rewatch on the small screen. And needless to say, it was shortly rendered wholly obsolete by the best animated superhero movie of all time, Spider-Man: Into\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "3 Stars"","block_context":{"text":"3 Stars","link":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/category\/ratings\/3-stars\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Incredibles 2","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/incredibles-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/incredibles-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/incredibles-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/incredibles-2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/incredibles-2.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4265,"url":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/my-new-least-favorite-wes-anderson\/","url_meta":{"origin":5361,"position":2},"title":"Snausage Fest: Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs","author":"Chad Ossman","date":"July 31, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I was rather astonished to find Isle of Dogs defeat my expectations and become one of my least favorite Wes Andersons, if not the least. Anderson is one of my absolute favorite filmmakers (I know, I know, join the club), but like a lot of my faves, I have significant\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "3 Stars"","block_context":{"text":"3 Stars","link":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/category\/ratings\/3-stars\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Isle of Dogs","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/isle-of-dogs-feature.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/isle-of-dogs-feature.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/isle-of-dogs-feature.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/isle-of-dogs-feature.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/isle-of-dogs-feature.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1475,"url":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/coraline\/","url_meta":{"origin":5361,"position":3},"title":"The Only Child: Neil Gaiman and Henry Selick’s Coraline","author":"Chad Ossman","date":"February 10, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"I saw Henry Selick and Neil Gaiman's Coraline on its opening day in my favorite movie theater, the best possible venue to see any remotely visually ambitious movie: the Clearview Ziegfeld in New York City. Fittingly, my tickets were misprinted \"Caroline,\" a misnomer that is a recurring plot point. Coraline\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "4 Stars"","block_context":{"text":"4 Stars","link":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/category\/ratings\/4-stars\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/02\/coraline-feature.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/02\/coraline-feature.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/02\/coraline-feature.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/02\/coraline-feature.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/02\/coraline-feature.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":525,"url":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/the-dork-report-for-december-7-2006\/","url_meta":{"origin":5361,"position":4},"title":"The Dork Report for December 7, 2006","author":"Chad Ossman","date":"December 7, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"At last, the IconFactory QuickPix 2006! (spotted on Daring Fireball) All the bastiches wot done ripped off Panic. Not just their graphics, but even a photo of their office. Cleaning up my bookmarks... Here's one I saved a while ago but can't remember if I posted: a working Lego Harpsicord.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "The Dork Report"","block_context":{"text":"The Dork Report","link":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/category\/dork-report\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Dork Report","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/dork-report.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/dork-report.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/dork-report.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/dork-report.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/dork-report.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":375,"url":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/the-dork-report-for-august-14-2006\/","url_meta":{"origin":5361,"position":5},"title":"The Dork Report for August 14, 2006","author":"Chad Ossman","date":"August 14, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"A playable Lego guitar (no longer online: geekasaurus.com\/clint\/gallery\/legoguitar). 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Andrea) (YouTube links no longer online) The Tron Guy, the Peter Pan Guy, and all of us... we are the web (no longer\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "The Dork Report"","block_context":{"text":"The Dork Report","link":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/category\/dork-report\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Dork Report","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/dork-report.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/dork-report.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/dork-report.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/dork-report.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/dork-report.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5361","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5361"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5361\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7543,"href":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5361\/revisions\/7543"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5362"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5361"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5361"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5361"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}