The Lego Movie managed that rare feat of being funny enough to keep the kids entertained and subversive enough to make the adults chuckle. Any sequel was always going to have its work cut out, and The Lego Movie 2 doesn’t quite have what it takes.
Reprising their roles from the first film, Chris Pratt (Guardians Of The Galaxy) as Emmet, Elizabeth Banks (The Hunger Games), as Wylsstyle/Lucy, and Will Arnett as Batman, do solid work. Pratt is especially good at channelling his Guardian’s co-star Kurt Russell, for the character of Rex Dangervest. While Arnett is quickly becoming the most pleasing Batman to hit the big screen for decades.
The messages—about being true to yourself, about love, and hope—are charming. And the film plays with its brick-ish medium with real style. It’ll definitely have your fingers itching to dash out and buy a couple of crates of Lego to play with. But—and it’s a big but— there’s simply something missing.
Maybe it’s the lack of novelty. We’ve been here before. Maybe it’s the fact that the jokes are few and far between. Maybe it’s the songs. There are too many, they’re too long, and too irritating. Or maybe it’s the pacing because, while the script throws around lots of fun ideas, somehow you’ll still find yourself clock-watching.
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part will please many but, while the first film was awesome, the sequel is just OK. It ticks all the right boxes, but sadly lacks that magic.