The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part is as clever as the first and manages, like the first, to make a story that is both entertaining and delivers the message celebrating play and creativity. But for some reason while the first felt fresh and rather inspired, this one feels a bit mundane.

I really have little to critique the movie on. As I said its story is fun. The jokes are pretty funny. And the visuals still have that awe and wonder that Lego just manages to inspire. Plus, the premise and moral to the story are clever. They manage to figure out what is great about the toy Lego and make it into a movie.

But I think what's going on for me is that often when a film comes up with a truly great idea and then tries to continue it into a second film it loses a lot of what made it great in the first place. The Lego Movie isn't the first to suffer like this. Often the second part feels like more of the same without offering anything new. And while that isn't bad and can remain rather entertaining, it doesn't inspire the same sort of wonder that the first time did.

You always remember your first time.

Sequels are a both hard and easy. They are easy in that you have a built in fan base which may want more of what they enjoyed the first time. But they are hard in making that second experience something truly worthy of more story time. There is truly nothing wrong with The Second Part. But it doesn't take Lego to the next level.

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
Starring: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnet, Tiffany Haddish, Stephanie Beatriz, Charlie Day, Alison Brie, Maya Rudolph, Nick Offerman
Director: Mike Mitchell
Writers: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller