Invasion of the Systar System - The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

Synopsis

Emmet Brickowski has come to learn that a Master Builder's work is never done. Five years after battling an opponent known as the Kragle, he and the other Master Builders face new forces in The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part. Try as he might, Emmet (Chris Pratt) can't keep a community nice for himself and his friends. Duplo block creations constantly wreck Bricksburg, and eventually force them to relocate to Apocalypseburg. At the heart of the wreckage are Watevra Wa'Nabi (Tiffany Haddish), the Queen of the Systar System, and her general, Sweet Mayhem (Stephanie Beatriz). The Queen demands a marriage, and orders Mayhem to take several Lego denizens to their domain, including Batman (Will Arnett) and Lucy/Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), with whom Emmet would like to have a life. This incident, Lucy fears, will lead to a catastrophe known as Armamageddon.

Emmet then launches a rescue mission to save his friends, converting the dream home he built for Lucy into a spaceship. He encounters turbulence along the way, but gets help from adventurer Rex Dangervest (also Pratt). Meanwhile, as the Queen prepares to marry Batman over his objection to commitment, she uses music to placate the Legos she and Mayhem abducted. Lucy, however, sees the music as a trap to keep them from rebelling, and starts to don earmuffs. Rex's help, though, comes at a price, one that may bring about Armamageddon.

Evaluation

Christopher Miller and Phil Lord return to write and produce The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part. However, they hand the directing reins over to Mike Mitchell, whose previous film as director was Trolls in 2016. This Lego sequel is still a great deal of fun as Emmet devises a rescue plan on the fly (in more ways than one). The element of surprise, though, is gone. The first movie didn't reveal the whole problem until the later stages. The beginning of Lego 2 flashes back to the conclusion of The Lego Movie to explain what is going to happen. That, of course, sets the stage for the main conflict in an imaginative way. The animation style suits this movie, as the characters move in a way similar to the way a Lego enthusiast might play with them.

Pratt remains engaging as he takes on a second role. Emmet is ever the optimist when it comes to those who reside in his universe, even when the Duplos continue to wreck his creations. The heart he creates as a peace offering has no effect on their actions. He may accept the nature of the Duplos, but he will not accept his friends becoming permanent Systar residents. Rex, on the other hand, uses the guise of friendship with Emmet to secretly be everything Emmet is not. Banks, as Lucy/Wyldstyle, is the real fighter, as opposed to Emmet's defender of all things Lego in an entirely improvised manner. Haddish is enjoyable as Queen Whatevra, a ruler whose benevolent actions become rightfully interpreted as a threat. Other Master Builders returning from The Lego Movie include Alison Brie as Unkitty, Charlie Day as Danny, and Nick Offerman as MetalBeard. Will Ferrell also returns briefly in the dual roles of President Business and The Man Upstairs. Maya Rudolph appears as The Man's wife, and Jadon Sand and Brooklynn Prince play their children, Finn and Bianca. Aquaman star Jason Momoa gives voice to his Lego counterpart, and Bruce Willis appears as a Lego version of himself, where he reprises his John McClane character in a way.

Conclusion

The Lego Movie 2 may not have constructed a sequel equal to its predecessor, but it maintains the same spirit of good-natured adventure. The Lego universe is expanding, and Emmet and his companions cannot do anything to stop that. Both sides must, however, find a way to co-exist or face dire consequences. This choice forces Emmet to use a different kind of building skill, but he expects that from himself, since, after all, he is a Master Builder.

On a scale of zero to four stars, I give The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part three stars. Everything's not quite as awesome.