The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part Review - 6 Ups And 2 Downs
Don't worry, everything IS still awesome.
When The LEGO Movie was released back in 2014, everyone had been caught completely off-guard by how expertly-crafted, timeless, and wholesome the film had turned out to be.
It set up a movie franchise, allowing the likes of LEGO Batman and LEGO Ninjago to exist. Now, after 5 years, a proper sequel to Lord and Miller's 2014 movie has been released at long last. The question is, were they able to provide a follow-up that was on par with its predecessor? Impressively, the answer is yes.
The Second Part takes what came before and enhanced chaotic energy while still maintaining continuity for its characters and universe. Phil Lord and Chris Miller (along with Bojack Horseman's Raphael Bob-Waksburg serving as script doctor) infuse the film with such contagious energy, hilarious humour, and important over-arching themes that are relevant to any viewer.
That's not to underplay the importance of the cast either, who each put in exceptional work that brings the script to life in ways that may not have been possible with a lesser group. And while Lord and Miller may not have been in the director's chair(s), Mike Mitchell (Trolls) does a great job of taking what had to be a wild-looking script and double down on it. The sequel is definitely a success, but first, there are some slight grievances to go over.
8. Down: Script Isn't Quite As Sharp As The First One
It would've always been difficult to replicate the initial LEGO Movie's exceptional script, and while the sequel's screenplay jam packs in so many awesome jokes, meta humour, and character moments, it still doesn't work quite as well. More jokes fall flat and the story doesn't always feel like it's moving forward. That Phil Lord and Chris Miller charm is still present, but it isn't batting a 1.000 like the predecessor did.
If you ever watched the B-roll of cast members recording their lines for The LEGO Movie, you'll notice that there's a decent amount of improv done by everyone throughout the recording process (since they try 4 or 5 different lines with only one eventually included in the final cut). However, that movie never felt like you were listening to ad-libs as it flowed so naturally during dialogue.
Here, there are several moments where the film comes to a halt for the sake of a joke, which if it doesn't land, the film just sits there and drags for a bit before continuing. The worst offender comes during a live-action section where a particular joke involving stepping on a LEGO piece is held onto for far too long.
The script is still strong, but it doesn't feel as polished as Lord & Miller's previous effort.