Parents' Guide to

The Lego Movie

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Hilarious toy tale plugs product but is nonstop fun.

Movie PG 2014 100 minutes
The Lego Movie Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 7+

Based on 101 parent reviews

stop bulling
stop bulling Adult
May 24, 2021
age 4+

besst movie

stop hating this movie and bullying it
ElliottsMom
ElliottsMom Adult
November 12, 2017
age 4+

Funny, clever, action-filled caper with a nice message at the end

Our four-year-old daughter enjoyed this movie. We rented it and watched at home (3 times). If you are at all concerned about a movie's content, there's no substitute for previewing it and deciding if it's right for your child. I still haven't entirely forgiven Pixar for Toy Story 3 (or myself for allowing my six-year-old son to watch it without my vetting it first). With preschoolers, we wait for things to come out on DVD/streaming and rent at home. Movies are so much more overwhelming on a huge screen with booming surround sound. And even then, you can't always predict how they'll react. My now 13-year-old son didn't make it past the first five minutes of a home viewing of Finding Nemo until 2nd grade. I was concerned about The LEGO Movie after reading some of the other parent reviews, but I'd seen it in the theater with my then 10-year-old son and didn't remember it being upsetting at all. Prior to viewing, I told my daughter it was a movie about LEGOs. They are toys that can be put back together if they come apart. None of this is real. This worked for our daughter who typically only watches PBSKids. Our whole family really enjoyed the humor, sometimes clever, sometimes just downright silly. The animation of the LEGOs is, I have to say it, pretty awesome. It was cool to see how they animated bricks and other LEGO pieces to be an undulating ocean, running water, etc. The message at the end was a sweet one, and backed up my caveat that these characters are simply toys whose actions are limited only by our imagination.
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What's the Story?

THE LEGO MOVIE opens with the legendary battle between evil Lord Business (Will Ferrell) and noble Master Builder Lord Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman). Lord Business plans to dominate the entire Lego universe with a deadly weapon called the Kragle, but Vitruvius has a vision that a yellow-faced someone, the Special, will defeat the villainous Lord Business with the missing "piece of resistance." Years later, completely ordinary construction worker Emmet (Chris Pratt) spies a suspicious figure (Wyldstyle, voiced by Elizabeth Banks) on the construction site and, while following her, ends up finding the legendary red piece of resistance. Wyldstyle believes Emmet to be the Special and takes him to Vitruvius, but they soon realize he's more of a nice-guy rule follower than a visionary Master Builder. As Business and his cronies, led by a ruthless Bad Cop (Liam Neeson), attempt to steal the piece of resistance, Emmet must discover whether he has what it takes to be the Special and save Lego kind.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (101 ):
Kids say (259 ):

Movies based on toys aren't ever this good, and it's a testament to the veteran animation filmmakers that this one is so smart, humorous, and visually fun to watch. The perfect cast of voice actors completely embodies their Lego counterparts: Pratt's adorable earnestness is legendary to any Parks and Recreation fan; Banks is a go-to girl-power voice; Arnett sounds exactly like Michael Keaton's Batman; and Freeman, Neeson, and Ferrell are master voice actors. But The Lego Movie is not just your typical animated adventure; there are real messages and sophisticated criticisms of popular culture and consumerism (rather subversive -- or very, very smart -- for a movie tied to a multi-billion-dollar toy company).

Like Luke Skywalker or Harry Potter or Neo, Emmet embarks on the archetypal hero's journey -– complete with his own mystical guide (Vitruvius), intelligent and fierce love interest (Wyldstyle), and larger than life nemesis (Business). Along the way, Emmet bumps into a cadre of hilariously depicted minifigures, from superheroes to historical legends, like Shakespeare and Lincoln. The story contains various brilliant cameos, laugh-aloud one liners, and a live-action interlude that is surprisingly touching. Families with kids of all ages will love this reminder of the joy of playing and laughing together.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about movies based on toys. How does The Lego Movie compare to the others, like Barbie or Transformers films? Does it make you want to get the Lego characters portrayed in the movie?

  • The movie pokes fun at aspects of popular culture, like dumbed-down TV comedies, catchy pop songs, and overpriced coffee. What do you think the filmmakers are trying to say?

  • How can we all apply Vitruvius' lesson that everyone is special if we believe in our own talents and abilities?

  • How do the characters in The Lego Movie demonstrate teamwork? Why is this an important character strength?

Movie Details

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