Legoland Lost

The Lego Movie’s emphasis on creative and spontaneous play clashes with what the toys have become.


It’s likely impossible to make it through childhood without coming across Legos. Time magazine named them one of the greatest toys of all time, noting that “just six blocks could be combined in 102,981,500 different ways.”

But Lego the company is more than just toys these days. The brand’s cultural footprint is spread across animated shorts, theme parks, video games, and now a feature length film, imaginatively titled The Lego Movie.

The animated film features Chris Pratt as the quintessential everyman, Emmett. Drawn into a quest to overthrow the wicked President Business (Will Ferrell), Emmett is joined by the wizardly Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman), the Carrie-Anne Moss à la The Matrix-esque Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), and Batman (Will Arnett) as they hopscotch through recognizable Lego locales. Just think of every hero’s journey mashed together like so many blocks but with a relentless pace and a sense of humor.

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