My fear going into
The LEGO Movie was that it would
be an obvious 90 minute ad for the brand, sacrificing a chance to create
a truly unique stop-animation feature. Strangely enough, my fears were partially
realized. It is true that the movie is little more than a glorified
advertisement, yet everything about it is so charmingly wonderful that I
can’t help but love it, even if it’s trying to sell me a product. With
incredible animation, a hilariously anarchic tone, and a surprisingly
smart story,
The LEGO Movie is a huge win. It intelligently blurs
the line between art and commerce, forcing me to rethink the way I view
advertising, which apparently can be a legitimate form of expression. This is the first great film of 2014, not to mention one of
the best animated features in upwards of a decade.
