At this point, no one can deny the success of the LEGO films. With a sequel to the original in production and more spinoffs on the way, the world is in Warner Animation Group’s palm. However, now LEGO must prove that it can build a film around one of its own original IPs. Will “The LEGO Ninjago Movie” be another block- sorry, BRICK-buster for the company, or will the film crumble to pieces?
To its credit, “Ninjago” manages to assemble a phenomenal cast that is one of the film’s biggest strengths. Dave Franco and Justin Theroux are the leads as Lloyd Garmadon and his father Lord Garmadon, but the supporting cast of Michael Peña, Kumail Nanjiani, Abbi Jacobson, Zach Woods, Fred Armisen and Jackie Chan are all excellent and frequently funny.
It’s a shame they weren’t given more to do though. As the film is largely about Lloyd and his father, many of the other characters are relegated to small, underdeveloped side plots, which seems to be at the antithesis of everything LEGO. Pop songs and quickly edited sequences also over pad things, which seem to be exactly what the original LEGO movie was parodying.
This does not mean the film is bad though. In fact, for those already in love with the LEGO style of humor, it’s quite enjoyable. The film’s main villain is hysterical and ingenious, and the journey the characters go on does tug at the heart strings a bit. However, it mostly feels hollow.
Unlike the previous LEGO films, which were all completely original characters or other properties, this is one of LEGO’s own properties. Thus, it feels like the studio was too afraid to branch out and do things truly on par with what was delivered with the previous films. It manages to make “Ninjago” feel less authentically LEGO.
Pacing is also the film’s biggest enemy. While the last two acts move breezily and with loads of funny jokes and well done revelations among characters, the first act is a mess. It’s jumbled with too many quick edits and too many fast and unclear lines of dialogue cluttering the screen.
“The LEGO Ninjago Movie” does deliver the same brand of gorgeously detailed animation and clever LEGO humor, however the story behind it all is significantly of lesser quality than what the previous films have delivered. Great vocal performances help carry the film and while it’s fine for those already on the side of the LEGO films, it’s far more unstable than one would expect.
As it stands, “The LEGO Ninjago Movie” is an above average animated film for Hollywood, but a below average LEGO experience. Everything is only somewhat awesome. 3.5/5
