The Lego Movie Directed by: Phil Lord, Chris Miller, Chris McKay Starring: Chris Pratt, Morgan Freeman, Elizabeth Banks Rating: Not Yet Rated Release Date: February 7, 2014
Trailer Score: 9/10
Thoughts by TSR: Next week, Guillermo del Toro’s massive mechs vs. monsters movie hits theaters. Pacific Rim looks like a dream come true for anyone who grew up playing out epic battles between their robot toys and their monster toys. But what is there to look forward to once that passes? Well, look no further, The Lego Movie will answer all our prayers in 2014! I think I still have buckets full of various Lego pieces from my younger days, so this trailer did a great job transporting me back to when my friends and I would waste the day building massive Lego worlds. I was never a huge fan of using only the prepackaged sets, a preference that makes me love seeing Superman, Wonder Woman, Michelangelo, 1980-something Space Guy, a ghost, the shark, and the 2002 NBA All-Stars randomly thrown together.
My love of this trailer isn't totally based in nostalgia though. I love the animation style, particularly the expressiveness of the Lego faces. Chris Pratt as Emmet, the mistaken hero who must rise and stop Lord Business from ending the world, sounds perfect. Everything he says in this trailer had me laughing, especially the long drawn-out “you” that closes out the trailer. Even Charlie Day’s endlessly chipper “Hello!” as 1980-something Space Guy was enough to make me laugh. I will admit that the thought of a Lego movie had me rolling my eyes when the idea first surfaced. With Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and 21 Jump Street) behind it, though, my hopes soared. This infectious trailer has me excited to see what else they do with the endlessly fun blocks.