Did you catch this trailer recently?
The latest in the growing line of movies inspired by toys and games of childhood is The Lego Movie, in theaters February 7, 2014. At first, a movie based on Legos sounds risky ... at best. Unlike G.I. Joe or the Transformers, these toys have no backstory. Kids have loved Legos for decades, but do they really lend themselves to a movie?
Surprisingly, the first trailer for The Lego Movie looks promising. The story follows a ragtag collection of Lego Minifigures fighting against an evil tyrant under the leadership of Emmet, an ordinary Minifigure mistakenly identified as their savior. It's a story that certainly sounds familiar, but the short trailer offers several laughs for kids and grown-ups, alike -- from the inclusion of the 2002 NBA All-Stars in the cast of Minifigures to Emmet's complete ambivalence about being expected to save the Lego world.
That it's funny isn't surprising when you look at the cast. Comedy heavyweights Will Ferrell, Nick Offerman and Will Arnett voice the Minifigures in addition to Elizabeth Banks, Chris Pratt, Liam Neeson and Morgan Freeman, with characters ranging from Batman and Wonder Woman to a mermaid and a 1980-something space guy.
Although kids will love seeing the familiar Lego bricks and Minifigures on the big screen, adults will appreciate the old-school nods apparent in the trailer. From including classic figures like Ninja Turtle Michelangelo and the aforementioned Wonder Woman, it's obvious the filmmakers are trying to appeal to longtime lovers of Legos as well.
Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who helmed the kid-favorite Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, The Lego Movie certainly has the talent to make it a hit. Trailers aren't always the best way to judge a movie -- plenty of great movies have had terrible trailers, and vice versa. But it's always promising when a movie created for kids looks like it will be entertaining for adults as well. Plus, there's just something so endearing about seeing those familiar Minifigures in action.
