Lego® is one of the few toy brands that has stood the test of time. It encourages creativity among its consumers, and its access to multiple brands widens its appeal to various audiences.  There are a number of movies that have been made for marketing purposes and to sell toys, but what happens when the toys become the movie?  There have been failed attempts at making toy brands into realistic action movies like G.I. JOE and Battleship, but when critically acclaimed comedy directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord take the helm, is everything in The Lego Movie awesome?

Emmet (Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt) is a typical Lego construction worker who lives in a seemingly utopian society run by Lord Business (Will Ferrell). One day, he comes across a typical red piece that is the prophesized “Piece of Resistance,” and is taken in by the Master Builders: a group consisting of the dashing Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), the blind wizard Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman), Batman (Will Arnett), and many others.  The Master Builders believe that Emmett is the “Special One” who was chosen to save them, but discover that Emmett and his imagination are quite bland.  They discover that Lord Business is set on destroying the world with a secret weapon and his henchman, Good Cop/Bad Cop (Liam Neeson).  The heroes set out to stop Lord Business’ evil plan, while Emmett must discover his full potential.

The film uses the Lego® brand to tell an interesting, action packed, and heartfelt story. It’s amazing how little yellow toys can convey a more emotional story than most animated films these days.

The morals taught take full advantage of the purpose of Legos® to express one’s creativity.  Despite being a product of his environment, Emmett is able to find out what makes himself and anyone more unique than they could imagine; a great moral to teach to children and adults.

But it’s not a completely emotional movie. It has a great emphasis on quick and smart comedy, which is fun and enjoyable for audiences of all ages. Miller and Lord had prior experience with Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and 21 Jump Street. They’ve once again proved that their sharp writing and directing is a force to be reckoned with.

It also boasts a large ensemble of memorable characters. Out of the main cast, Batman is the only one from a recognizable brand.  However, his popularity and likability can be rivaled by the other Master Builders, such as the enthusiastic Princess Unikitty, the hyper astronaut Benny, and the tough Metalbeard.  The voice actors are spot on and sound like they are having a blast with this story.  It’s great when the actors are having fun with their roles because that positivity can spread to the audience.  It does contain Easter eggs from other franchises such as the DC superheroes and certain cartoons and movies, but like Wreck It Ralph, they don’t let the oversaturation of marketing possibilities ruin the movie’s potential. It’s fun to point them out while watching, but like a good story, the references do not dominate what the movie tries to accomplish.

The animation is some of the best I’ve seen in years.  Recent Lego® cartoons and video games rely on CG animation to show the action. Despite the movie using CGI, it purposefully tries to look like a movie done in stop motion.  This not only helps the audience connect to the film with nostalgia of playing with Legos® or making homemade Lego® movies, but it also gives it a distinct feel from other films put out by Disney or DreamWorks.  It is also extremely colorful to give it a more energetic feel, and even effects like water and flying on strings make it feel appealingly homemade.

The movie isn’t without its issues. In terms of plot, the third act of the movie felt rushed and threw a bit too much of a curveball in the story. It’s not a bad curveball, but it certainly could have been handled better. The rushed third act also makes the movie feel shorter.  It’s clear a lot of effort went into the animation, but it’s one of those moments they could have fleshed out certain characters or action moments more. The energy is certainly bursting, but in some cases, too much.  The action and amount of stuff happening on screen can be overwhelming combined with the film’s style of animation.  People who get sick by fast moving objects might want to think before seeing this movie.

Aside from a rushed third act and some overwhelming action sequences, the writing, voice acting, animation, and use of license makes The Lego Movie one of 2014’s best films. It’s funny, heartfelt, and has some memorable characters and comedy with breathtaking animation. If we had more people who knew how to make fun and enjoyable movies with a popular license for all ages like Chris Miller and Phil Lord, the world of cinema could be changed for the better.