My oh-so-controversial thoughts on The Lego Movie

[Bennemans]

[spoilerS]

Alright… I know I'm gonna get lynched for this… but am I really the only one who absolutely HATED the end of The Lego Movie??

Hear me out… I loooooooved most of the movie, I squeed at all the references! The mention of "the man upstairs" was a nice touch to me, indicating they are actually living in an imaginary play-world…

but then…. ohhhh then…

When Emmet fell to the real world the movie lost me. "Ah, that's a shame, I wished they left it open to the viewer to interpret wether or not the story is in a persons imagination… but ok", I thought to myself. But it went from slight disappointment into blind hatred within minutes. Wait, so the kid is actually playing with his dad's collection?? Even though he knows he's not allowed?? Yeah, of course dad is pissed! And then this "but daaaaaaad, you can't expect me NOT to play with it" BS!?!? Yes he can! That's called discipline! That's called listening to your parents! When I was a kid I had respect for my dad's model train collection, and I only played with it when I had permission (and that was together with my dad). And the kid has got a great lego collection all to himself! In a big box! Look at what he made with Cloud Cuckoo Land! But that wasn't enough for him, right? Spoiled egotistical brat.

Talking about parents, where is this kids mom??? Why hasn't she been wondering where her kid has been for the past hours?? Why hasn't she come down looking for him, scolding him for demolishing his dad's (insanely expensive and work-intensive) stuff?? Is she too busy making tacos? Why wasn't the door to the basement locked in the first place??

…

Wait a minute… the dad wasn't in the basement for the entire story??… soooo… who was actually using the Kragle during the movie??? THE KID??!?!?!?!?! THE KID was the one kragle-ing Bad Cop's parents?? And the Super Secret Police Dropships at the CCL invasion?? And even the citizens at the start of the climax?? (and yes, it's heavily implied they are actually kragled; Bad Cop's parents are being de-kragled at the end) WOW! This KID is the bad guy here!!!

And the dad actually giving in to this monsters demands?? I'm not buying it! I'm not agreeing with dad btw; kragle-ing is an absolute no-go. But hey, it's HIS stuff, bought with his own money, so who are we to judge? Plenty of people glue their creations together (including TLC btw), paint their figures, or customize their bricks in other ways, what's wrong with that?? "Everything is awesome!", except if you're an adult, enjoying a hobby in your own way. Then you're the bad guy.

The message went from "let your imagination flow" to "f**k up your parents s**t and they'll love you for it!"… Just waiting for the moment little Billy rips open the mint in box classic Star Wars figures of his dad's prized collection "Geez dad! It's a toy! Haven't you seen The Lego Movie!?". Or Suzy cutting the hairs from vintage Barbies "Oh Em Gee, uncle Steve and aunt Bob, stop your crying! It's, like, a toy ok?!"

I'm not saying kids shouldn't be allowed to play with lego, or that you shouldn't be allowed to use your imagination, but I'm saying kids need to respect the rules their parents impose on them. Except for this kid; this kid I would't mind if he didn't look before he crossed the street. And it's not like the dad completely banned toys from the household; the kid has his own big box full of interlocking building bricks! Ungrateful brat...

I've rewatched the movie dozens of times, but quit before the ending most of the time. I absolutely love its humor and the artwork is amazing!

Pfoo… I needed to get that off my chest

Edited July 27, 2014 by Bennemans

[samlr]

:-D

[mysteriouspi]

I very much understand where you're coming from with this. The one thing I don't like that the dad does is gluing his LEGO setup together. But other than that, the kid did seem rather out of line, especially since he had his own box of LEGO bricks to play with.

That said, I don't think the message was "screw with your parents' stuff" or "having a professional collection is not okay." I assume it's more like "engage your creativity and don't limit yourself." It may not have been pulled off in the way we would have liked, but I get the idea that TLG respects professional LEGO collectors and isn't trying to use this movie to tell them they are wrong and to let their kids destroy their displays.

[Gremer]

I had the same thoughts as you (part of them at least). Emmet falling out of the world neary ruined the movie for me. I get the point of it, but something about the sequence nearly ruins the movie for me.

[Bennemans]

The one thing I don't like that the dad does is gluing his LEGO setup together.

Agreed. I don't like that either, I would never do that. But, honestly, if that's what the guy wants to do, who are we to say he can't?? It's HIS stuff! There are plenty of people glueing their creations together, or painting parts, or customizing their bricks in other ways. Even though I dislike that, why are these people suddenly made out to be the bad guys? (And btw, aren't most official Lego displays glued??)

That said, I don't think the message was "screw with your parents' stuff" or "having a professional collection is not okay." I assume it's more like "engage your creativity and don't limit yourself." It may not have been pulled off in the way we would have liked, but I get the idea that TLG respects professional LEGO collectors and isn't trying to use this movie to tell them they are wrong and to let their kids destroy their displays.

I somewhat agree with you; I don't think TLG blatantly hates AFOLs, that would just be stupid. The message they were sending with this movie was just incredibly muddled and could be interpreted in multiple ways, including very negative ones. My hatred towards this ending doesn't come from anger towards some perceived disrespect towards AFOLs, but more from the hypocritical message (glueing [ie limiting your imagination] is bad! Even though TLG glues their own displays, there are plenty of people who do it, and even the kid in the movie was using the Kragle to glue Pa & Ma Cop!) and from the painfully bratty child that refuses to listen to very simple instructions from its parents because he's the "good guy" because he uses his imagination in destroying other peoples work and property.

[Rodomonte]

I totally agree. I thought it was a great movie until that live action sequence came along. It ruined the flow and character of the movie and introduced a ton of plot holes. The message was also ridiculous; that Lego is for kids, because adults are unimaginative and unwilling to accept change. It's a weird statement considering all the Lego communities out there. I figured it was a consequence of writers reusing tired old trope that adults are lame because they think that's what kids want to hear. At least they resolved the conflict between father and son pretty well.

The thing that really bothered me throughout the movie was the anti-consumerism message. I find that hypocrisy extremely obnoxious but it's prevalent in so many movies. The real life scene at the end makes it even more ridiculous by showing a basement full of thousands and thousands of dollars worth of Lego. What exactly are they trying to say? Don't be so materialistic, except when it comes to anything Lego.

[tedbeard]

The message went from "let your imagination flow" to "f**k up your parents s**t and they'll love you for it!"

Yeah, from the first time I saw this I have been saying WTF? It was especially funny because that first time I saw it was when our LUG did a display at the movie theatre on the preview night and we used our standard custom-engraved-bricks DO NOT TOUCH signs.

[autorazr]

I agree OP. The tonal shift of having the real world revealed killed the movie for me. Thats speaking from a storytelling/filmmaking aspect, as far as the message, I also agree. I think what they were trying to go for is "if you are a parent who likes playing and using your imagination, share your hobby with your kids" but the execution felt more like "give your kid what he wants, even after he blatantly disobeys you and messes up your stuff." People have asked me what I'd do about my lego if I had a kid, answer is simple, I have my lego, kid has theirs. I dont build or display sets, im all MOCs, hopefully my kid would be too, and I'd certainly be willing to trade parts and what not with the little bugger, but my lego will be sorted in my bins, and the kid can do what they wants with theirs.

[Modelmaker]

The one thing that destroyed the movie for me was Will Ferrell. I can't stand the guy, as soon as his face showed up i was over it. I watched the dvd i bought once and can't bring myself to watch it again. That guy really make my skin crawl. If i had have known he was in it i wouldn't have bought it. And him playing a dad is just too creepy to watch.

[Bennemans]

^^^ WOW! Was not expecting more people to be disappointed in this ending!

And you know what else I find annoying? People quoting "everything is awesome" as if it is something positive! Erm, have you actually seen the movie?? It is a song produced by Lord Business to entertain the brainwashed masses! It's not about 'doing what you want' or 'being your own unique self' or 'being imaginative'… the song is saying you need to conform, don't complain, and follow Lord Business' instructions! The lyrics even say "We're the same, I'm like you, you're like me, we're al working in harmony", not really the unique snowflake message you'd want right? Nope, it's a song about conformity! This song is basically the soundtrack to George Orwell's 1984!

Yeah, from the first time I saw this I have been saying WTF? It was especially funny because that first time I saw it was when our LUG did a display at the movie theatre on the preview night and we used our standard custom-engraved-bricks DO NOT TOUCH signs.

BWAHA! And did hordes of grabby kids ignore those signs when the movie was done?

Edited July 27, 2014 by Bennemans

[Paul B Technic]

OP:

Do you mind if I post this my blog? It is so funny.....

[Bennemans]

OP:

Do you mind if I post this my blog? It is so funny.....

Be my guest

[rodiziorobs]

So I actually disagree with the OP, sort of; I also don't really like the end, but for mostly different reasons.

In theatres I quite enjoyed it, but on a second viewing, I noticed how the whole dad character was over-the-top melodramatic. It bugged me, and it is why I don't like Will Ferrell movies in general. I imagine I hadn't noticed it the first time because I was too busy geeking out at the rest of the movie.

So I agree with you that I don't like how the ending turns dad into a don't-touch-my-stuff bad guy, but I chalk that more up to Ferrell's overacting than the actual script. If that alone were scaled back, I think the whole thing would be better, generally.

[Kintobor]

Although I disagree with your opinion, I can understand why perhaps the ending may have made you angry. I'm going to comment on some of your points, Bennemans, just to add to the discussion.

I somewhat agree with you; I don't think TLG blatantly hates AFOLs, that would just be stupid. The message they were sending with this movie was just incredibly muddled and could be interpreted in multiple ways, including very negative ones. My hatred towards this ending doesn't come from anger towards some perceived disrespect towards AFOLs, but more from the hypocritical message (glueing [ie limiting your imagination] is bad! Even though TLG glues their own displays, there are plenty of people who do it, and even the kid in the movie was using the Kragle to glue Pa & Ma Cop!) and from the painfully bratty child that refuses to listen to very simple instructions from its parents because he's the "good guy" because he uses his imagination in destroying other peoples work and property.

I feel Will Ferrel as the Dad was more of a send up than anything. I though it was funny, and there wasn't a whole lot of hammy acting when he portrayed the father. I don't feel as if the story's narrative is overtly cohesive either. Who's to say it wasn't the father that glued Ma and Pa cop together when Jake was busy? That's the way I saw it. I also don't think Jake was being "bratty". I think Jake was feeling neglected by his dad. Here he is with all this stuff that he sits around "playing with", and Jake gets put to the sideline with his own bucket to do whatever he wants, so long as he doesn't muck around with dad's things. I'd feel a little shunned in such a scenario. My grandfather would often let me use his model trains, and honestly, those are some of the best times we shared. Jake, in my mind, was looking for some quality time with his dad.

And you know what else I find annoying? People quoting "everything is awesome" as if it is something positive! Erm, have you actually seen the movie?? It is a song produced by Lord Business to entertain the brainwashed masses! It's not about 'doing what you want' or 'being your own unique self' or 'being imaginative'… the song is saying you need to conform, don't complain, and follow Lord Business' instructions! The lyrics even say "We're the same, I'm like you, you're like me, we're al working in harmony", not really the unique snowflake message you'd want right? Nope, it's a song about conformity! This song is basically the soundtrack to George Orwell's 1984!

The song kind of foreshadows most of the movie, actually. When the gang escape Cloud Cuckoo Land, the submarine sinks because they had no clear goal. When they suddenly "worked in harmony" and worked as a team, suddenly they became a lot more efficient. The song's got some depth to it besides "conform to the system". It has a hidden meaning that suddenly makes more sense once the plot's through. "Everything is awesome when you're living our dream" can relate to sharing your creations, and by extension your creativity, with others. There's a bunch of double meanings throughout it, although I'm still trying to decipher the mentioning of hiking boots...

[1980-Something-Space-Guy]

Yeah, although I loved the movie, my main dislike was its portrayal of AFOLs. So the movie seems to say that if you collect sets and don't "mix them up", you're the bad guy. I just hope this movie won't bring me an argument with kids in the future about how they should respect my stuff!

[AFOLguy1970]

I am somewhat like the dad in the movie, except I do not glue anything together. However, my stuff is off limits. My boys are 5 and 7 and they still have no idea how to take care of toys. If they were allowed access to my collection, some very expensive things would be ruined from irreversible damage. Actually, if the boys were like the kid in the movie, I would be thrilled. The kid was creative and valued imagination. My hope is that the boys eventually learn not to break/lose pieces and begin to take care of things. Once that happens, they will probably get some nice sets from time to time.

[Bennemans]

So I agree with you that I don't like how the ending turns dad into a don't-touch-my-stuff bad guy, but I chalk that more up to Ferrell's overacting than the actual script. If that alone were scaled back, I think the whole thing would be better, generally.

I agree with you, if they turned down the melodrama and changed the script just a bit, I would be much happier with the ending. I guess I'm hatin' on this ending because it was so close to being good, but it just missed the mark.

I don't feel as if the story's narrative is overtly cohesive either. Who's to say it wasn't the father that glued Ma and Pa cop together when Jake was busy? That's the way I saw it.

The way it is presented to us the entire story was Jake's doing, so this includes the glueing of Pa & Ma. Dad wasn't with him in the basement, so he couldn't have. Neither was he in the basement in between the story somewhere to glue stuff, otherwise dad would have scolded Jake way earlier; he would have already seen Jake's rampage of destruction.

Honestly, I don't think Jake was glueing stuff, that would just be stupid. But the fact remains that this is actually what the movie is (unintentionally) telling us. This is just a case of bad storytelling, as Autorazr said. And you are correct in saying the story's narrative isn't overtly cohesive. But that's a BAD thing, and not an excuse for giant plotholes.

I think Jake was feeling neglected by his dad. Here he is with all this stuff that he sits around "playing with", and Jake gets put to the sideline with his own bucket to do whatever he wants, so long as he doesn't muck around with dad's things. I'd feel a little shunned in such a scenario.

Interesting thought! I would have loved it if this was actually what was being told in the story! I didn't get this feeling from the story at all, but I really dig your interpretation! If the kid was a little less of a spoiled "but daaaaaaad, I wanna play with it *stomps feet*" kind of a-hole, I might actually believe it . STILL no reason to destroy other peoples work and property, and disobey simple rules imposed by your parents though.

The song kind of foreshadows most of the movie, actually. <...> The song's got some depth to it besides "conform to the system". It has a hidden meaning that suddenly makes more sense once the plot's through. <…> There's a bunch of double meanings throughout it, although I'm still trying to decipher the mentioning of hiking boots...

You are absolutely correct. Completely agree. It is a song with a double meaning. People just seem to forget the 'dark side' of this song though; initially it was an instrument of brainwashing by Lord Business.

To me this song is a bit like the Volkswagen Beetle; great, affordable car that brought transportation to the masses… just a shame it was Hitler's idea

Edited July 28, 2014 by Bennemans

[Hive]

That said, I don't think the message was "screw with your parents' stuff" or "having a professional collection is not okay." I assume it's more like "engage your creativity and don't limit yourself." It may not have been pulled off in the way we would have liked, but I get the idea that TLG respects professional LEGO collectors and isn't trying to use this movie to tell them they are wrong and to let their kids destroy their displays.

I agree, the message was about creativity and breaking limitations - but could have been served a bit more thoughtful.

I had the same thoughts as you (part of them at least). Emmet falling out of the world neary ruined the movie for me. I get the point of it, but something about the sequence nearly ruins the movie for me.

Same here, Emmett falling out took a great deal away from my experience watching the movie. I would have prefered "the real world" merely being hinted at and not shown, letting us stay within the LEGO World fantasy.

[iamwhoiam]

The message went from "let your imagination flow" to "f**k up your parents s**t and they'll love you for it!"… Just waiting for the moment little Billy rips open the mint in box classic Star Wars figures of his dad's prized collection "Geez dad! It's a toy! Haven't you seen The Lego Movie!?". Or Suzy cutting the hairs from vintage Barbies "Oh Em Gee, uncle Steve and aunt Bob, stop your crying! It's, like, a toy ok?!"

Yeah I was thinking about the end almost the same way for a while. Although the Emmett falling into the real world didn't really upset me that much.

[opn2]

Edited September 27, 2014 by opn2

[Artanis I]

...

[SweetiePie88]

Honestly i hate the movie also. Not just the end but the whole thing. Look, i get that they were probably trying to go for a "kids movie" angle but couldn't they have done it w/o trying to protray AFOLS as being jerks obsessed with their collection? It's plastic bricks that are meant to be taking apart not one time snap together models! the guy was acting like the kid was messing with something that couldn't be fixed!!! And i'd love to know who's bright idea was it to do the movie with the plot twist that insults AFOLS who are probably the only reason lego's not going under again!

I should of taken the fact that i was getting bored by the time emmet encountered wyldstyle for the first time as a warning of what was to come. Fast forward throughout the movie and i got more and more bored by the minute. There was only a light sprinkling of slightly funny stuff, mostly moments i saw on youtube for FREE b4 i saw the movie.

Fast forward to the big reveal of it all being made up by an 8 year old boy. At that point i was point blank FURIOUS at the reveal plus the lack of a decent plot and would of left if it wouldn't be for the fact that A) i don't drive yet and B) mom probably wouldn't of wanted to leave. Plus i was questioning why was i an almost completely dedicated lego fan. Was as in the big 3 in the clone world are getting more of my attention now then b4. I think the only thing thats keeping me from thinking about switching sides completely is that about the only thing they got right in the movie was having morgan freeman do the voice of vitruvius and I really love M.F.'s performance in Bruce almighty.

I'd like to point out one more thing though: Yes i'll plead guilty to having 5 TLM sets in my lego collection but none had anything to do with the movie itself but instead for other reasons. I have 3 of the 2-in-1 vehicle sets b/c i love wacky creations with lego. 1 CCC set due to the really neat parts and the wacky factor and 1 melting room since there's some parts in it that i like. It's assembled but once i find a need for the parts, that set is hitting the scrap pile. Future buy plans? Unless i can catch the lair with vitruvius in it on sale for at least 30 percent off or he's released in a 2015 set or if i can get the Flying flusher on sale(at least 20% off) to complete my 2-in-1 collection, i'm not foreseeing any TLM buying in the future.

[opn2]

Edited September 27, 2014 by opn2

[Artanis I]

I should of taken the fact that i was getting bored by the time emmet encountered wyldstyle for the first time as a warning of what was to come.

You get bored 7 minutes into a movie?!?

[SweetiePie88]

You get bored 7 minutes into a movie?!?

7 minutes into the lego movie? yes. 7 minutes into other movies? no.