This sequel to the surprise 2014 smash is an entertaining watch, but doesn't live up to its innovative predecessor.
At the end of the first film, the events were revealed to be happening as a young boy played with his father's Lego collection. The second film sees the boy's younger sister invited to join the fun, represented onscreen by Duplo bricks.
Their presence causes havoc for Emmet (voiced by Chris Pratt) and Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) and the other residents of Brickburg, leading to the city being destroyed and turning into a riff on a Mad Max-style hellscape called Apocalypseburg.
Various complications later, Emmet and Wyldstyle have to try to stop the wedding between Batman (Will Arnett) and the leader of the Systar System, Queen Watevra Wa'Nabi (say it quickly), voiced by Tiffany Haddish.
Prior to the release of The Lego Movie, nobody took the idea of a film based on a toy seriously. But buoyed by the now-familiar meta-shenanigans of co-writers/directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the film became a phenomenon, and two spin-offs (The Lego Batman Movie, The Lego Ninjago Movie) were released before the direct sequel.
This has undeniably taken some of the sheen off the newly-birthed franchise, and even though the sequel has plenty of new characters (including man's man Rex Dangervest, also voiced by Pratt) and meta-fun (Dangervest riffs on Pratt's best-known live action roles), the irreverent tone simply doesn't feel as special.
Again, kids should lap it up, but it's not a good sign that the comedic highlight of a movie is the song that plays during the end credits.
Cast: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Nick Offerman, Alison Brie, Tiffany Haddish
Director: Mike Mitchell
Running Time: 107 mins
Rating: PG
Verdict: Although there's fun to be found, it feels less special thanks the minor glut of Lego movies in the last few years.