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Movie review: ‘The Lego Movie’

Lego has had a handful of movies of the direct-to-DVD variety, but for its big-screen debut, you really couldn’t build a better film.

This funny, action-packed animated adventure is a serious treat, thematically familiar — conformity vs. free will, good vs. evil, Batman vs. bad guys — but astoundingly refreshing. And its animation, stop-motion with the help of some CGI, is visually stunning.

The lead character is Emmet (voiced by Chris Pratt), a generic everyman construction worker who spends his day assembling buildings (out of Lego bricks, of course), and always — always — following the instructions.

Emmet has greatness foisted upon him through dumb luck when he spies Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) at the construction site. He literally falls into possessing the Piece of Resistance, which her rebel force has been searching for to save the world from Lord Business (Will Ferrell) and his two-faced henchman Bad Cop/Good Cop (Liam Neeson).

At Emmet’s side in the rebellion is a who’s who of classic Lego minifigs, both original and licensed. Will Arnett’s Batman, more jerk than dark, is a revelation.

Oh, and be prepared to be singing the film’s infectious, frequently played “Everything is Awesome” by Tegan and Sara for weeks. And yes, this film is awesome.