There’s also a slightly lazy setup once we enter the world of Ninjago which sees a Good Morning America-style program explain the basics of the plot with little flair. It’s not a particularly witty or necessary decision and the scenes seem to act more as a way of reminding younger viewers that these Lego figures are also real world collectibles that can be bought directly after the credits. There’s an unsuccessful live action framing device that sees Jackie Chan playing the owner of a mysterious store telling the story to a precocious kid. Too often though, it’s easy to see how this is the handiwork of six credited screenwriters, a rushed flimsiness becoming increasingly apparent. There’s also the same self-awareness of cliche that prevents the formula from feeling too tired (a wonderfully silly scene that uses Bruce Springsteen’s Secret Garden to signal the arrival of sentiment is a particular standout). You’ll find it hard to remember a scene that falls flat as it’s swiftly followed by a punchy joke or nifty visual Easter egg. The frantic, breathless procession of one-liners, in-jokes and action sequences means that not all of it lands but it helps to paper over some of the film’s cracks. While Lego Movie masterminds Chris Miller and Phil Lord act just as producers here, the rapid-fire pace they perfected in not only the first movie but their ingenious 21 Jump Street reboot and the underrated Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, is present here, with mixed results. When Ninjago is threatened by an even more terrifying force, father and son are forced into an uneasy partnership on a quest to save the day. What the locals don’t realize is that behind the mask lies Lloyd (voiced by Dave Franco), a teen loathed by most for being the estranged son of Garmadon. It’s left up to a group of brave, if somewhat untrained, ninjas to fight him off, spearheaded by a very mysterious and very green hero. In this latest adventure, we find ourselves in the idyllic Ninjago community, a place that’s under the constant threat of destruction thanks to a neighboring volcano that houses super-villain Garmadon (voiced by Justin Theroux). With any other newly created franchise, it could seem like overkill but it’s somehow hard to be too cynical about these films, despite how cynical it all seems on paper. The Lego Batman Movie soon followed, pleasing most, and before The Lego Movie Sequel hits, we have another spinoff: The Lega Ninjago Movie. It was critical and commercial gold and led to the creation of something rare: a cinematic universe that people actually wanted. It was smart and knowing without being smug and it managed to be self-critical yet also strangely optimistic. But then The Lego Movie was released and temporarily shut everyone up.
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