The LEGO Ninjago Movie

The LEGO Ninjago Movie is the third entry within this LEGO cinematic universe and sadly a disappointing one. It's not bad by any means, but certainly not up to the standard set by the previous two movies. This animated film follows a group of mech equipped ninjas that take on an evil that is always aiming to destroy their city. It's a typical sort of young teenagers get together to fight evil and feels very similar to Power Rangers actually. That aside, the issues I found within the story was that there was too much going.

They took the perfect sentimental parts from the last two movies and just piled in everything else they could. There was a part of believing in yourself, connecting with a father, finding the power within and so forth. There was too much going on there and it led to some rather long speeches that killed the pacing. It made the run time feel extra long and it was almost painful to watch the last half hour. Still, I felt that fans of the Ninjago LEGO series whether that's in block or visual media form will enjoy this.

Again, it is a fine movie to watch and one that can certainly be enjoyed. It's got some nice action to it and intense ninja/mech scenes. There's also the amazing addition of Jackie Chan in the real world and as Master Wu, a sort of guidance figure to the group. The story was alright here though I still found it rather weak overall despite having some great intentions and premise.

The animation of the LEGO blocks is stellar once again with just a massive city. I also really loved the massive mythical creature that gets unleashed upon the people at one point since that was fun. The inclusion of real footage during the LEGO parts was somewhat weird and out of place though, not sure if that's a style in the series however.

The comedy is still there though not as strong in this one as the theater was quiet and I wasn't laughing as much as opposed to the other movies. The young kid beside me at the screening was in absolute amazement at the start, but after awhile they became unsettled most likely finding it to drag.

The Conclusion

I don't always like to compare things I review to other similar items, but with a LEGO film I've come to expect a certain quality from them. Instead of hitting a perfect next entry, they released an alright one and to me that's disappointing. I'm sure many fans will enjoy this as will many others finding it to be a solid action flick.

It's got a lot of sentimental aspects that ruin pacing and it did feel slow at times. This is a fine addition to the LEGO universe though not one that stands close to the other releases. The comedic elements were fine though not all the parts hit with everyone as some jokes were passed on for laughs.

The LEGO Ninjago Movie Review at Theater with Standard Viewing
Screening Provided by Warner Brothers

Rating Overall: 6.5