‘LEGO Ninjago’: Daddy Issues, Divorce & Kung Fu Fighting [Review]

While there may be plenty of reasons to scoff, here’s a friendly reminder that whenever you’re ready to dismiss the next movie announcement based on a brand likea “Pez,” “Monopoly” or “Candyland,” there can be exceptions to the rule. An outstanding little animated picture called “The LEGO Movie” was a tooner you sneered at initially too.

‘LEGO’ shouldn’t have worked on paper, but clever filmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller proved creative minds could build bricks out of anything by using an imaginative take. Lord and Miller took the idea of anonymous-looking LEGO figurines and designed a story about collectivism versus individuality. Funny and sharply written, the animated picture performed so well at the box office, a new franchise was born. “The LEGO Movie” set the benchmark for the toy movie genre that you were understandably skeptical about.

READ MORE: New Trailer For ‘The Lego Ninjago Movie’ Kicks Brick

But none of the post-‘LEGO’ movie efforts have been as inspired or possessed much of the same heart and wit. The same can be said about the “The LEGO Ninjago Movie” even if it has some familial texture on its mind about daddy issues and even divorce. And while semi-entertaining, the disconnected nature of the film’s storytelling doesn’t leave the viewer with a lot to hold onto.

lego ninjago movieSet in a metropolis called Ninjago, the plot, such as there is one, centers on an evil despot, Garmadon (voiced by Justin Theroux), hell bent on destroying the city for no real discernible reason. Protectors of Ninjago are a secret group of ninjas trained by Master Wu (Jackie Chan). Living as students by day and Ninjago saviors by night, the main ninja team is led by Lloyd (David Franco), a loathed outcast as school because his dad, who happens to be Garmadon, wants everyone killed.

As amusing as it may sound, ‘Ninjago’ is slight. Essentially a modern riff on “Star Wars,” told through mystical ninja filters, Master Wu is the Obi-Wan Kenobi figure trying to teach his students, Garmadon is basically Darth Vader with a dark sense of humor and a negligent parental streak, and Lloyd is a more embittered Luke Skywalker, all too aware who his real father is. The adolescent wisecracks add a little “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” flavor too.

lego ninjago movieThus, the story for most of the movie is Garmadon attempting to level Ninjago, Lloyd and the team fighting him back, and Master Wu gently pushing the ninjas to look inward, find enlightenment and tap into the dormant powers they have not yet discovered. But kung-fu fighting becomes complicated when Lloyd and Garmadon try and relitigate the past and unpack why the evil overlord abandoned his child way back when. What emerges is a portrait of family dysfunction, deep resentment, and the complicated pain children feel when their parents divorce.

The emotional layers of the movie are its main worthwhile currency, but they don’t really begin to reveal themselves until the third act. Until then, it’s a dazzling and dizzying display of animated action, but as impressive as it is on a visual and technical level, the nunchuck noise is empty bluster. And ‘LEGO Ninjago’ feels long. Just when you think the picture is wrapping up, it tacks on another 25 minutes of hiyah! derring do and family backstory.

Without Justin Theroux, ‘Ninjago’ might be half the movie that it is. His flippant, arrogant delivery might be ripped right out of the dismissive and haughty playbook of Will Ferrell, but it totally works and provides most of the laughs. But Lloyd as the hero is milquetoast by comparison, and the character’s big moment doesn’t arrive until the end of the picture.

lego ninjagoThe diversity of voice casting seems for nought. Kumail Nanjiani still appears as yellow as any LEGO figure for some reason and Fred Armisen, Abbi Jacobson and Michael Peña are barely heard from, their characters essentially just small appendages to boost the idea that there’s a team at work. More importantly, almost none of this team of comedic heavyweights deliver many laughs. Even the attempts at the irreverence that made ‘LEGO Movie’ so hilarious, never land beyond a mere chuckle.

Credited to six writers (and seven more “story by” credits), and three directors — Charlie Bean, Paul Fisher and Bob Logan — ‘LEGO Ninjago’ feels incredibly disjointed. It’s as if two writers wrote the plot, another pair wrote the jokes, and the final duo cleaned up and tried to give the movie some heft by introducing the father/son baggage of the narrative. While the latter elements are appreciated, and taken from the spirit of the original ‘LEGO Movie’— injecting substance into an entertaining adventure — none of it connects in any meaningful way. Which is sad considering the lengths the movie goes to show that it’s about more than just fighting staff blows to the head.

‘Ninjago’ is mildly entertaining, and kids should find it pleasurable enough, but it’s missing that special spark, the kind of joyful flicker that compels children to ask for the movie on DVD at Christmas. It’s somewhat enjoyable, but its staying power vanishes quickly like the cloud of a getaway ninja smoke bomb. Ultimately, there’s nothing terrible about “The LEGO Ninjago” movie, but contrary to the memorable song that helped launch the series, everything is not really that awesome. [C+]