There’s still plenty to expect from LEGO as they reveal their next wave of LEGO sets slated to be released this summer. From new commemorative LEGO Star Wars sets, LEGO City Space and tech savvy LEGO Technic sets, we now have our listing of some of the latest LEGO Friends 2019 summer sets to watch out for, courtesy of Zusammengebaut.
Same as before, photography is not allowed inside the LEGO show room of the Nuremberg Toy Fair. So we hope to see these sets and other LEGO reveals up close and personal when this year’s New York Toy Fair kicks in from February 16 to 19. Take note that this listing may not represent the actual set names since they were roughly translated from German via Google Translate.
Heartlake City Supermarket (41362) (4+) – 29.99€\
Mia’s Horse Transporter (41371) – 29.99€
Stephanie’s Gymnastics Show (41372) – 39.99€
Karaoke Pool Party (41374) – 49.99€
Amusement Park (41375) – 129.99€
Turtle Rescue (41376) – 19.99€
Submarine for Dolphin Rescue (41378) – 39.99€
Heartlake City Restaurant (41379) – 59.99€
Lighthouse (41380) – 59.99€
Rescue Boat (41381) – 89.99€
The LEGO Friends Heartlake Grand Hotel (41101) from 2015.
The Amusement Park (41375) sounds interesting since its price point hints at a piece count of more than a thousand pieces. It is similarly priced as that of the Heartlake Grand Hotel (41101) from 2015 which also retailed for $129.99, and is currently the largest LEGO Friends set with a 1,552 piece count.
2016’s LEGO Friends Amusement Park Roller Coaster (41130).
You might also remember that LEGO also offered a somewhat similar set in 2016 with the Amusement Park Roller Coaster (41130) which made use of a new track piece. As the title suggests, then we might see the Amusement Park (41375) set as something that complements the Amusement Park Roller Coaster. I guess we have to wait until NYTF if ever LEGO will unveil this next big LEGO Friends set.
Note: The image above is from 2009’s LEGO Star Wars The Battle of Endor (8038) set. Following the reveal of the summer 2019 LEGO City and LEGO Technic sets, LEGO has also announced the release of additional LEGO Star Wars Summer 2019 sets, following the announcementof its 20th year LEGO Star Wars commemorative sets. There will be two new series to watch out for, including a subtheme dedicated to the new animated series, Star Wars Resistance. We’re still following the events as covered by LEGO fan correspondent Zusammengebaut at the on-going Nuremberg Toy Fair in Germany. Here’s what was revealed so far.
LEGO Star Wars Resistance
Major Vanreg’s TIE fighter (75240)
Black Ace TIE-Interceptor (75242)
Duel on Starkiller Base (75236)
LEGO Star Wars Action Battle
Endor Assault (75238)
Hoth Generator (75239)
Echo Base (75241)
2019 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar (75245)
Star Wars D2C set (75252)
Rumors of a LEGO Star Wars Resistance subtheme were making their rounds recently across LEGO fan forums, and it is now confirmed that this such the case. It is also interesting to note that after 6 years since the last time we saw them in the D2C set LEGO Star Wars Ewok Village (10236)and2015’s LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar (75097), we get to see the Ewoks once again in the Endor Assault (75238). I’m not really sure what’s the deal with the Action Battle series, but judging on the way the sets are presented around this subtheme, it looks like it’s a collection of sets that you can bring together and connect. This first offering of LEGO Star Wars Action Battle sets kind of remind me of the not so well received Assault on Hoth (75098) set from 2016. I do hope LEGO is not tempting fans to recreate this failed D2C set once again in piecemeal format.
Lastly, this wave of new LEGO Star Wars summer 2019 sets will also include a tightly guarded D2C set simply referred to as set 75252. We have no hint whatsoever on what this set could be, but I do wish this is not another rehashed set of sorts. We’ll know soon enough.
Following the reveal of the LEGO City 2019 summer sets at the Nuremberg Toy Fair, German LEGO fan correspondent Zusammengebautcontinues his coverage of the events as they unfold at the LEGO showroom at the prestigious European toy fair. We’ve heard the first line-up of summer 2019 LEGO City sets, and this time, we now know that we will be getting four additional LEGO Technic summer 2019 sets slated to be available in August 1.
Spider Crane (42097)
Car Transporter (42098)
Off-Road Vehicle (42099)
Liebherr 9800 (42100)
The Car Transporter (42098) is interesting since Zusammengebaut describes it as 2 builds in 1, with one build as the same size as that of the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (42093), and another for the Car Transporter itself. This set is second to the largest of the four sets coming in at 2,493 pieces.
The Spider Crane (42097) is another 2-in-1 set that comes in 920 pieces, while the Off-Road Vehicle (42099) comes with the new CONTROL+ system, three Power Functions motors, and independent suspensions.
The last set in the list could be the most complex among the four LEGO Technic Summer 2019 sets. The Liebherr 9800 (42100) comes at 4,108 pieces and includes seven Power Function motors that are individually controllable allowing for a wider range of movement. It also has two smart hubs and features the new digital CONTROL+ system.
It definitely looks like LEGO is levelling up its next generation of Technic sets following these new innovations. I’m not so much into LEGO Technic, but this are surely exciting sets to watch out for in August.
Stay tuned for more updates! Special thanks once again to Zusammengebaut for keeping us in the loop and sharing these images.
Note: the image above is from 2015’s LEGO City Spaceport (60080). Europe’s largest toy fair has already begun, and LEGO is sure not to miss out on this one. Coming from the London Toy Fair, LEGO now flaunts its new collection of LEGO sets at the Nuremberg Toy Fair 2019in Nuremberg, Germany . And thanks to fellow LEGO fan correspondent Zusammengebaut, we now have specific information on what’s in store with LEGO this summer. The LEGO showroom is stirring up a buzz with its revelation of new LEGO sets, including a noteworthy collection of new summer 2019 LEGO City sets.
We’ve seen the LEGO City theme explore the many facets of the real world: from the depths of the ocean, perilous jungles, underground world and to the polar ice caps. This time, LEGO is bringing back once more its LEGO City Space subtheme, but this time with a distinct inspiration coming from NASA. Specifically inspired by the world’s largest space exploration institute, 2019’s LEGO City Space will offer six new summer sets namely:
Maintenance Mission Shuttle (60224)
Rover Test Drive (60225)
Mars Research Shuttle (60226)
Moon Base (60227)
Space Research Rocket Control Centre (60228)
These sets celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of the Apollo moon landing, and as a reference to a Mars Mission subtheme. They are not necessary licensed by the space exploration agency, but are stated specifically as “inspired by NASA”, as printed on the sets’ respective box arts.
The last set to be mentioned – 60228 – is said to integrate with the LEGO Life App on a smart phone which makes the set remotely controlled.
In addition to this NASA inspired 2019 LEGO City sets, LEGO will be launching a new LEGO City TV series based on the theme comprising of 20 episodes running 11 minutes each. There will be three 2019 LEGO City sets to be released in connection to the TV series, one of which carries the 4+ branding:
LEGO City Fire Service ruck (60231)
LEGO City 4+ Petrol Station (60232)
LEGO City Doughnut Shop Opening (60233)
The Doughnut Shop Opening (60233) opening features a small toy shop, a TV crew, police minifigures, and a crane truck.
There will be another LEGO City People Pack, similar to previous ones such as last year’s Outdoor Adventures (60202) and 2017’s Fun at the Beach (60153). For 2019, we will have the LEGO City People Pack – City Dwellers (60234) which follows a fairground theme. It’s a good addition to other fair-themed sets such as the Roller Coaster (10261), Carousel (10257) and Ferris Wheel (10247). Lastly, LEGO has also revealed this year’s new LEGO City Advent Calendar (60235), which is something to watch out for considering that this set has been a constant favorite among LEGO City fans.
Stay tuned for more updates and reveals in the LEGO show room at the Nuremberg Toy Fair 2019!
2019 is hailed as the Year of the Earth Pig in the Chinese calendar, and LEGO is now commemorating this in its newest promotional set, now live across LEGO brand stores and at shop.LEGO.com. The LEGO Year of the Pig (40186) set is the next promotional item that you can get for a minimum single receipt purchase of $88 and more of any LEGO set or products. This promo has already begun yesterday and will end on February 7 next week or until supplies last, so it’s promo duration is kind of relatively short-lived.
The LEGO Year of the Pig (40186) comes in 152 pieces and is valued for approximately $9.99. Like previous Chinese New Year LEGO promotional, the LEGO Year of the Pig set features a comical, brick-built figure of a pig that comes with poseable ears, arms, and tail. The set also sports a unique 2×2 round, flat tile that represents a snout, which is a new for 2019 piece exclusive to this set. I also like the use of the 2×2 round, flat tiles for the pair of eyes which you can adjust for any kind of wacky expressions. The articulation on the arms adds a sense of humor and character to this build, though I’m not quite sure if the legs are jointed as well based on these images.
If you want to add this to your collection of LEGO Chinese New Year sets, then be sure to set your LEGO purchases throughout this week. LEGO has also released a collection of regional exclusive LEGO sets such as the Chinese New Year’s Eve Dinner (80101) and Dragon Dance (80102).
Happy building and a prosperous New Year to everyone!
The LEGO Star Wars 20th anniversary Sets and commemorative minifigures are somehow bound to happen, considering that this year marks a decades-long run for LEGO’s first, and most successful licensed theme of all time. Rumors spread fast over the internet and within the LEGO fan community of five LEGO Star Wars sets that the LEGO Group will launch to mark this milestone. And earlier today, this rumor is now set on stone.
We now have definitive confirmation regarding these LEGO Star Wars 20th anniversary sets, and on what we can expect them. Check out their following official images below together with their product descriptions courtesy of The Brothers Brick. These commemorative sets and minifigures are expected to be available to the public on April and are expected to be highly popular among serious LEGO Star Wars collectors.
Build Boba Fett’s personal Slave I starship and travel with him through the LEGO Star Wars galaxy in search of fugitives! Grab the handle and fly him around. Pull the triggers to fire the spring-loaded shooters. Load Han Solo trapped in carbonite into the hold and deliver him to collect your payment. It’s another exciting day in the life of a bounty hunter!
Speed to victory in Anakin’s Podracer! Sit young Anakin Skywalker in the cockpit and lower his goggles ready for the race. Then fire up the huge engines, grab the play handle and zoom through canyons of Tatooine… or your living room! With Anakin at the controls, victory is yours!
Sound the alarm, Echo Base is under attack! Win the Battle of Hoth with Luke and Dak Ralter in their amazing LEGO Star Wars Snowspeeder from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Speed over the ice and launch the spring-loaded shooters. Then fire the rear stud shooter and harpoon with string. On the ground, help the Rebel Trooper take aim and fire the gun tower stud shooter. Those Imperials must be defeated!
Protect the Wookiee warrior with the armored Clone Scout Walker! Sit the Kashyyyk Trooper in the seat of the armored AT-RT Walker and stride in battle. Turn and fire the stud shooter before the Dwarf Spider Droid destroys the trench with its own stud shooter. The Clone Army must win at all costs!
Deploy the troopers with the LEGO Star Wars Imperial Dropship! Load them onto the platform and store their stud blasters for the flight. Then sit the Shadow Trooper in the cockpit, fire up the engines and blast off for another exciting battle against the Rebels!
The latest battle pack from LEGO Ninjago is finally out, and it’s an interesting collection of minifigures unlike LEGO has done before. The LEGO Ninjago Oni Battle Pack (853866) is now available at all LEGO stores and at shop.LEGO.com. Based on the series’ latest season, March of the Oni, this minifigure pack introduces one of the most formidable foes that our heroic ninjas ever encountered.
The LEGO Ninjago Oni Battle Pack (853866) features three first-for-2019 minifigures. It comes in 36 pieces, including several weapon accessories, and perhaps the most exciting of all, the horned elements that comes with the lead Oni villain. All of the minifigures themselves sport unique prints, which gives them a sort of Black Panther/Wakandan vibe. Overall, it’s a great collection of minifigures to kick-off the latest season of LEGO’s longest running TV series. The Oni Battle Pack retails for $12.99 and may also be purchased online via LEGO’s shopping portal. Be sure to check the latest LEGO Ninjago Legacy sets as well from shop.LEGO.com that features some of the best-loved sets from the early beginning of Ninjago.
And another tip if you may – if you wish to grab all the ninjas in this latest LEGO Ninjago subtheme, be sure to check out the LEGO Ninjago Monastery of Spinjitzu (70670) set which includes 8 minifigures, namely Wu, Jay, Nya, Zane, Cole, Lloyd, Kai and Wyplash. That’s a great deal for $79.99 for a set with more than a thousand LEGO pieces and 8 minifigures.
The LEGO Ninjago Monastery of Spinjitzu (70670) set, featuring all of our ninja heroes.
LEGO Ninjago Oni Battle Pack (853866)
Arm the Oni villains with this cool accessory set!
Gear up for battle with the LEGO® NINJAGO® 853866 Accessory Set 2019, featuring the Oni villains from Series 10 of the NINJAGO Masters of Spinjitzu TV series. This action-packed little set has 3 new-for-January-2019 Oni minifigures, including one with iconic horn elements, and assorted weapons.
Features 3 Oni demon minifigures—one with horn elements—with 4 swords and other assorted weapons.
Towards the last quarter of 2018, LEGO and Bricklink collaborated to launch the AFOL Designer Program. Similar to the LEGO Ideas Project, Bricklink’s first crowd project seeks to the encourage AFOLs, or Adult Fans of LEGO, to come up with their most original MOC (My Own Creation) to vie to become an exclusive LEGO set, in celebration of the LEGO brick’s 60th anniversary. The Design Review is finally over, and here are 16 AFOL Designer Program finalists that you can support with the hope of becoming the next LEGO set.
Starting next month, fans of these brick creations can pre-order up to 3 sets of each design during the pre-order phase which will end on March. Once the pre-order mark has been achieved, then production will begin until April when the first AFOL Designer Program sets will be shipped to their crowd backers and supporters.
This is a great way to encourage original work and creativity among the LEGO fan community. And in case you see something that you like among these 16 finalists, just click on the links below and come back on February 1 to place your pre-order. Which one do you like from these 16 AFOL Designer Program finalists, and which will you most likely pre-order? Share your comments below.
Give your horse a break from dodging tumbleweeds, and stop by the Wild West Saloon for a much needed drink. Just look for the cactus out front with a longhorn skull over the door! After settling in, order something from the Saloon’s beverage selection then hang out with other cowboys in the lantern light. If it suits you, walk up to the balcony to bathe in the setting sun while the pianist plays your favorite tunes. Now that you and your horse are well-rested, get back on the road and continue your adventure into the Wild West.
Experience modern living using a flexible space for your minifigs with Eight Studs. One housing unit can easily attach or stack with another unit, so you can either create a 2×8 space or a two-story unit for your minifigs. The minimal design allows you organize and decorate rooms for activities such as hanging out or playing with LEGO bricks. Feel free to move things around until you find that perfect balance. Eight Studs is about making connections with LEGO, and life is too.
Journey to the Art Deco era in your very own Vintage Roadster, which has enough room for you and a friend to experience elegance on wheels. With its classic sweeping shape, side doors, and monochromatic color scheme, no one will question your timeless sense of style. Even the sleek engine inside can be revealed simply by removing the front hood. No matter where you go with this Vintage Roadster, you will be the star of the show.
Go exploring on the island of Poseidonia after anchoring your yacht next to the small boathouse with a light blue roof. Then trek through the mountainous island and follow the staircase to the top where centuries-old buildings can be found. The main attraction here is the ancient statue of a deity who still guards the island to this day. Finally, hop back on your yacht and discover the cave that goes right through the island of Poseidonia.
Every castle is home to someone, and in this Löwenstein Castle lives a knight, his family, and his animals. The animals have their own housing that can be found right behind the outermost of the two main gatehouses – the outer bailey. The inner bailey has a roofed defensive corridor to offer protection from outside threats with an overhanging toilette bay, or “thunderbox.” Cross the drawbridge to get to the Great Hall and join the family for festivities after keeping watch over the castle. End the day with hiking up the centrepiece and highest point of the complex, the donjon or keep, to absorb panoramic views of the entire Löwenstein Castle.
Make your way to a bike stand where both tourists and locals alike can ride a bike to explore the city and then set it aside just about anywhere after they are done exploring. A truck driver will pick up the bikes using GPS antennas that communicate the bikes’ location to the truck’s tracking system. Furthermore, it includes a carrier tricycle, which minifigures can use to transport groceries or, of course, their children. With LEGO cities being focused mainly on motorized vehicles, add another method of transportation with Bikes!
So much creative potential lies within the iconic LEGO® brick, and this design gives the builder a taste of the limitless ideas just waiting to burst out. At the center of the design is a poseable anime character with your choice of heads. Micro models of different themes that surround the character include a: quaint castle, cargo ship with lighthouse, futuristic skyscraper, a cute parrot, and many more! Display this design with your favorite LEGO sets in your collection to inspire creativity. If you can imagine it, you can build it!
Become the next grandmaster with the Steampunk Mini Chess set! But first, you must learn the basics, starting with identifying the chess pieces. Take it anywhere around the world so that you can have impromptu matches to improve your chess game. Once you’re done challenging a friend or foe, you can tuck away the pieces into the built-in drawer so that they will not get lost. Even if you’re not interested in becoming a grandmaster, this Steampunk Mini Chess set will be the topic of any conversation.
There are some things you cannot escape (like your desk), but you can escape a sea monster that has vicious means of destroying your Viking ship. Don’t let the blue skies fool you! Armor up and prepare for battle against not just the sea monster, but the raging waters your Viking ship sails on. Be brave and soldier on! Lead your ship to safety, and your fellow citizens will reward you with priceless treasures.
Join two minifigures as they explore the ruins of Clovershire Castle! It’s a perfect day for a picnic, so they bring along a loaded picnic basket, a telescope, and a candle for exploring. What could be hiding in the castle ruins? Follow the stairway behind the ruins and over the bridge to find the hidden crystal, but beware of the snake down by the stream! Once you’ve finished exploring Clovershire Castle, head to the Festival of Lanterns to add your lantern to the ones floating in the water.
Cross a small bridge over a stream and underneath an apple tree to get into the Science Tower, a multi-colored, four-level building. A pair of scientists and their trusty hound work here and are up to new discoveries! Shadow them around the tower to learn more about their experiments, or do your own research in the library. As day becomes night, climb up to the top floor to test out the astronomical telescope in the observatory. Challenge yourself to identify all scientific experiments and inventions!
When there’s a fire, you can count on the firefighters arriving ASAP and being well-prepared to protect the community. While in the Antique Fire Truck, firefighters will ring the built-in bell to alert nearby citizens that the firefighters need to hustle to the scene. While some are readying the hose to contain the fire, the others can use the ladder to save citizens on a higher floor. An extra fire extinguisher is located on the side of the truck in case one malfunctions. After a long day of fighting fires, don’t forget to thank and celebrate these heroes for rescuing your fellow citizens!
Opt for a night out at the carnival and stop by the Hot Shot, a shooting gallery where you can get some target practice! From afar, you can spot the billboard for “Hot Shot” with a large rifle and bullseye attached. When you get inside the carnival, take a walk around and treat yourself to an ice-cold popsicle. Then when you are ready for a little friendly competition, look for the booth with the red wavy walls and yellow and orange overhang. If luck is on your side, you can win prizes like a life-sized teddy bear, special edition guitar, and a few other surprises!
The Skyline Express is the ultimate solution for the minifig commute. With room for up to six passengers, panoramic windows and sleek Scandinavian design, this modern light rail is the perfect balance between comfort and style. The split-level station provides travelers with the latest schedule information and convenient smart ticketing machines. Have some time to spare before departure? Get fresh juice at Jüs, the organic juice bar located on the ground floor, where it can satisfy even the thirstiest passenger! After getting your train ticket and refreshments, make your way up the stairs to take in the breathtaking views.
Since it’s the 60th anniversary of LEGO Brick, what’s a better way to celebrate than taking a look back at how it all started? Build an individual vignette for 4 different eras of LEGO’s history starting from 1937. Ole Kirk Kristiansen bought his first milling machine, and the company only made wooden toys (have you spotted the wooden duck?). In the second vignette, LEGO started molding plastic bricks in 1946. The third vignette is of a designer’s office to represent designers working on the amazing LEGO sets that we all are familiar with. Finally, in the fourth vignette, you can see a modern molding machine with a complicated tubing system in the background. That’s where the raw materials “travel” to the big molding machines that make LEGO bricks. Display all the vignettes together, or put them in different places, to share the story of LEGO!
What exactly are the various dangers on the Isle of Peril? Just in case you, or any member of your crew, are too curious to stay on the marked path, we’ll tell you just a few things of what you’ll face! Just above the steep beach, in the rocky entrance into the canyon is “The Cave of No Return.” The backside opens into a small ledge overhanging “The Lake of Doom,” where one can a plunge into the lake if one isn’t careful. Look out for “Laudably Large Land Lobsters” and the “four-tentacled six-snake-headed one-eyed colossal-clam-beast.” After passing through the waterfall, travel downward toward the lowlands to a dangerously dilapidated wooden bridge over inordinately large spikes. Follow the path marked in red on this 3D treasure map, and if you’re lucky, you may find the buried treasure.
YouTuber and gaming guru AbdallahSmash026 shares an exclusive, LEGO Movie 2 video game footage over his channel. We’re still a few weeks to go before the tie-in video game is officially released, but WB Games was kind enough to share the first chapter of the video game, giving us a first look at how things are significantly different as compared to the first LEGO Movie video game.
Similar to the film, the LEGO Movie 2 video game begins with a retelling of the events of Taco Tuesday where the towering Duplon invaders caused havoc in the city of Bricksburg. The story is told from the usual, brooding perspective of Lucy. You start the game by playing Emmet, and later on as Lucy when you complete certain challenges, and helping other minifig citizens search for particular bricks.
A new a pair of Scanner Binoculars is also introduced where players can scan any surrounding areas for building instructions to be added to their Builder Page. The binoculars are also useful in searching and revealing hidden LEGO objects.
We are also introduced to the game’s Vehicle Library which is accessible via the Builder Page. While you’re in Build Mode, you can choose from the available vehicles in the database to work your way around the place faster. You can even build Ultrakatty for that extra speed boost!
The first chapter of the video game goes on to introduce familiar characters such as Sweet Mayhem and Queen Watevra Wa’Nabi. Perhaps the only deviation I see from the actual LEGO Movie 2 film is that Lucy stays with Emmet even after Mayhem manages to capture almost all of our brick heroes. But generally speaking, it’s a whole new LEGO video game that you may want to try where new mechanics are introduced which are different and unique on their own.
The LEGO Movie 2 video game is now available for pre-order via Amazon US, with Amazon UK and Gamestop offering a free Star-Stuck Emmet polybag. The LEGO Movie 2 video game will be available for Playstation 4, Xbox One, and PC starting February 26, and on Nintendo Switch on March 26, 2019.
The LEGO Movie 2 was slated for early screenings yesterday, and as such, we now have critics and movie goers sharing their two cents whether or not the sequel lived up to its expectations. It was quite a surprise that Warner Bros opted for an early screening in some select locations ahead of the film’s general release on February 8. My bet is that WB is somehow banking on the positive reviews and buzz that the sequel’s early screening will generate. So did it really earn the accolades of critics? Let’s find out with this collection of LEGO Movie 2 spoiler-free reviews coming from across the internet.
Just to be sure, I steered away from spoilers so you can guarantee that the links I included here will not lead you into spoiler land. Nevertheless, knowing how the audience and critics saw the film provides us with insight on how this sequel is related to its predecessor.
First off, we have Germain Lussier writing for io9. He says “The LEGO Movie 2 is a hilarious, clever, emotional sequel – though it takes a little bit to get there.” Perhaps this is due to the fact that after five years since the release of the first LEGO Movie, audiences are now accustomed to the unique style of story-telling spearheaded by the first film. Other LEGO inspired films such as the LEGO Batman Movie and the LEGO Ninjago Movie may have somehow given audiences a feeling that this is just ‘another’ LEGO movie. But then again, seeing how the narrative of the real-world characters of Finn (who is now older, with a slightly different approach in playing with LEGO pieces) and his younger sister, Bianca ‘should’ play with LEGO bricks is an interesting plot to see.
This particular strain on how one should play with LEGO was perfectly illustrated in the first LEGO Movie, especially between that of an adult collector and builder who is adamant in following building instructions (portrayed by the character of the father, aka the Man Upstairs), and that of an imaginative child (as portrayed by the younger Finn) that would explore all possibilities of play using the LEGO brick. However, the LEGO Movie 2 now shifts the conflict on a whole different level: with Finn’s more ‘modern’ and ‘mature’ treatment over his LEGO collection, and that of Bianca’s more avant-garde approach in building. The only question is: which approach to LEGO play is better? According to Variety’s Peter Debruge, begging the question makes the LEGO Movie 2 a bit shaky. “The Lego Movie 2 ought to have raised the bar, and while it’s faster, denser, and jam-packed with all sorts of catchy new songs (including one, ‘Catchy Song,’ that’s insidiously engineered to get stuck inside your head), all that energy only goes so far to cover for the wobblier foundation on which this film is built. At the most basic level, it was a bad call to treat li’l Bianca as a villain when what she really represents is an extreme case of Finn’s own approach”. The complex question of how one should play with LEGO is perhaps something that was too difficult to tackle for the sequel. There is no prescribed formula on how one should creatively play with LEGO pieces, and this is something that the LEGO Movie 2 is expected to have explored more.
William Bibbiani from IGN also shares his verdict on the LEGO Movie 2, giving it a score of 7.5 out of 10. “The LEGO Movie 2 isn’t quite as funny or as brilliantly executed as the original, but it’s an ambitious, likable sequel. Kids will enjoy it and adults will appreciate that the filmmakers took it seriously, and tried to say something meaningful. Just don’t think about it too much, because the LEGO universe is often weird and confusing.”
Writing for Vox, Todd VanDerWeff gave the film a 3 out of 5 rating sharing that, “Unfortunately, ‘pointless, despite some solid moments’ describes too much of The Lego Movie 2, a film with its heart in the right place, some great gags in its head, and an inability to make anything connect beyond individual jokes or plot points. I had a good time watching it, but I could always see the filmmakers just offscreen, holding up the big table the Legos were scattered across, sweating and straining to keep the whole thing from toppling over.”
Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 92% on its Tomatometer, an average of 7.2/10, with a critics consensus saying that “While it isn’t quite as much fun as its predecessor, The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part fits neatly into an animated all-ages franchise with heart and humor to spare.”
As I mentioned earlier, I think this is a common problem with sequels: its predecessor is sometimes so good that it’s a bit difficult to have a sequel overshadow its success. Just to be clear and fair, I haven’t seen the LEGO Movie 2 yet so I will put a brake on my personal comments. Just like with the first film, I’m sure that Warner Bros and the LEGO Group have children in mind when they came up with the LEGO Movie 2. For sure, all the gags and comedic scenes all have their usual endearing LEGO brand of humor, but it seems that the overall theme of the story did not have the same appeal as that of the first film.
So what do you think about these LEGO Movie 2 spoiler-free reviews? Do you think the critics are right with their assessment? Share us your spoiler-free comments below (in case you have seen the film the already).
The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part will arrive in most theaters in the US and rest of the world on February 8, 2019. For more information about the LEGO Movie 2 tie-in sets, please visit shop.LEGO.com.
