Earlier this year, Lego came up with The Lego Batman Movie where a super-cool and super-alone Batman had to save the world from his usual villains. The film was a huge hit and some even termed it the best Batman flick of all time.

Sadly, the same can’t be said of Lego’s next venture The Lego Ninjago Movie, despite the presence of Jackie Chan and others.

The plot of this Lego flick revolves around Lloyd (Dave Franco) who is the most hated person in the Ninjago because of his father Garmadon (Justin Theroux), who attacks the city hoping to conquer it, repeatedly. A secret Ninja Force keeps the city safe from Lord Garmadon, but no one knows their identities. After unleashing a giant cat during one of their battles, Lloyd discloses to his father that he and his friends were the ninjas. On the instructions of their Master Wu (Jackie Chan), they go out in search of the weapon that will help them get the Ninjago back. However, there is a catch — Garmadon agrees to help them out in order to get close to his son.

Do the father-son duo succeed or does Ninjago fall prey to the giant cat, watch the film to know more.

Despite being a 3D affair, the film falls flat due to its slow storyline and unimpressive screenplay; unlike the last Lego flick where Batman was shown to be as human as the next guy and where pop culture references made your day. The film came out as a forced attempt to recruit Jackie Chan in the Lego Universe. Although he plays a minor live action part in the flick, he doesn’t appeal much. Justin Theroux as the voice of Garmadon seems irritating at times and on other occasions, as someone trying to copy Will Arnett’s Batman.

There is a message in the film but that comes too late, when the audience is bored. It teaches kids to ‘believe in yourself’, but it seems that the scriptwriters and director believed too much in themselves, otherwise they could have come up with a better flick.

Rating: PG (for some mild action and rude humor)

Published in Dawn, Young World, October 14th, 2017