The Lego Movie (U)

★★★★ Ridiculously funny and meticulously detailed, The Lego Movie is far better than a toy tie-in movie has any right to be. Despite a couple of dips, you’ll be grinning throughout. ~ Total Film.

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"The LEGO® Movie," the first-ever, full-length theatrical LEGO® adventure, from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs directors Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, was released in 2014.

It stars the vocal talents of Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Nick Offerman and Alison Brie, with Liam Neeson and Morgan Freeman.

The original 3D computer animated story follows Emmet, an ordinary, rules-following, perfectly average LEGO minifigure who is mistakenly identified as the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world.

He is drafted into a fellowship of strangers on an epic quest to stop an evil tyrant, a journey for which Emmet is hopelessly and hilariously underprepared.

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★★★★ Is this a glossy feature-length advert for toys? Nope, it’s a whimsical and hilarious piece of animated nostalgia from Phil Lord and Chris Miller. ~ Little White Lies.

★★★★ Every little bit of this animated celebration of all things plastic and brick-shaped clicks into place. ~ Evening Standard.

★★★★ The makers could have easily Smurfed this, chucking out something bland that would probably still make a chunky profit on the back of brand recognition. Instead they’ve gone for broke, unleashing a film that’s insane, witty, uneven and almost certain to delight anyone who’s ever laid hands on Lego. ~ Empire.

★★★★★ Everything is Awesomeis the insanely catchy theme tune for The LEGO Movie and it pretty much sums up the film. There's something for all the family, but young kids and LEGO fans in particular are going to lose their minds. ~ RTE.

★★★★★ This 100-minute fit of colour, comedy and surreal invention is a triumph of craziness. ~ Financial Times.

★★★★★ The hype don't lie. A thrilling, consistently funny, all-ages extravaganza, The Lego Movie is virtually critic proof, in that we can't find a darned thing wrong with it. It's an instant classic. ~ Irish Times.

★★★★ An unexpected joy. This imaginative and delightful film doesn't think outside the box so much as operate on another astral plane. ~ The Guardian.

★★★★ Occasional pacing issues aside, ‘The LEGO Movie’ is sheer joy: the script is witty, the satire surprisingly pointed and the animation tactile and imaginative. Barmy, perhaps, but often brilliant. ~ Time Out.

★★★★ The breakneck pace may be overwhelming at times, but the action is literally block-busting and the gags come thick and fast, while the film's message about freedom of expression is positively inspiring. ~ Radio Times.