Noah Kristula-Green responds to the politicization of the Lego Movie by, well, trying to score political points:
“the film does play lip service to political tropes, but what really makes the film work is that it represents the highest form of capitalist expression: it is a commercial.”
The film resists the temptation of toy-inspired movies, the temptation to “to insert products into the real world: the Transformers movie team cooperated with the Department of Defense to integrate U.S. military hardware into the lineup of what the toys could become. The new Battleship movie found a contrived way for aliens to be attacked by calling out grid-based coordinates. The G.I. Joe movies attempt to take slightly absurd character designs and translate them to live action.”
The Lego Movie eschews crass anti-commercialism: “It knows its products are toys and proudly advertises its products as toys. In fact, the film does not deserve an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Picture, it deserves a Cannes Lion Grand Prix - the award given to out to the best in advertising.”
Peter Leithart
Peter J. Leithart is President of Theopolis Institute. He is the author of numerous books on theology, literature, and culture, including Theopolitan, Defending Constantine, and Baptized Body.
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