The LEGO Ninja-guhh Movie Review

Here it is, the third entry to a burgeoning movie franchise that no one asked for! Because that's how you start your cinematic universe: Establish the universe with a charming first entry (The LEGO Movie), continue with a funny spin-off of a well-known character (The LEGO Batman Movie), and then add another spin-off of unknown non-characters. Sigh.

The LEGO Ninjago Movie was released in theaters on September 2nd, 2017 and quickly after was forgotten. The movie follows a teenage group of young ninjas led by the Green Ninja. Who do the ninjas fight? None other than Garmadon, the scourge of Ninjago (the city). And to add to the WACKINESS...Garmadon is the Green Ninja's FATHER!! omigawdcrzzy. They fight Garmadon once, and win. They fight him again, then lose. Then they go on a journey of self-discovery and find their inner peace (piece?) and then they win. Oh, and they force that father-son dynamic down your freaking throat.

The premise is simple, the characters aren't that relatable, but the worst part is how badly it pales in comparison to the last two LEGO movies. It's barely passable as "fun". Not funny, not charming. And it feels like a waste of all the talented actors lending their voices, like Dave Franco (The Disaster Artist), Kumail Nanjiani (Silicon Valley, The Big Sick), and Abbi Jacobson (Broad City). And not being a Jackie Chan fan, it's hard to see his appeal when he phones in his performance of TWO characters.

A rental at best, The LEGO Ninjago Movie isn't offensively bad, but it does feel like a hollow attempt at a movie.