THE LEGO NINJAGO MOVIE

RELEASED 13 OCTOBER U | 101 minutes

Directors charlie bean, Paul Fisher, bob logan

Cast dave Franco, Jackie chan, Justin theroux, Michael Peña

Three films in, the Lego Movie franchise is starting to show a real pattern to its stories, and that’s both a strength and a weakness. For a while The Lego Ninjago Movie reveals itself as a perfectly fun time in the cinema – and will particularly delight younger viewers – but not all the pieces fit together as smoothly as with its forebears.

Focusing on a blend of outsider learning to find his place (see Emmet in The Lego Movie) and family issues (The Lego Batman Movie played on Bruce’s cravings and fears on that front), Ninjago follows Lloyd (Franco), who’s ostracised for being the son of the villain (Garmadon, voiced by Justin Theroux) even though he’s the leader of the ninjas who defend their city from him. Much is made of the deadbeat/resentful son dynamic, lessons about belief in oneself are offered, and there is plenty of Jackie Chan, both as ninja master Wu and in live-action bookends.

The jokes come thick and fast, and many of them land, while Theroux gives good villain as the conflicted Garmadon. And though the emotional arc feels predictable, it finds enough entertainment value in Lloyd and his team. Ninjago doesn’t break new ground, but punches above its weight often enough. James White