‘The LEGO Ninjago Movie’
What do you get when you mix a crazy cat, stealth ninjas and an evil villain? The LEGO Ninjago Movie, which is an action-packed adventure. I want to watch The LEGO Ninjago Movie again and again because the animation is fantastic and uses real-life LEGOs.
This story, told through the eyes of a young boy, captures your heart with friendship, parent controversies and teamwork. The voice-overs are magnificent. It’s as if you can feel the characters’ emotions from the tone of their voices. This film has terrific characters such as Master Wu (Jackie Chan). I love Master Wu and the way that Chan portrays this character as someone who knows some amazing karate moves to help his students.
My favorite character is Master Wu because he is hilarious and tells some good jokes, even when he doesn’t know that he is making them. Guess what? A crazy fact about Chan (who has been acting since he was 7 years old) is that he performs his own stunts and has broken every bone in his body. He is remarkable. I talked with him in person at LEGOLAND California just a few days ago. During our conversation, I discovered that his goal is to introduce children to martial arts and teach them how to find inner peace. Chan also plays Mr. Liu in The LEGO Ninjago Movie.
Cole (Fred Armisen) is a very kind and musical ninja at heart. When I met Armisen, I discovered that he is very musical and knows how to sing “Jingle Bells” very well. I love the way that he connects with Cole through music, and I love that they both love being ninjas, even when not on camera. Cole is a ninja who is very calm and quiet, yet when it is time to lay a bet, no one is better for the task than him.
Lloyd (Dave Franco) is an amazing ninja who tries his best to do what is right and find a way to eradicate the evil Garmadon (Justin Theroux). Lloyd is the kid in school who no one likes because his dad is the evil villain Garmadon. During the daytime, Lloyd deals with bullies. Then at night and when he is needed most, he turns into a ninja with his friends Cole, Jay, Kai, Nya and Zane.
Jay (Kumail Nanjiani) is the anxious, yet adorable kid who I love and who in real life he thinks that the cat was a pain to shoot with. When they were shooting, they used two identical, twin cats, and it was very hard to shoot them for technical reasons. Kai (Michael Peña) loved the shoot and thought it was a dream come true because when he was hired, he automatically became a ninja inside and out and he loves that feeling. Zane (Zach Woods) says that he was practically born with a robot voice and that he didn’t have to practice at all for this role. Nya (Abbi Jacobson) told me that we all are ninjas and that we don’t have to worry about not being cool or amazing, as we are all those things at heart.
The best scene in this film is when Garmadon and Master Wu have a gigantic martial arts battle and fight each other for good vs evil. I love this scene because it is spot on with the timing and the ending was quite shocking. I recommend this film for ages 6 to 18 as well as adults. People will love it because of the adventure. I give this film 5 out of 5 stars.