A reminder of how fun Lego can be,

(cert. U), a stop-motion animation using Lego figures, has taken $140m in its first two weeks at the US box office. Its lovely plot idea is that a nondescript construction worker Emmet Brickowski (voiced by Chris Pratt) is called on to save the world in fulfilment of ancient prophecy, explained by Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman).

Emmet is aided by a female figure, Wildstyle (Elizabeth Banks), who rapidly realises he’s not that special. The destroy-the-world baddie is Lord Business (Will Ferrell), whose henchman sidekick Bad Cop (Liam Neeson) becomes Good Cop by a twist of the head, and even sings Danny Boy.

There’s a lot happening – Shakespeare, Abe Lincoln, Gandalf, Dumbledore, a Star Wars sequence, and a major role for Batman (Will Arnett) – “I only work in black. And sometimes, very, very dark grey.” Such smart writing keeps the adult interest going in a superb family film that Phil Lord and Christopher Miller as co-directors and writers have crafted from the most unlikely of raw material – toy building blocks.

The final interaction with humans is just brilliant, and it must be in line for the animated film Oscar next year. Best song may be the thumping theme song “Everything is Awesome” (www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6lHm-stXdM)

The lyrics are part of Lord Business’s mind control to keep the workers happy, as is the trashy game show “Where’s my Pants?” What next? A Lego version of Metropolis?

Should you need an reminder of next weekend’s Oscar contenders, the Lego version of the posters is at www.dashburst.com/oscar-nominees-lego-movieposters