Top 10 Things You Missed in The Lego Movie 2
Script written by Nick Spake
#10: We’re Off to See the Wizard
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A yellow brick road is one thing, but imagine if everything in Oz was constructed from bricks. Coming out a year after the original “Lego Movie,” the “Lego Dimensions” video game took players to several iconic worlds, including the Land of Oz. The Wicked Witch of the West, along with her Flying Monkeys, would later appear in “The Lego Batman Movie,” joining various other villains to dominate Gotham City. “The Lego Movie 2” features even more characters from Oz. In the midst of a catchy pop song designed to get stuck in our heads, minifigures for Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion can be spotted skipping down the road. Emmet, we’ve a feeling we're not in Bricksburg anymore.
#9: Gandalf’s Last Stand
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Gandalf the Grey is one of the many familiar faces who appeared in the first “Lego Movie” as a Master Builder. The wizard returns in this sequel and plays a key role in Emmet’s premonition of impending doom. During his vision, Emmet sees Gandalf holding on for dear life as he’s inevitably dragged down into a fearsome pit. This is of course a reference to Gandalf’s confrontation against the Balrog in “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.” Gandalf doesn’t even bother saying, “fly, you fools,” as there’s nowhere to run as Armageddon breaks out. We wonder if he’ll be resurrected as Gandalf the White in “The Lego Movie 3: The Third Part.”
#8: Basketball Superstars
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When General Sweet Mayhem attacks, an assortment of minifigures seek refuge in Batman’s lair. Among this lineup of colorful characters are two basketball legends: NBA All-Star Gary Payton and WNBA All-Star Sheryl Swoopes. Both athletes voice their minifigures in the film, but the meta humor doesn’t end there. Payton is primarily known for this thirteen years playing with the Seattle SuperSonics. Shortly after leaving the SuperSonics in 2003, Payton teamed up with the Los Angeles Lakers as a free agent. Ironically, the first “Lego Movie” included appearances from 2002 NBA All-Stars, including Payton’s fellow Laker, Shaquille O'Neal. Perhaps a LegoSports Movie spinoff is in order.
#7: Where Are My Pants?
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Outside of some archive footage, Will Ferrell doesn’t make another onscreen appearance here, but he does return to voice President Business in an extended cameo. Ferrell can also be heard off-screen on a couple occasions as The Man Upstairs. His character gets one of the final lines during the film’s live-action portion, asking his wife where his pants are. This is a humorous callback to the first movie, alluding to the sitcom, “Where Are My Pants.” Since President Business essentially controlled the media, it makes sense that that the most popular show in Bricksburg would be inspired by Finn’s father.
#6: Bruce Willis
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A lot of classic movies have gotten the Lego treatment over the years, but we never expected “Die Hard” to be one of them. Bruce Willis voices his own minifigure in two scenes. When we first see him, the filmmakers poke fun at his distinctively bald head. Willis’ second appearance is a direct reference to his career-defining role of John McClain. Crawling through a ventilation system, Lucy crosses paths with Willis, who notes that he’s spent a great deal of time in air vents. Kids who aren’t allowed to watch R-rated films might not get the in-joke, but moments like this demonstrate how “The Lego Movie 2” was made just as much for the adults. Now if we could just get a Nakatomi Plaza playset.
#5: Behind the Mask
Although much of the film takes place in the Systar System, there are no major “Star Wars” cameos this time around, perhaps because of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s departure from “Solo.” General Sweet Mayhem’s mask and armor kind of share a resemblance to Boba Fett’s, however, albeit with a pinker flare. Although General Mayhem appears threatening on the surface, behind the mask she’s revealed to be a mini-doll who’s simply trying to bring two worlds together. This cleverly mirrors the relationship between Finn and his sister, who wants nothing more than to play with her older brother. The symbolism is made even more fitting and poignant when you consider that General Mayhem is part of the Lego Friends brand.
#4: Time Machines
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Whenever we think of time travel, there are several movies and shows that immediately come to mind. Pretty much all of them are referenced in “The Lego Movie 2,” as we run through a series of iconic time machines constructed out of plastic bricks. Among the collection are the DeLorean from “Back to the Future,” Bill and Ted’s phone booth, Doctor Who’s TARDIS, Time Displacement Equipment from “The Terminator” movies, and the titular time machine from the 1960 adaptation of H. G. Wells’ classic novel. Arguably the funniest inclusion is a hot tub, which clearly pays homage to the 2010 comedy, “Hot Tub Time Machine.” Between this and “Die Hard,” Finn must not be taking the MPAA's rating system to heart.
#3: Justice League
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Superman and Green Lantern might be voiced by “21 Jump Street’s” Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill, respectively, but a few actors from the DCEU do reprise their roles, including Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, and Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. The Justice League even recreates their classic lineup, although Batman is absent since he’s off doing a standalone movie. Speaking of which, the film references several actors who’ve donned the Dark Knight’s cape and cowl, from Adam West to Christian Bale. As far as Lego Batman is concerned, though, Michael Keaton will be Batman forever. Also, could Batman’s mustache sticker be a subtle jab at Henry Cavill’s digitally removed facial hair in “Justice League?”
#2: Everything Is Apocalyptic
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Five years after the Duplo invasion commenced, Bricksburg has been reduced to an apocalyptic wasteland. While the fallen Statue of Liberty is an obvious nod to “Planet of the Apes,” Bricksburg’s new look is mostly modeled after “Mad Max: Fury Road.” Larry the Barista has traded in his typical coffee shop attire for a mask that resembles Immortan Joe’s. Lucy, meanwhile, channels both Max Rockatansky and Imperator Furiosa. One of the most ingenious touches is also one of the easiest to overlook. Lucy’s hands no longer match, with one of them remaining black and the other now being yellow. It’s possible that Lucy lost one of her hands during all the commotion and eventually found a replacement - just like Furiosa’s prosthetic arm.
#1: Rex Dangervest
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Chris Pratt made a name for himself playing likable knuckleheads like Andy Dwyer and of course Emmet Brickowski. In recent years, Pratt has basically rebranded himself as an action stud. This is brilliantly parodied through Rex Dangervest, a galaxy-defending archaeologist, cowboy and raptor trainer who’s also voiced by Pratt. The character is a combination of Star-Lord from “Guardians of the Galaxy,” Joshua Faraday from “The Magnificent Seven,” and Owen Grady from “Jurassic World.” His archaeological background even ties into past rumors that Pratt might play Indiana Jones. Whether you prefer goofy Pratt or macho Pratt, you get the best of both worlds here. In addition to providing hilarious commentary on Pratt’s career trajectory, it also paves the way for a meaningful message about personal growth.
