The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part parents guide

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part Parent Guide

This movie's messages about getting along with siblings will likely be enough to get parents to sit through it with their kids.

Overall B

Invaders come from outer space and threaten to destroy the world. Emmet and his friends have to team up again to save life as they know it.

Release date February 8, 2019

Violence C+
Sexual Content A
Profanity A-
Substance Use A

Why is The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part rated PG? The MPAA rated The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part PG for some rude humor

Run Time: 106 minutes

Official Movie Site

Parent Movie Review

Everything isn’t awesome anymore. Lego Duplo invaders have been attacking the Lego world for five years, destroying all attempts at rebuilding. Giving up in despair, the citizens finally stop trying, harden themselves, and rename their community Apocalypseburg.

But for Emmet Brickowski (voiced by Chris Pratt), awesomeness is a state of mind. Emmet remains relentlessly upbeat, focusing on the good things in life like his friend Lucy (voiced by Elizabeth Banks) and his brand new house. Even when he tries to assume a brooding attitude, his cheerfulness keeps breaking through. Until the aliens return. This time their ship destroys Emmet’s home and seizes Lucy and some of their other friends – and it’s partly Emmet’s fault. Torn apart by grief and guilt, Emmet builds a spaceship and launches himself into outer space, determined to turn himself into the kind of strong, tough guy who is capable of rescuing his friends. And then he meets Rex Dangervest (also voiced by Chris Pratt), who is the kind of guy Emmet wants to be. “You need to be a master breaker”, Rex tells the master builder and encourages him to tap into his dark feelings to make that transformation. Can Emmet change? Should he?

This Lego sequel doesn’t hold any surprises for adult viewers – or for anyone over the age of 10. Older audience members will be able to predict plot moves several steps ahead and will groan at ‘Ourmommageddon” and “the Sis-Star System”. They might or might not laugh at the pop culture references scattered throughout the movie. And they will likely be driven nuts by the jerky animation and the musical numbers – especially the one which is deliberately composed to be an earworm.

But The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part isn’t written for adults. It’s written for kids – and the kids at the screening I attended loved it. Parents who are too jaded to enjoy the movie will nonetheless be happy to have their youngsters exposed to messages about having a positive attitude, remaining hopeful in hard times, working together, being open to different perspectives, and – here’s the motherlode – getting along with siblings. Adults who are being driven to the ragged edge of insanity by the non-stop quarrelling, whining, and nattering of their offspring might feel their money well spent if their kids absorb even part of what this movie has to say about the importance of getting along with family members.

Best of all, this production delivers all of these uplifting messages without profanity, vulgar jokes or potty humor. There is a fair bit of Lego violence but none of it is scary and, obviously, it isn’t gory either. The violence serves the plot and is never gratuitous. And the movie’s strongest theme isn’t about violence – it’s about making peace. As one of the wise little Lego minifigures says, “It’s easy to harden your heart. But to open it is the hardest thing we can do.” Most parents will be willing to open up their wallets and sacrifice some time to expose their kids to these messages.

Directed by Mike Mitchell, and Trisha Gum. Starring Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, and Stephanie Beatriz. Running time: 106 minutes. Theatrical release February 8, 2019. Updated

Watch the trailer for The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
Rating & Content Info

Why is The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part rated PG? The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part is rated PG by the MPAA for some rude humor

Violence:   Lego Duplo figures invade on several occasions. Lego pieces get suctioned up and buildings get destroyed. A character dreams about having all of his friends sucked into a void – this happens later in the film. A Lego kitten transforms itself into a large battle-ready feline. An alien ship attacks and blows up Emmet’s home. It fires hearts that say “I love you” before they blow things up. Two Lego figures go over a cliff. Five characters are kidnapped by an alien. A Lego figure changes into different forms, some of which might frighten very young children. A Lego figure punches and destroys a large object. Lego figures fire weapons. Lego characters are attacked by floral objects. A royal character locks characters she has kidnapped into rooms and plays music repeatedly to change the way they think. A main character punches a hole in a sidewalk and then falls through into outer space. Characters almost fall into a fire. A Lego figure hits an alien with a cake pop. Two Lego characters have a physical fight. A main character destroys a large edifice by punching it.
Sexual Content:   Lego Batman tells a masseuse that he “carries my tortured past in my chiseled glutes.”
Profanity: Very occasional name calling. I thought I heard a term of deity but can’t be sure.
Alcohol / Drug Use: None noted.

Page last updated

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part Parents' Guide

Lucy and General Mayhem argue about who’s the bad guy and who started their war. Have you ever been in that situation? Does it matter who started a dispute or is it more important to figure out a way to end it peacefully?

 

Loved this movie? Try these books…

Fascinated by the Lego figures? Dive into LEGO Minifigure Year by Year: A Visual History by Gregory Farshtey and Daniel Lipkowitz for an encyclopedic look at all those little Lego people.

Kids who want to go beyond the instruction manual in their Lego kits will get a kick out of The LEGO Ideas Book: Unlock Your Imagination by Daniel Lipkowitz. Kids who want their Lego figures to come to life can try Klutz’s kit, LEGO Chain Reactions: Make Amazing Moving Machines.

Lego blocks have been used for more than playtime and moviemaking. Several books have also been written with Lego dioramas for illustrations. Fire up a child’s interest in history with Warren Elsmore’s Brick History: A Brick History of the World in LEGO or with his Brick Wonders: Ancient, Modern, and Natural Wonders Made from LEGO. Greyson Beights has brought the age of chivalry into the interlocking brick world with Medieval LEGO. And John McCann has written and prepared LEGO dioramas for Brick Shakespeare: Four Tragedies & Four Comedies as well as for Brick Fairy Tales: Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Hansel and Gretel, and More.

Parents looking to drive home messages about sibling co-operation can turn to Jinx and the Doom Fight Crime! by Lisa Mantchev and Samantha Cotterill. This charming picture book features a brother and sister who decide to fight crime instead of squabbling with each other.

Home Video

The most recent home video release of The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part movie is May 7, 2019. Here are some details…

Related home video titles:

The prequel to this film is The Lego Movie, in which an ordinary Lego character is mistaken for an action figure by a group who are trying to unravel a super villain’s evil plot.

The Lego Batman Movie features the superhero trying to juggle his superhero identity with his responsibilities as an adoptive father.

The Lego Ninjago Movie animates Lego figures who are training as ninjas in the hopes of preventing the destruction of their city by an evil villain.