The Lego Ninjago Movie

The Lego Ninjago Movie
(2017)

Directed by Charlie Bean, Paul Fisher, Bob Logan

Starring Jackie Chan, Dave Franco, Fred Armisen
Rating: ******
              4./6
A live-action Jackie Chan tells a Lego story.
The Lego Ninjago Movie
Is based on a Lego series
Of Lego sets based in China,
And an animated series.

It was an interesting property
To adapt to the big screen,
But it was approved after the success
Of The Lego Movie was seen.

The Lego Movie showed execs
That people like to see
Animated Lego sets
In engaging comedy.

In that film’s case,
Established characters from other franchises
Were brought together to the delight
Of audiences,

And the film just worked.  What was next?
Let’s see if Batman works.
Audience acclaim with no critical disdain?
What else do we have that might work?

Lego Ninjago was a bit of a risk,
For it was much more obscure
Than properties like Star Wars and Lord Of The Rings,
Or Harry Potter ever were.

They brought Jackie Chan on board,
To help bring to life
A character from Ninjago
Without causing too much strife.

A young live-action boy
Meets a live-action Jackie Chan
Who tells the lad a story
About Chinese Lego men.
“Once upon a time, there was a green ninja…”
Despite being about ninjas and war,
This is a father and son tale.
A teenage boy meets his warlord dad
Whom he wishes would just fail.

The teen is like a superhero.
He’s a green ninja sometimes,
Oft during emergencies
When it’s easier to hide.

When he meets his dad, the two men bond
As only Lego people can,
But he has a closer family:
Little Lego Ninja men.

Jackie Chan, as Master Wu
Trains these youngsters well
For the inevitable time they must
Face the ne’er-do-well.

This film didn’t do that well at the time,
Probably because most folks
Do not understand what Ninjago is,
And pass on it, truth be told.

This film was pretty decent.
It’s worth at least a four,
And I think it’s earned another
Half-point more.
“…who had an evil warlord father…”

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