But I can understand why these films would upset some people. The more popular a film is, the more likely it is to spawn cheaper imitations for quick cash-grabs. It may be insufferable for the current movie-going audience to watch as cookie cutter movies are produced at a rapid pace, but there are always diamonds in the rough when you know where to look for them.
Today, I was brought to the attention of this review of The Lego Movie. It acknowledges that, as a film, it is well-crafted and highly enjoyable, but as a marketing tool, it is a scary development. The reviewer restrains himself from completely enjoying the experience of the film because it is essentially just "an ad." And, not only that, it's success means that more movies built on selling us products are going to be in our near future.
To this I say: so what?
Yes, I loved The Lego Movie. It was witty, it was visually impressive, it was heart-warming. It was everything you could possibly want out of a film called "The Lego Movie." And yes, I was immediately inspired to check out the many new Lego products based on the film so that I too can assemble some of the clever creations focused on in the film. As a commercial, it is highly successful. Not only did it make me want to buy more products, but I also had to pay to watch it.
Was I brainwashed? No. I can decide to quit buying Legos whenever I want to. Was I manipulated? Eh...probably. But aren't all movies founded on emotional manipulation? And (in a round about way) aren't these emotional manipulations just Hollywood's way of wringing more cash out of us?
We see a romantic film to remind us of those we love. We see a horror film to give us an exhilarating rush of adrenaline. We see a comedy film to laugh. And then, we see more films just like it. Again and again. And we may even buy things associated with the film (either directly or indirectly). And it all just feeds into this massive cycle of spending, whether we like it or not. Film production is a business. Even independent filmmakers are looking to spread their message to a wider audience and therefore rely on our money to achieve their goals.
So what makes The Lego Movie different? Well, it seems to be the first feature-length film designed purposefully for the endgame of selling toys. (I say "seems to be" because it's self-referential nature deliberately highlights the various toys available for purchase, even going so far as to include the production codes for each item on-screen in some scenes.) Much like the cartoons of the '80s before it, the show and the toys go hand in hand. And maybe this is just nostalgia blindness talking, but to me, this blatant materialism is part of the experience.
When we watched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, we longed to bring that experience into the real world. Action figures and costumes allowed us to do that. The more characters that were introduced, the more toys there were for us to buy. It can get out of hand, especially if a little kid is directing all of your purchases for the year. But now that those kids have grown up, do they regret their purchases? Some may, some may not. Some still proudly display their action figures for the world to see, even if they don't play with them as much as they used to. The figures now stand as miniature monuments to youth.
As far as purchases go, Lego toys are some of the best out there. While the market has become over-saturated with Lego materials to begin with, they are not any less worthy of ownership. The patented design has been proven to be the best interlocking brick system on the market, and the numerous playsets produced have made it so anyone can build virtually anything they want with the blocks. The reason so many people went to see this movie on opening weekend wasn't in order to learn more about the product. It was because they already love the product. These are the same people who would be buying new Legos even if the movie hadn't existed. Or they are people like me, who put Legos aside long ago and now want to seek out some new toys to build, for old time's sake.
One film that this movie has reminded me a lot of is the original Toy Story. Reviewers have been comparing this film to Pixar's early effort, with the claim that there are films that are made without the intent of selling products and acting as a big commercial. But I was 7 when Toy Story came out. And I loved it so much that I wanted a Woody doll. And then a Buzz Lightyear. And then every other toy featured in the movie. I built a collection of the characters I loved, and I still own them to this day. They are some of my prized possessions, because they remind me of what it was like to experience that movie for the first time.
This isn't my collection, but I have all of these 1995 toys and then some.
As for the fear that more movies of this ilk will flood the markets, I say let them come. Give us our Lego Movie 2 and our Stretch Armstrong and our Candyland. If they manage to treat these new films with the same level of artistry, if they hire people who are passionate about the product and the story, and if they make us feel as good as The Lego Movie did, then they deserve our cash. If they fail on meeting these expectations, then we can always just...not see them. It's our choice. And I choose to buy a Lego spaceship.
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