THIS rollicking adventure cleverly employs the latest technical wizardry to mimic the crude, imperfect movements of stop-motion animation. The LEGO Movie is a hoot, celebrating the enduring power and popularity of a toy invented in the late 1940s.

Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who donned hard hats at the helm of the first Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs film, strike a delicious tone of irreverence throughout to ensure parents enjoy the ride just as much as younger audiences.

The unlikely hero is a socially awkward Lego minifigure called Emmet (voiced by Chris Pratt), who works on a building site in his hometown of Bricksburg. Desperate to fit in, he follows the dictates laid down by President Business (Will Ferrell), who is actually arch-villain Lord Business.

This nefarious tyrant plans to destroy Bricksburg and the neighbouring districts of Cloud Cuckoo Land and Middle Zealand, using an artefact known as The Kragle.

Emmet is press-ganged into leading the perilous quest to defeat the despot aided by a rogue’s gallery of mini-figures including Wyldstyle’s boyfriend Batman (Will Arnett), Green Lantern (Jonah Hill), Wonder Woman (Cobie Smulders), Abraham Lincoln (Will Forte) and a classic 1980sera blue spaceman named Benny (Charlie Day).

The heroes are pursued by schizophrenic lawmaker and -breaker Bad Cop (Liam Neeson).

3/5 stars

Damon Smith