The Lego Ninjago Movie (2017)

The problem I have going to see animated movies is that I am often a single man sitting in a sea of children (and parents), which does garner odd looks on occasion.

The key issue here though is not other people potentially doubting my intentions of going to see what is marketed as a kid's film, but the fact that so many people who are not parents missing out on the joys that watching a bunch of animated bricks can bring.

Lego Ninjago is something that post-dates my involvement with Lego (which was back when you might have a generic Lego spaceman/racing car driver (basically you had one helmet fitting all purposes). I will confess to indulging in a little Lego Star Wars on the Playstation - but my involvement was hearing stories about people stepping on Lego with no shoes on.

Then came The Lego Movie, which was a game-changing film in terms of movies based on toys.

This year we've already had Lego Batman - great fun, although a bit overlong, and not quite as good as The Lego Movie, so it seems that Lego is starting to complete with Marvel for the number of movies in a franchise one studio can release in a year.

Ninjago does not come close to matching the brand-awareness of Batman, so suffers a little in the recognisability stakes in comparison. I assumed it had something to do with Ninjas (it does), but that was about all I could tell you.

Fortunately, you don' really need much background in the property. Ninjago is the city in which the film takes place, and it is under attack by the four-armed Lord Garmadon, who is continually being defeated by a Power Ranger-like group of teenage Ninjas, including (unknown to Lord Garmadon) Garmadon's estranged son.

Like the Lego Batman movie, the film's theme is wrapped around a dysfunctional family unit. Like Lego Batman it's not as good as The Lego Movie, but it's funny, an entertaining watch, not quite as saggy as Lego Batman, although visually at times it's a bit too overwhelming for my poor brain.

The ending is a bit of a mixed bag. It defies convention, but overdoes it a bit on the preachy sentimentality - but it's a minor concern in an entertaining film that more adults should see without having to resort to the excuse of taking their kids.