Back when it was first announced that there will be a LEGO movie coming to theaters, a lot of people were apprehensive about it. They were concerned that there was no way a movie animated with LEGOs could be good. However, when The LEGO Movie released in 2014, fans were blown away by its clever writing, witty humor, and unique animated aesthetic. The film was a massive success, leading to more movies to be made within this LEGO realm. Let’s take a look at which of those animated films stand above the rest. 

4) The LEGO Ninjago Movie

Based on LEGO’s line of ninja toys, The LEGO Ninjago Movie featured a team of ninjas using mechs and elemental powers to protect an island city from an evil warlord. There are heartfelt father-son bonding moments between the main hero and villain, especially exciting action sequences, and hilarious moments. However, even though it mostly has the charm of the other LEGO films, the plot isn’t quite as interesting. The Power Rangers-esque action scenes absolutely shine, but they’re mostly in the beginning of the movie and a tiny bit at the end. The movie’s story and action both take a big dip in the middle, unfortunately. It does get some bonus points for having a live action cat wreck the LEGOs during the film, though. 

3) The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part picks up right where the original film left off: with the fallout of the Duplo aliens invading. The world is now a LEGO apocalypse, and Emmet and his friends have formed a resistance. This leads to some fun action and interesting set pieces compared to the first one. The story gets particularly interesting when both the LEGO characters from the original and the newer Duplo toys come together and it’s revealed that it’s because the real world/live action brother and sister are learning to get along and play together. It’s held back, though, by a rather dumb time travel plot that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. It’s not quite as great as the first LEGO Movie, but it’s still a pretty fun watch.

2) The LEGO Batman Movie

This movie is exactly as the name implies. It’s Batman if everything was made out of LEGO bricks. It serves as both a celebration and parody of all things Batman. This movie does the same for Batman that Spaceballs does for Star Wars. It’s absolutely hilarious, and it’s a ton of fun to see how the beloved world and characters translate to the LEGO Movie treatment. There are a ton of villains represented, mainstream and obscure, and there are countless references throughout. Not only is it a fantastic LEGO film and parody, but it also works really well as a Batman movie. Batman being a loner who gradually learns to open himself and his life enough to gain a family is a great Batman story and development arc. 

1) The LEGO Movie

It’s usually difficult to beat the original, and it’s absolutely the case with the LEGO movies so far. The LEGO Movie is creative, hilarious, and surprisingly thought-provoking. The characters are extremely memorable and the story is relatable and heartfelt. Plus, “Everything is Awesome” is one of the greatest movie songs ever. What really makes The LEGO Movie stand out from the others on this list and other animated films in general is the positive message that everyone is important and has something to offer the world. This movie surprised audiences with how good it was when it came out, and it’s still just as phenomenal when watching it today. It’s undoubtedly one of this blogger’s favorite animated films of all time.