Previously, the most horrific thing that happened to The Lego Movie was its snubbing by the Academy Awards. But now a new trailer reveals all the possibly traumatizing elements of the film and repositions the lovable crowd-pleaser as a taut thriller filled with gruesome violence. As recut by Andrew Olszewski, the giant commercial for Lego that also subverts the idea of capitalism becomes the tale of one man’s torment at the hands of the powers that be.
These recuts have been superfluous for years, with the highlight being Shining, but this one resonates as it shines a light on the darker elements in a film that is an otherwise bombardment of positivity. Perhaps it is these darker moments of real danger and stakes that makes it resonate so well and allows the jokes to flourish and land as well as they do.