Films are centered in creativity. Animators and filmographers strive to amaze and dazzle their viewers with the most intricate visual displays. This has become a tougher task to achieve as technology has rapidly advanced, setting the bar for visual work at new heights.

This is why viewers were pleasantly surprised upon the release of “The Lego Movie” in 2014. Critics felt the movie would be an hour-long ad. But the film was praised for its creatively executed premise of marrying Lego stop motion and animation, and it excelled in the box office. Now, five years later, a sequel has been developed: “Lego Movie 2: The Second Part.”

Many members of the original cast return, with Chris Pratt reprising his role as Emmett, a comically upbeat Lego minifigure. Several other talented voices joined the cast as well, such as Tiffany Haddish as Queen Watevra Wa’Nabi, a mysterious shapeshifting alien queen.

Does the movie live up to its predecessor? Definitely. Lego Movie 2 builds on both the first movie’s established characters and newcomers to the cast in order to throw joke after joke at its viewers, and the whole movie is backed by a catchy soundtrack.

The writing remains just as creative as it was since the last movie. The movie is unafraid to poke fun at its own plot and humor, which leaves viewers entertained at every turn. The sequel focuses on the human protagonists of the story more than its predecessor. There is also an ambiguity to the main villain of the film, which contributes to a sense of suspense throughout.

However, the movie’s jokes are juvenile at times compared to the original Lego Movie. Sometimes the humor feels immature, with a younger audience clearly in mind.

Overall, I would say that despite its flaws, I give Lego Movie 2: The Second Part two thumbs up. It has a charm to it that will have you leaving the theater humming “everything is awesome.”