The LEGO Ninjago Movie is the second spin-off of 2014’s hit The LEGO Movie to return out this yr (the primary being The LEGO Batman Movie). The LEGO Movie was a shocking favourite amongst critics and audiences because of its ironic humor and imaginative visuals, whereas The LEGO Batman Movie proved a welcome parody of Christopher Nolan’s typically humorless Dark Knight trilogy. In this newest installment, the LEGO franchise strikes to the fictional metropolis of Ninjago, which incorporates such vaguely Asian imagery as a large dragon, pagodas, and a ninja grasp voiced by Jackie Chan.

Regardless of their content material, the success of those motion pictures largely will depend on how a lot you’re in a position to purchase into the entire LEGO aesthetic. It would possibly appear to be a tough promote at first, however when audiences are already used to digital pictures composed of tens of millions of pixels, perhaps seeing an animated film made up of LEGO blocks isn’t that uncommon in any case. Plus, having the display full of the trademarked toys has a visible impact much like enjoying an outdated Nintendo sport—the fashion might give some dad and mom a twinge of nostalgia, together with the sensation of understanding superiority that goes together with the movies’ self-referential humorousness.

Thankfully, for many who have hassle having fun with this unnatural visible fashion, The LEGO Ninjago Movie doesn’t go so far as its predecessors did in creating each part of its setting out of digital LEGO blocks. But the story stays largely the identical: An evil tyrant is plotting to take over the world (on this case, the town of Ninjago), and our hapless protagonist is the one one with the facility to cease him. And, as in The LEGO Movie, the movie’s central battle finally lies within the troubled relationship between a younger boy and his father. Throw within the generic message that all of us include nice energy inside us, and you’ve got one other inoffensive story that’s certain to maintain children occupied for a day whereas promoting tons of LEGO tie-in merchandise over the upcoming vacation season.

Don’t fear, there’s nonetheless loads of ironic humor to maintain dad and mom mildly amused, together with the chance to listen to actors like Justin Theroux, Fred Armisen, and Kumail Nanjiani giving spirited voice performances. And children who’re into ninjas will definitely be intrigued. But whereas the story often references martial-arts philosophy and basic Hong Kong kung fu flicks, there are few precise scenes of martial-arts motion within the movie. Rather, its “ninjas” are extra like a cross between superheroes and Transformers: They’re unpopular excessive schoolers who develop into machine-like warriors based mostly on the weather in an effort to battle the evil Garmadon (Theroux).

So, regardless of a number of enhancements over the earlier LEGO movies, The LEGO Ninjago Movie makes the unlucky mistake of underusing its key promoting level—the promise of cool ninja motion impressed by classic martial-arts flicks. Jackie Chan provides a sometimes enthusiastic efficiency as Master Wu, the younger ninjas’ mentor and information (he additionally performs an antiques-store proprietor within the intelligent framing system), however there’s nonetheless not sufficient substance right here to offer the movie a lot endurance. For all however probably the most ninja-obsessed children, The LEGO Ninjago Movie might be destined to be forgotten after its theatrical run, thrown into the cut price bin to make method for a brand new merchandising franchise as soon as the LEGO sequence has lastly run its course.