SYNOPSIS:
For the first time ever, see the creative world of LEGO come to life in the all-new feature-length DVD movie. Meet Clutch Powers, the best builder and explorer in the LEGO universe as he heads off on his most dangerous mission yet. Join Clutch and his team of LEGO experts as their adventure leads them from LEGO City to the Space Police prison planet to the medieval world of Ashlar where they must help the rightful heir to the King’s throne find the courage to regain the kingdom from the evil wizard Mallock the Malign. Their brick-building skills will be put to the ultimate test as they face off against Mallock’s skeleton army. Get ready for an action-packed adventure like nothing you have ever seen before, The Adventures of Clutch Powers!
MOVIE REVIEW:
A
word of caution before I start the DVD review, please do not
attempt to touch this DVD if you are one) not a fan of Lego
toys and two) not parents to kids below the age of ten. As
I for one belong to the first category, I guess I’m
the right person to review "The Adventures of Clutch
Powers" among our stable of reviewers.
Clutch
Powers for the uninitiated is the best explorer in the Lego
universe, sort of a contemporary 'Indiana Jones' who is assigned
by his boss, Kjeld to investigate a prison break on a distant
planet. Together with the only lady (a brave one no less)
in the group Peg, an impulsive weaponry expert Brick and a
brainy engineer Bernie, they must bring back the escaped evil
wizard Mallock and also help the Prince of Ashlar regains
his throne.
The fun in this first Lego CG animated movie
is not the story itself as you can read from the above description
that this is definitely not a sophisticated movie that boasts
original, mind-racking plotting. Seasoned Lego fans on the
other hand will find the numerous Lego-inside jokes fairly
entertaining for examples the extra hair piece which Peg brought
along for the mission and a ridiculous looking off-road jeep
which is assembled from a destroyed cart. Why is it funny?
Because Lego figures only comes with a designated single helmet
or hair piece thus Peg needs to bring an extra one if she
decides to change her hairstyle. Get it?
Never
mind if you don’t get the inside jokes but "The
Adventures of Clutch Powers" indeed effectively carried
the spirit of encouraging one’s imagination by building
and dismantling the various bricks into different forms the
way the toys in real-life does. And you might be slightly
perturbed by the fact that Lego figures don’t actually
'die', they can be easily taken apart and back.
You might argue the movie is just a plain
major toy ad that unabashedly boasts some of their renowned
toy lines including Power Miners, City, Space Police and the
Castle series with the exception of their licensed toy lines
such as Star Wars and Indiana Jones perhaps of licensing issues.
Like I mentioned earlier, this movie is catered to a specific
audience and I’m sure some of the slapstick humor and
Lego-related gags contained here might not go down well for
the mature audience.
The
level of CG detailing here is minimal though it serves its
basic purpose. Will we see the last of Clutch Powers? I doubt
so as the movie ends on a cliffhanger with the remaining two
escaped prisoners still on the loose. If your kids are getting
impatient with the usual Disney and DreamWorks’ titles
spinning in your player, it’s perhaps wise to purchase
"The Adventures of Clutch Powers" and give it a
spin or two to amuse the younger ones.
SPECIAL
FEATURES:
There’s
a funny Bad Hair Day short and a Power Miners mini movie to
amuse the kids further. If you want to avoid depleting your
wallet, try skipping the TV commercials which feature what
else, the latest Lego toys.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The
visual is colourful and vibrant enough to hold the younger
ones' attention and the audio while not exactly dynamic is
clear and substantial.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD
RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
Posted
on 10 May 2010 |
