christian movie review ninjago

The LEGO Ninjago Movie

Reviewed by: Blake Wilson CONTRIBUTOR

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W hat would it be like to be the child of a feared super-villain? That’s where we meet Lloyd (voice of Dave Franco ). People always choose to sit on the other side of the bus and write mean songs about Lloyd, simply because he’s the son of Garmadon (voice of Justin Theroux ), Ninjago’s most feared baddie. But life’s not always so bad for Lloyd, he has a few friends, and they lead a secret double life. They may appear to be average high school students, but they are also secretly ninjas!

Under training by Master Wu (voice of Jackie Chan ), these six Ninjas fight nearly every day to fend off Garmadon from taking over Ninjago. One day, Lloyd becomes so enraged with taking out Garmadon that he steals the sacred “ultimate weapon” to try and defeat him. Little does he know that this weapon will only cause Ninjago to get in further danger, this time from a bigger and furrier threat.

Entertainment Quality

There are some things to like about “Ninjago.” Like the previous “LEGO” movies, “Ninjago” utilizes a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor that often hits its mark. Some references to old school, martial arts movies are nicely-placed and well executed. The animation is fun to watch, as usual, with the feel of a LEGO playset coming to life with exuberance and panache. A couple of fun, live-action elements make their way in as well, with entertaining results. The film paces solidly through its hour and 41 minute running time.

The vocal performances are lively at times. However, Theroux is the standout here. He balances a villainous tone with a sarcastically comedic tone. He makes for a very entertaining and somewhat memorable character. Chan gives a solid performance with a few surprising elements. On the other hand, Franco’s voice performance as the lead is fairly bland and doesn’t offer anything interesting.

On the downside, I found the story to be missing originality (for the most part) and character development. Some moments feel derivative and borrowed from other familiar movies and TV shows. The movie never allows us to see how Lloyd and his friends became ninjas in the first place. And while Lloyd and Garmadon’s story is given some depth, later on, we never really get to know any of the other ninjas. The other five are basically there to do little more than crack jokes here and there. The inclusion of Master Wu whistling “It’s the Hard Knock Life” from Annie and “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns n’ Roses were odd choices.

Positive Messages

The movie puts a positive emphasis on being unique and different. On one hand, this is a message that can apply to any agenda. However, I think the movie’s message is mostly aiming at overcoming peer pressure. The story encourages the idea that we may be much more than what others think of us. Lloyd may have a lot of the school and the city against him, but that doesn’t stop him from doing great things. The Bible encourages us to not let the world influence us, and to live as the man or woman God created us to be.

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind , that ye may prove what is that good , and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” – Romans 12:2

“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…” — Psalm 139:14a

The film also presents a moving example of family reconciliation. After spending months with a harsh and negative perspective of his father, Lloyd chooses to forgive him in a tender moment. By the movie’s end, Garmadon finds that being a dad is more important and more life-changing than world domination. In the meantime, a secret about Lloyd’s mom (voice of Olivia Munn) comes to light, and we witness a strong example of motherly love and sacrifice.

In addition, we see the usual display of bravery and teamwork. And the ninjas do put their lives on the line to try and save Ninjago.

Negative Content

Sexual Content: Virtually nonexistent. Some LEGO figures are seen wearing bathing suits in a pool scene. Garmadon has a silly joke about him using both his sets of arms to make it look like he’s “making out with two people”.

Language: No obscenities. A couple of times, we hear “Oh my gosh” and “what the heck?” Garmadon throws out insults such as “You’re a big stupid dumb-dumb” and “you smell like farts.” In a joke that might sail over the heads of some younger viewers, Garmadon says, “We are gonna have words. And you can bet some of those words are gonna have four letters.”

Drugs/Alcohol: LEGO umbrella-drinks are served at a party. Someone is shown holding an unknown beverage at one point.

Violence: A few scenes involve LEGO-based destruction. Martial arts and LEGO hand-to-hand combat are shown a few times. Robots break and buildings fall. Sharks are shot out of an engine and are shown chasing after various LEGO figures. Garmadon fires people out of volcanoes (we see the firing from a distance with some screaming heard). As payback for his harsh treatment of others, we later see the “fired henchmen” attempt to throw Garmadon into a constructed volcano. A furry foe attacks planes, brings buildings down, and even swallows (and vomits up) a LEGO person.

Other: While he takes a turn for the better, later in the film, Garmadon does start off rather cruel and heartless. When his son yells, “You ruined my life!” He answers, “That’s not true. How could I have ruined your life? I wasn’t even there.” The only real use of bathroom humor in the whole film is when Garmadon mentions he might need a “change of armor.”

“The LEGO Ninjago Movie” is the third film in what is a rapidly-expanding LEGO movie universe. “ The LEGO Movie ” (2014) was an imaginative, creative and hysterical film, with a few real neat surprises. “ The LEGO Batman Movie ” (2017) might have been better, with even more creative and interesting surprises. Both films succeeded in being more creative and interesting than your average animated movie.

That being said, I can’t say the same for “…Ninjago…”. Any real surprises here are either reused from the earlier installments, or already spoiled in the trailers (the giant cat would have made a neat surprise). While finding some heart and emotional oomph late in the game, the story isn’t anywhere near as clever or creative as the first two LEGO movies. Some elements borrow heavily from pop culture franchises, such as “Power Rangers,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” and “Star Wars.” And, the character development leaves quite a bit to be desired.

But, at the same time, I have to applaud the creators of this movie. They have pieced together (pun intended) a family-friendly movie that has no gore, no real sexual content, no crude humor and no coarse language. Even Eastern mysticism and spirituality (which are common in movies like this) is just about completely absent here (a couple of ambiguous comments about “finding the power inside” and “the inner piece” are the closest the movie gets).

Some of the LEGO violence might be a little intense for very little ones. But besides that, this might be as clean a family movie as we might get nowadays.

Ultimately, if you are a fan of the previous “LEGO” movies, you might like this one. Just keep your expectations low, because this is no animated classic. But, it’s still a reasonably fun and entertaining diversion that I can safely recommend for families to see together.

• Violence: Moderate to Heavy
• Profanity/Vulgarity: Minor
• Sex/Nudity: Minor

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Lego: Ninjago is Forgettable, but Still Fun

• Ryan Duncan
• Updated Dec 18, 2017

This latest entry to the Lego universe has plenty of heart but lacks the ingenuity of its predecessors. It may amuse kids (and even adults) for an hour or two, but will probably be forgotten once the credits are done rolling.  3 out of 5.  

Life is tough for Lloyd Garmadon ( Dave Franco ). Not only is he the most unpopular kid in high school, but his warlord father ( Justin Theroux ) is constantly embarrassing him by trying to conquer the Lego metropolis of Ninjago. Lloyd tries to channel his frustration by working alongside his friends as a secret ninja warrior, but when dear old dad finally pushes him too far, Lloyd makes a mistake which could spell the end of all Ninjago. Luckily, the wise Master Wu ( Jackie Chan ) informs the team of an ultimate, ultimate weapon residing within the Temple of Fragile Foundations. Can Lloyd overcome his insecurities to become the ninja he was born to be? Will his teammates ever discover their hidden potential? Not if the evil Lord Garmadon has anything to say about it!  

What Works?

What doesn't.

While Lego Ninjago isn't a bad movie, it’s just not as endearing as the ones that came before. The original Lego Movie was something audiences had never experienced, and The Lego Batman Movie  (which also just released in 2017) was able to play off its brooding source material for laughs. Unless viewers are already familiar with the Ninjago series (and I wasn’t), they're bound to get confused at some point. It doesn't help either that Lloyd's teammates are dreadfully underdeveloped. Sure, ninjas are supposed to be stealthy, but not to the point where you can't even remember their names. Finally, while we all know Lego movies thrive on their hours-long product placement, Lego Ninjago is arguably the most overt film to date. Let’s just say these ninjas don’t miss a chance to show off their giant mechs.  

Christian Worldview Elements / Spiritual Themes

Cautions (may contain spoilers).

• MPAA Rating:  PG for some mild action and rude humor
• Language/Profanity : “Stupid butt” and other toilet insults.
• Sexuality/Nudity : Some Lego characters are shown wearing swimsuits or underwear but, ya know, they’re legos. A brief montage shows an overweight man slapping his belly; Garmadon has four arms and likes to pretend he's "making out with two different people."
• Violence/Frightening/Intense : There are plenty of fights throughout the movie but no one is ever seriously hurt, much of the violence is slapstick, and even characters shot out of a volcano turn up fine later; Lloyd briefly loses his arm but it gets popped back in moments later.
• Drugs/Alcohol : A brief mention of a bar but no actual alcohol is shown.  

The Bottom Line

RECOMMENDED FOR:  Families, kids, fans of other Lego movies, people looking for a light, fun movie.

NOT RECOMMENDED FOR:  Deep thinkers, people who can't stand movies based on toy lines.

Lego: Ninjago,  directed by  Charlie Bean and Paul Fisher , opened in theaters September 22, 2017; available for home viewing December 19, 2017. It runs 101 minutes and stars  Dave Franco, Jackie Chan, Fred Armisen, Justin Theroux and Olivia Munn . Watch the trailer for Lego: Ninjago here .  

Ryan Duncan is Entertainment Editor for Crosswalk.com.

Publication date : September 29, 2017

Image courtesy:  ©WarnerBros.

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Imagining Faithfulness with The Lego Ninjago Movie

Michael Morgan • October 24, 2017

Ninjago depicts the beauty of fidelity—the goodness that God has in view for us.

Ninjago hits something of a sweet spot for me. First, it’s a line of Legos, and as a child I devoted a lot of space on annual Christmas lists to Legos, so there’s a tactile nostalgia. Second, my oldest son loves the world of Lego Ninjago and has taught my youngest son to love it, and I love them. So there I sat in the theater for The Lego Ninjago Movie , expecting little more than cool visuals, a few jokes for the parents, and madcap action. Imagine my surprise when a line of dialogue at the end—“Dad, are you crying?”—felt like it was directed at me.

For the uninitiated, Ninjago City is a seaside town teeming with zany Lego people. Everything, however, is not awesome. (Spoilers ahead.) Mostly this is because there’s a four-armed warlord named Garmadon (voiced by Justin Theroux) whose army regularly raids the city. One of Ninjago’s teenagers happens to be Lloyd Garmadon (Dave Franco), the estranged son of the villain, which has made him something of a pariah in town. Lloyd lives with his mom, Koko (Olivia Munn). She loves him, but can't compensate for the wound created by his father’s indifference, a wound that the townspeople salt liberally.

Although there is adventure (Lloyd has a secret identity as one of five ninjas who protect the city from his father’s attacks), the heart of The Lego Ninjago Movie is this fractured family. Ninjago digs into the baggage and the history of Lloyd’s parents’ separation. Garmadon tells Lloyd about his mother and how he fell in love with her, revealing that Koko was also once a warrior. The two met and romanced to the clash of swords and the sacking of cities. So things went until Lloyd was born and they came upon Ninjago City. Garmadon was ready to keep the war party going, but Koko’s heart for battle had been replaced with love for her son. She wanted to give Lloyd a peaceful life, and so she and Garmadon chose diverging paths. In a moment of vulnerability, Garmadon confesses to Lloyd that he should have been willing to change in order to preserve his family. It’s a stiff shot of regret taken neat.

This scene transforms the entire movie. Garmadon’s reign of havoc in Ninjago City and therefore in Lloyd’s life becomes a metaphor for a father who won’t let go of his self-focused desires. A mother and son are left with the wreckage—both emotional and literal—and an aching for reconciliation.

Ninjago depicts the beauty of fidelity—the goodness that God has in view when he commands it.

The Bible recognizes the pain of such separation, as seen in Jesus’ response to a question about divorce: “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh?’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

The reality is, families separate. It’s tempting to downplay the significance of such a separation; in fact, pockets of contemporary culture depict divorce as a natural-if-unfortunate stage of life, and maybe even a healthy one (“ conscious uncoupling ” comes to mind). Yet the severing of “one flesh” always leaves a wound.

The challenge for Christians, then, is to recognize the brokenness that leads to divorce, as well as the real pain that results from it. We must urge reconciliation, if at all possible, without adding to someone’s sorrow. How can we do that? Sometimes it takes imagination

On a recent episode of the Cultivated podcast, Rod Dreher suggests that the Church would do well to tell stories that capture people’s hearts with the goodness of God’s ways. Emphasis on obedience and rules too often falls on deaf or wounded ears. Imagine a church that instead teaches by describing God’s intentions for us as pathways to joy and peace and human flourishing.

Well, here’s The Lego Ninjago Movie . Ninjago depicts the beauty of fidelity—the goodness that God has in view when he commands it—by showing the chaos and sorrow that emerges in its absence. Garmadon chased the excitement of his single days, even as fatherhood called him in a new direction. The result was pain and separation. And it didn’t have to be that way. Ninjago suggests that sacrifice is an essential part of human flourishing.

Indeed, the movie makes a powerful case for sacrificial love that spills the banks of marriage and pours into relationships of all kinds. We all have dreams and relationships. Sometimes life brings us to a crossroads where they come into conflict. It could be an aging parent whose need for care threatens one’s own career or retirement. A spouse who struggles with depression. A friend who really needs someone to listen on a Friday night. We all face decisions like Garmadon and Koko, where it’s self-fulfillment or sacrificial love. Me or us.

The easy path of “me” is often devastating. The path of “us” ain’t easy either. But what if it’s good? A story that spurs this sort of imagining is nothing short of holy. It steers us toward the path of Christ , the path of pouring yourself out in love.

I did not go into The Lego Ninjago Movie ready to deal with the poison of selfishness in my own heart. I feel the sacrifices of being called to fatherhood on a daily basis. When Lloyd Garmadon tames the giant cat that swallowed his father and says, through tears, “I just need my dad,” it’s completely absurd, and yet it slays me. How many times have I made my boys feel that same way? How can I be sure to never do it again?

“Dad, are you crying?”

No. You’re crying, Lego Man. Shut up.

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The LEGO Ninjago Movie

Cinema Faith Grade

In the past three years, the Lego-verse has given us construction workers who are the key to everything and a caped crusader with family issues. This time around, The Lego Ninjago Movie introduces us to a boy with father issues and his group of friends who might be the key to everything!

Moving at Ninja Speed

After a brief prologue in which Mister Liu (Jackie Chan) gives a boy some advice, we are immediately thrust into the world of Ninjago. The evil Garmadon (Justin Theroux) begins a new attack to take over Ninjago, and it is up to Garmadon’s son Lloyd (Dave Franco) and his ninja friends to put a stop to him. This brisk pace hardly slows down throughout the rest of the story. This does not leave a lot of room to connect to the characters. As such, a lot of them are one-dimensional. You have the cool ninja, the shy ninja, the ninja who likes to DJ, etc. The only characters that get any sort of depth are Lloyd and Garmadon. In fact, some could even argue that they are emphasized a little too much. Lloyd is Garmadon’s son, a fact that the city of Ninjago will not let him forget. Ever. Several comments are made within the first ten minutes of the film about Lloyd and his father and how his father left him. Characters run from Lloyd, mock him, and even create a song to show how they feel. When Lloyd and Garmadon face off, their father-son issues are brought up more and more. It is done for comedic effect, but it verges on going from being funny to being excessive. Thankfully, the story eases up on these points later on and marginally slows down enough to give Lloyd and Garmadon time to grow and talk through their issues. These moments are the heart of the film, and Ninjago could have benefited from other moments to breathe.

On top of that, the plot is quite simple and predictable. Most of the film’s biggest reveals are what you would expect. The nice thing is that Ninjago occasionally pokes fun at itself. At one point, Master Wu (Jackie Chan in Lego form) defies death because he “would only die if it were to teach someone something,” a common story arc for a mentor character.

Speaking of fun, The Lego Ninjago Movie is indeed a fun film. It is instilled with the traditional Lego charm. The characters must face off against Meowra, a fearsome beast that is actually a real cat. Master Wu plays his staff like a flute. Garmadon constantly insists that Lloyd’s name is actually L-loyd. Even though the story is not very strong and the characters are not very developed, Ninjago is worth seeing for its humor.

The Human Element

Reconciliation

As mentioned earlier, the heart of The Lego Ninjago Movie is the relationship between Lloyd and his father. Lloyd begins the story by resenting Garmadon for leaving him as a baby, yet he desires to have a connection with his dad. On Garmadon’s end, he has no idea how to be a father and is resistant to changing his ways to become one. Over the course of several trials, they both come to realize that perhaps it is possible for them to reconnect. At the film’s climax, Lloyd decides to forgive his father and show him love. It is all a great example of showing forgiveness and letting go of the past, and how even the vilest of villains can be redeemed. Whether the film intended it or not, this opens up a great opportunity to talk with children and adults about showing others the love of Christ and forgiving others seventy times seven (Matthew 18:22).

The Lego Ninjago Movie is a fun film with a great message, but that does not take away from the fact that it has a basic and fast-paced story and one-dimensional characters. Let’s hope that Lego will not be so hasty with the sequel to The Lego Movie and will take the time to build a fun story with more developed characters the next time around.

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Andrew Furstenberg is a lover of film, books, and any other form of storytelling that he can get his hands on. He is a novelist and screenwriter, striving to use the gifts that God gave him to create inspiring and impactful content.

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Imagining faithfulness with The Lego Ninjago Movie

Ninjago depicts the beauty of fidelity – the goodness that god has in view for us..

Ninjago hits something of a sweet spot for me. First, it’s a line of Legos, and as a child I devoted a lot of space on annual Christmas lists to Legos, so there’s a tactile nostalgia. Second, my oldest son loves the world of Lego Ninjago and has taught my youngest son to love it, and I love them. So there I sat in the theater for The Lego Ninjago Movie, expecting little more than cool visuals, a few jokes for the parents and madcap action. Imagine my surprise when a line of dialogue at the end – “Dad, are you crying?” – felt like it was directed at me.

For the uninitiated, Ninjago City is a seaside town teeming with zany Lego people. Everything, however, is not awesome. (Spoilers ahead.) Mostly this is because there’s a four-armed warlord named Garmadon (voiced by Justin Theroux) whose army regularly raids the city. One of Ninjago’s teenagers happens to be Lloyd Garmadon (Dave Franco), the estranged son of the villain, which has made him something of a pariah in town. Lloyd lives with his mom, Koko (Olivia Munn). She loves him, but can’t compensate for the wound created by his father’s indifference, a wound that the townspeople salt liberally.

Although there is adventure (Lloyd has a secret identity as one of five ninjas who protect the city from his father’s attacks), the heart of The Lego Ninjago Movie is this fractured family. Ninjago digs into the baggage and the history of Lloyd’s parents’ separation. Garmadon tells Lloyd about his mother and how he fell in love with her, revealing that Koko was also once a warrior. The two met and romanced to the clash of swords and the sacking of cities. So things went until Lloyd was born and they came upon Ninjago City. Garmadon was ready to keep the war party going, but Koko’s heart for battle had been replaced with love for her son. She wanted to give Lloyd a peaceful life, and so she and Garmadon chose diverging paths. In a moment of vulnerability, Garmadon confesses to Lloyd that he should have been willing to change in order to preserve his family. It’s a stiff shot of regret taken neat.

The beauty of fidelity This scene transforms the entire movie. Garmadon’s reign of havoc in Ninjago City and therefore in Lloyd’s life becomes a metaphor for a father who won’t let go of his self-focused desires. A mother and son are left with the wreckage – both emotional and literal – and an aching for reconciliation.

The Bible recognizes the pain of such separation, as seen in Jesus’ response to a question about divorce: “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh?’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

The reality is, families separate. It’s tempting to downplay the significance of such a separation; in fact, pockets of contemporary culture depict divorce as a natural-if-unfortunate stage of life, and maybe even a healthy one. Yet the severing of “one flesh” always leaves a wound.

The challenge for Christians, then, is to recognize the brokenness that leads to divorce, as well as the real pain that results from it. We must urge reconciliation, if at all possible, without adding to someone’s sorrow. How can we do that? Sometimes it takes imagination On a recent episode of the Cultivated podcast, Rod Dreher suggests that the Church would do well to tell stories that capture people’s hearts with the goodness of God’s ways. Emphasis on obedience and rules too often falls on deaf or wounded ears. Imagine a church that instead teaches by describing God’s intentions for us as pathways to joy and peace and human flourishing.

Well, here’s The Lego Ninjago Movie . Ninjago depicts the beauty of fidelity – the goodness that God has in view when he commands it – by showing the chaos and sorrow that emerges in its absence. Garmadon chased the excitement of his single days, even as fatherhood called him in a new direction. The result was pain and separation. And it didn’t have to be that way. Ninjago suggests that sacrifice is an essential part of human flourishing.

Sacrificial love Indeed, the movie makes a powerful case for sacrificial love that spills the banks of marriage and pours into relationships of all kinds. We all have dreams and relationships. Sometimes life brings us to a crossroads where they come into conflict. It could be an aging parent whose need for care threatens one’s own career or retirement. A spouse who struggles with depression. A friend who really needs someone to listen on a Friday night. We all face decisions like Garmadon and Koko, where it’s self-fulfillment or sacrificial love. Me or us.

The easy path of “me” is often devastating. The path of “us” ain’t easy either. But what if it’s good? A story that spurs this sort of imagining is nothing short of holy. It steers us toward the path of Christ, the path of pouring yourself out in love.

I did not go into The Lego Ninjago Movie ready to deal with the poison of selfishness in my own heart. I feel the sacrifices of being called to fatherhood on a daily basis. When Lloyd Garmadon tames the giant cat that swallowed his father and says, through tears, “I just need my dad,” it’s completely absurd, and yet it slays me. How many times have I made my boys feel that same way? How can I be sure to never do it again?

“Dad, are you crying?”

No. You’re crying, Lego Man. Shut up.

Sniff. 

This article originally appeared online at thinkchristian.reframemedia.com .

Michael Morgan has written for The Gospel Coalition, Christ and Pop Culture, and In Touch magazine. His personal blog is Bulletproof, Inc.

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'The Lego Ninjago Movie' reviews: Story is engaging but jokes become repetitive

Warner Bros. latest film "The Lego Ninjago Movie" just came out and critics generally gave it mixed reviews and said that the jokes were funny but got to be quite repetitive.

The animated action-adventure got a 52 percent rating from Rotten Tomatoes , which is a website that aggregates review scores from various entertainment outlets. Here are some of what the reviews had to say.

Peter Travers from Rolling Stone  wrote, "Despite comically inspired vocal performances from Justin Theroux and Dave Franco as nutjob Lego versions of Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker, the action and jokes pile up with exhausting repetitiveness." The jokes can liven the audience at the start but once it starts repeating itself, the pace can turn somewhat stale.

The movie centers on Master Builder Lloyd (Dave Franco) a.k.a. the Green Ninja who has to go up against the evil warlord Garmadon (Justin Theroux) in a battle for Ninjago City. He employs the help of his friends who are ninjas as well including Koko (Olivia Munn), Nya (Abbi Jacobson), and Jay (Kumail Nanjiani). Under the guidance of Master Wu (Jackie Chan), they embark on an adventure to save the city from destruction.

Stephen Schaefer from the Boston Herald  stated, "With 'The Lego Ninjago Movie,' the third in the series, the novelty is gone. We're now familiar with seeing plastic cube characters animated in all their awkward but effective glory." The narrative of this movie may prove quite familiar after past films "The Lego Movie" and "The Lego Batman Movie" had somewhat the same direction and objective as the new movie.

Nevertheless, the animation, action, and family-friendly jokes may still convince families to watch this in droves. As Greg Wakeman of the Metro  wrote, "Overall, it's solid enough for kids and adults to enjoy."

"The Lego Ninjago Movie" is now showing in theaters.

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These brick-like ninja have seen (and generally fought) it all. From the Overlord, an evil spirit who sat as the source of all darkness in the land of Ninjago, to the Preeminent, an “eldritch horror” who was the embodiment of the Cursed Realm and was able to summon ghosts to fight at her command.  

So, by the time our LEGO protagonists start their journey in Ninjago Season One ( the sequel to Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu ), there’s little that could possibly stand in their way, right?

Well, that’s not exactly the case. It’s been a couple months since their last big battle, and the crew has been taking a long vacation to enjoy themselves—long enough that they’ve slacked in their training and become, as Master Wu so eloquently puts it, “soft.”

Soft enough, it seems, that threats of an invasion by Pyro Vipers and Blizzard Samurai may actually become major threats—and these will be the least of our crew’s worries. Our protagonists will also have to work through being transported into a video game, deal with a native tribe bent on sacrifice and even battle a massive sea serpent.

But it’s all in a day’s work for a group of magical teenage ninja.

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Since the creation of Ninjago and the other Sixteen Realms (well, 14 now, due to events occurring in Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu ), lots and lots has happened. Like, there’s a whole centuries-long history of events that could span hundreds of pages.

Thankfully, you don’t have to learn about all of that in one sitting. Combined with Masters of Spinjitzu , Ninjago spoonfeeds its surprisingly intricate lore to viewers throughout a whopping 15 seasons (and counting)! And we’ll learn all of that lore through the experiences of our ninja protagonists.

Lloyd, Kai, Cole, Jay, Zane and Nya aren’t your typical ninjas. For one, they’re all magical masters of an individual element, be it water, fire or energy itself. For another, they’re teenagers (and one’s an android). But through the persistent tutelage of their sensei, Master Wu, the group has become a force to be reckoned with—even if they’re still more interested in goofing off and playing video games at times. When the time of need comes, however, our heroes will suit up and defeat evil through clever teamwork and self-discovery (and, of course, a few punches).

That’s a good thing, too, because there’s a lot of baddies for them to deal with: Massive beasts, dragons, demons and even eldritch beings comparable to gods will challenge our protagonists, seeking  total dominance and/or destruction (as evildoers tend to seek). These monsters primarily come from other realms—and many of them are simply bitter, awful places. With names like the Cursed Realm, the Realm of Madness and the Underworld, Ninjago stands as one of the few realms seemingly not overflowing with spiritual or physical evil. And in terms of other general spiritual concerns, one realm, the Departed Realm, is revealed to be the place most souls go when they die.

As our ninja fight against evil, we’ll learn lots of lessons about good, too. The show leans into the Eastern idea of balance , with forces of good and evil battling for dominance but maintaining a certain parity. Each time our protagonists defeat one evil, another rises up to replace it, offering a dualistic theological take to viewers: one for creation, and one for destruction. The series also has very occasional instances of LGBT content in its latest seasons, such as two blurry men kissing in a rowboat in the background, a rainbow sidewalk and, in the latest season, a LGBT pride flag on the back of a van. We also see a bisexual flag on a guitar case.

If you can get through that spiritual premise and the show’s other content concerns, these LEGO characters have a surprising amount of depth to their story—one that’ll remind us that standing for good is always better than relenting to evil.

Episode Reviews

May 20, 2022—s4, ep15: “papergirl”.

Two newspaper delivery people argue when one of them decides to quit for another job, and they find themselves caught up in the middle of a city-wide battle for an amulet.

In a blink-and-miss-it scene, two men in a rowboat kiss. We also see a rainbow LGBT pride-themed sidewalk.

Ninjago City is attacked by Mermen, causing buildings to catch on fire, cars to flip over and explosions to occur. The ninja attack the Mermen. Two newspaper delivery people, Nelson and Antonia, dodge projectile lasers shot from tridents. Nelson performs CPR to resurrect a drowned Kai. Nelson is knocked over by a stack of newspapers being thrown at him.

May 20, 2022—S4, Ep1: “Farewell the Sea”

A year after Nya’s disappearance, many of the ninja have abandoned their teachings. However, they come back together in order to investigate a concerning rumor.

Goons are systematically taken down by a group calling themselves the “new ninja.” Ninja recruits destroy a cardboard enemy. Jay discusses a spiritual connection between Nya and the ocean. We hear two uses of “darn.”

Jun. 22, 2019—S1, Ep1: “Wasted True Potential”

Concerned that his students have gotten soft from relaxing too long after a victory, Master Wu sets up traps to help the ninja get back into their groove.

Zane has a prophetic dream. In it, a dragon freezes people with its icy breath. The ninja relax in a hot tub made out of the “Sacred Bell of Divinity.” We hear flatulence and burps. A chicken electrocutes the ninja. Wu and his ninja students fight.

Kennedy Unthank

Kennedy Unthank studied journalism at the University of Missouri. He knew he wanted to write for a living when he won a contest for “best fantasy story” while in the 4th grade. What he didn’t know at the time, however, was that he was the only person to submit a story. Regardless, the seed was planted. Kennedy collects and plays board games in his free time, and he loves to talk about biblical apologetics. He thinks the ending of Lost “wasn’t that bad.”

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The pieces are all there, but they never really snap into place in “The LEGO Ninjago Movie.”

The feature-film version of the long-running animated TV series “Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu” only superficially resembles its source material, and it pales in comparison to its cinematic predecessors. Maybe such diminishing returns were inevitable. It would be impossible to recreate the groundbreaking, lightning-in-a-bottle innovation of 2014’s “ The Lego Movie .” We saw that earlier this year with the release of “ The Lego Batman Movie ,” which was consistently zippy and amusing but, inevitably, not quite as novel.

Now we have “The LEGO Ninjago Movie,” about a group of teenagers who are secretly ninjas, each with a special elemental power. Their challenge is to take on the evil Lord Garmadon (voiced by Justin Theroux ), who also happens to be the father of the team’s Green Ninja, Lloyd ( Dave Franco ). But while the film is credited to three directors ( Charlie Bean , Paul Fisher and Bob Logan ) and a small army of writers, it results in only a few clever ideas that are chuckle-worthy, at best.

Its strongest bit is the introduction of a live-action cat within this animated setting—dubbed Meowthra in an homage to classic, Japanese movie monsters—who terrorizes Ninjago City when she’s accidentally summoned with a red laser pointer. But the enjoyment of the absurd sight of a cat knocking over Lego buildings lasts about as long as your average viral video—and then you’re stuck realizing how little there is to the script.

Part of the problem is that “The LEGO Ninjago Movie” is primarily about Lloyd struggling with his daddy issues and Garmadon trying to figure out whether and how to be a father to Lloyd, whom he hasn’t seen since the boy’s infancy. And aside from Lloyd, the other ninjas are essentially interchangeable, which is a huge departure from the television show. (I have a son who’s almost eight. We watch a lot of “Ninjago” in this house. Ask me anything.) The supporting players’ names and nature-related abilities are all the same—water, lightning, fire, etc.—but they have no discerning personalities beyond that. They are background noise. They are filler.

What’s so bizarre about that is that the longtime voice performers from the TV series—who’ve been playing these characters for seven seasons now—have all been replaced with better-known actors and comedians, who then get surprisingly little to do. Nothing against them—they’re all great and they’re solid voice talent, people you’re happy to see whether they appear in TV or film—but they’re not given enough material to justify overhauling the entire cast. The shift seems like a cynical ploy to make the movie more marketable.

For the record, they are Kumail Nanjiani (Jay), Fred Armisen (Cole), Michael Pena (Kai), Abbi Jacobson (Nya) and Zach Woods (Zane). Jackie Chan plays their wise leader, Master Wu, and Olivia Munn has a small supporting role as Lloyd’s mom, Koko.

“LEGO Ninjago” also suffers from its live-action bookend narrative structure, featuring Chan as a store owner who tells the legend of Ninjago to a wide-eyed kid. All that does is explain the presence of the cat and it gets the film’s pacing off to a sluggish start from which it never fully recovers.

What it could have used more of was world-building, literally and figuratively. What makes this place different from every other? What makes it better than the world of “The Lego Movie,” where everything was awesome? That movie efficiently and effectively laid out its parameters and characters. This one drops you in—so if you don’t know the show, you’ll have no connection to this setting. Having said that, if you’re a fan of the show, you’ll be struck by how little the movie has in common with it.

Despite the grander scale (and bigger budget), the movie doesn’t use the Legos for the thing that makes them fun: the building aspect of them, the possibility of creativity, the way they allow you to push boundaries and come up with structures and characters that maybe don’t make any sense, but they’re cool-looking. “LEGO Ninjago” is essentially an ordinary animated film, with visuals rendered in Lego form.

And sometimes the visuals are so garbled, this may as well be a “ Transformers ” movie, especially as the ninjas climb inside their various mecha to fly/climb/fight/etc. against Garmadon to keep him from destroying Ninjago City. Along those lines, the sound mix often made it hard to hear the quips, one-liners and banter, especially during the big action sequences, of which there are many. Then again, the jokes and the energy as a whole lack the infectious nature of previous Lego movies.

Since we’re making all the inevitable comparisons, it’s hard to shake the sensation that Theroux is essentially doing Will Arnett doing Batman in the previous two Lego movies. He brings an amusing buffoonery to this alleged super-villain—a clueless bravado, a total lack of self-awareness—but we’ve heard this shtick before. Even the husky swagger of Theroux’s delivery recalls Arnett’s performances, and it serves as yet another reminder of how superior the predecessors were.

And as my son pointed out after a screening of the film (between bursts of singing the TV show’s insanely catchy theme song) the ninjas don’t even do spinjitzu, their stylized martial-arts technique using their signature elemental powers. Not really—not until the end. But maybe we’ll see more of that in the sequel, which is certainly on the horizon, whether it’s merited or not.

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

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Film credits.

The LEGO Ninjago Movie (2017)

Rated PG for some mild action and rude humor.

101 minutes

Dave Franco as Lloyd (voice)

Michael Peña as Kai (voice)

Jackie Chan as Master Wu (voice)

Kumail Nanjiani as Jay (voice)

Zach Woods as Zane (voice)

Fred Armisen as Cole (voice)

Olivia Munn as Koko (voice)

Justin Theroux as Garmadon (voice)

Abbi Jacobson as Nya (voice)

Ali Wong as General Olivia (voice)

• Charlie Bean
• Paul Fisher

Writer (story by)

• Hilary Winston
• William Wheeler
• Tom Wheeler
• Dan Hageman
• Kevin Hageman
• Jared Stern
• John Whittington
• David Burrows
• Garret Elkins
• Ryan Folsey
• Julie Rogers
• John Venzon
• Mark Mothersbaugh

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The LEGO NINJAGO Movie Reviews

Easy entertainment for the kids even if it's not as original as the others...

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Nov 5, 2020

There is still a lot of the old LEGO charm floating around...

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 1, 2020

When I say this is my least favorite of the three Lego animated films, I don't mean that as an insult... In fact, The LEGO Ninjago Movie is still quite spirited, funny, and fully enjoyable.

Full Review | May 13, 2020

The film is so high-energy and desperate to keep your attention that it becomes rather exhausting to watch, like spending 97 minutes with a child that's overloaded on sugar.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jan 27, 2020

The LEGO Ninjago Movie aims younger for its target audience, and while it's still enjoyable, it doesn't quite reach the peak of its predecessors.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | May 17, 2019

The low point of the Lego franchise drops the ball hard by being a warmer, fuzzier retread of the first two films.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Mar 21, 2019

A perfectly pleasant way to pass 90 minutes or so, but adult viewers looking to revisit the heartwarming silliness of The Lego Movie or the breathless gag rate of Lego Batman are advised to look elsewhere in the Brickverse.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 21, 2019

I left feeling pretty underwhelmed.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Feb 20, 2019

While I may have been let down on some levels by this film, The LEGO Ninjago Movie still offers a good time, even for those with no familiarity with the toy line.

Full Review | Original Score: 6.75/10 | Dec 8, 2018

You could tell that the kids in the theaters were enjoying what they were watching...they do need to up the ante in further installments, though.

Full Review | Nov 12, 2018

One is not quite sure where the true forum for 'The Lego Ninjago Movie' should be promoted...on the straight-to-video shelves or merely being trapped in a cluttered toy box with other forgettable action figures.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Nov 9, 2018

It doesn't quite have the sharp pacing and across-the-board humor as the previous two films, but it is still lots of fun with enough moments to appease the entire family.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Oct 31, 2018

It's kind of amazing how much better this send-up of the whole Power Rangers aesthetic is than the actual Power Rangers movie.

Full Review | Original Score: 3 | Oct 31, 2018

This film lacks the depth and wit that made the previous LEGO films a hit with all ages and critics.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 10, 2018

The franchise may be running out of steam because I'm starting to get 'LEGO' fatigue.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Aug 30, 2018

While clueless adults will notice that this is the least amusing Lego movie yet, wise small children will note the presence of ninjas, some riding dragons, and enter a state of cinematic bliss.

Full Review | Aug 23, 2018

It's Lego-Power Rangers...it is straight up the plot of Might Morphin Power Rangers the movie.

Full Review | Feb 21, 2018

This is still a solid LEGO movie with a great voice cast.

Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | Feb 2, 2018

The action is non-stop, the jokes (though aimed a little lower than usual) are rapid-fire, and the Lego world of bright colors and mechs and machines is something that Lego fans can enjoy.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Jan 16, 2018

It's certainly brash and breezy enough to keep youngsters mildly amused, though adults may well agree that it's time to say leggo to Lego, which isn't even an element crucial to much of this underwhelming adventure.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Dec 21, 2017

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Taylor Swift's new album, The Tortured Poets Department, has garnered criticism from faith leaders who have taken to social media this week to express their distaste with the lyrical content that they believe mocks God and Christians. 

Released last Friday, critics have voiced concern over lyrics that seem to suggest that Christians are both hateful and judgemental.

In the song "But Daddy I Love Him," Swift sings:

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"But daddy I love him / I just learned these people only raise you / To cage you / Sarahs and Hannahs in their Sunday best / Clutchin' their pearls, sighing, 'What a mess' / I just learned these people try and save you 'Cause they hate you."

In the same song, Swift sings:

"God save the most judgmental creeps / Who say they want what's best for me / Sanctimoniously performing soliloquies I'll never see / Thinkin' it can change the beat / Of my heart when he touches me / And counteract the chemistry / And undo the destiny / You ain't gotta pray for me / Me and my wild boy and all of this wild joy / If all you want is gray for me / Then it's just white noise, and it's just my choice."

In the song "Guilty As Sin," Swift sings: "What if I roll the stone away? / They're gonna crucify me anyway / What if the way you hold me is actually what's holy."

Eleven of the 31 songs contain an "E" under the album's description listing, which stands for "explicit." And several songs have the F-word included within the lyrics. 

Shane Pruitt , the National Next Gen director for the Southern Baptist Convention's North American Mission Board and co-author of Calling Out the Called , wrote in a Facebook post that there is a difference between being secular and being "Anti-Christian." He urged Christian parents to seriously consider if they should allow their children to listen to Swift's music. 

"I'm definitely not the minister or parent that has the 'no secular music' stance," Pruitt wrote. "Also, I fully realize unbelievers are going to act like unbelievers. HOWEVER, there is a difference between being secular and being ANTI-CHRISTIAN."

Pruitt added that he used to listen to Swift but said he thinks "now it's time to reconsider." 

"As Christians, who are filled with the Spirit, should we be entertained by, sing with, and expose our kids to lyrics that aren't just different than what you believe, but are actually mocking what you believe?" Pruitt asked. 

The Christian entertainment review company MovieGuide believes the album "mocks Christianity."

"While it's no secret that Taylor Swift is not a Christian, she made her hatred for religion known through her newly released album 'The Tortured Poets Department,'" MovieGuide stressed in its review . 

"The album is full of minor quips that elevate Swift above God while also featuring two songs devoted to tearing down the Christian sexual ethic."

MovieGuide contends the lyrics to the song "I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)" contain rhetoric alluding to the idea that God doesn't want to "lift a finger." 

The lyrics read: "They shake their heads sayin', 'God help her,' / When I tell 'em he's my man/ but your good Lord doesn't lift a finger / I can fix him, no, really, I can. And only I can."

"The fact that one of the most popular and famous celebrities of her generation cannot find happiness reveals that living in the world leads to death while living for Christ and under his teachings leads to life," the review stated. 

"Unfortunately, Swift has chosen the path toward death and is reaping the fruits of her labor."

MovieGuide also objects to the lyrics of the song "Florida!!!," which the organization says is about "going off the deep end and all in on worldly fun and entertainment."

"While Swift has since clarified that this song was about a fantasy rather than an actual experience she has had, it still glorifies going off the deep and engaging in complete debauchery," the organization states. 

Sean Feucht, a conservative Christian singer and former worship leader at Bethel Church who founded the Let Us Worship movement, took to X , formerly known as Twitter, to share how he believes the new album is making fun of Christians. 

"Almost half the songs on Taylor Swift's new album contain explicit lyrics (E), make fun of Christians and straight up blaspheme God. Is this the music you want your kids listening to?" Feucht wrote. 

"You think I'm just being religious  & overreacting? Read the lyrics & decide for yourself." 

Alex Clark, host of the Turning Point USA podcast "The Spillover," who also launched the pop culture show "POPlitics!" didn't take kindly to Feucht's comments on Swift. 

"Sean Feucht, whatever his name is … let's not even get into his own controversies and who he aligns with and all the sketchy stuff that this guy, who he surrounds himself with in the Christian community. Cause that could be a whole other episode. So, it's like OK, we're going to take advice from these people who have their own situations and it's like, so are you never going to watch any Netflix movies? You're never going to listen to any artist. If this is the criteria that we're going with, … basically, you have to say: 'I'm never going to listen to music,'" Clark said on her show. 

While many faith and worship leaders have criticized Swift's album, Forbes reports that The Tortured Poets Department needed only a few hours before it became the bestselling album of 2024 in the U.S. The album sold roughly 1.4 million copies in just its first full day of availability. 

Nicole VanDyke is a reporter for The Christian Post. 

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Unsung Hero

Based on a remarkable true story, a mum's faith stands against all odds and inspires her husband and children to hold on to theirs. Based on a remarkable true story, a mum's faith stands against all odds and inspires her husband and children to hold on to theirs. Based on a remarkable true story, a mum's faith stands against all odds and inspires her husband and children to hold on to theirs.

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• Trivia In addition to co-writing and co-directing this film, Joel Smallbone also stars in it portraying his real-life father, David Smallbone.

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Critics Have Seen Unsung Hero, See What They’re Saying About The Faith-Based Story Of A Famous Musical Family

Joel Smallbone's film hits theaters April 26.

Christian music fans are likely familiar with the Australian duo For King + Country and their sister Rebecca St. James. The family has been making music for years, even earning five Grammy Awards between them, and now fans will get a chance to see their family’s story and the upbringing that led to those careers in the upcoming faith-based film Unsung Hero . Critics have seen the movie, so let’s take a look at what they’re saying.

Joel Smallbone stars as his father David, with Daisy Betts playing his wife Helen, and the cast also features plenty of recognizable names, including Candace Cameron Bure (who now also produces faith-centered movies ), Jonathan Jackson, Terry O'Quinn and Hillary Scott. Smallbone pulls triple duty on the film, as he also wrote and directed the project with Richard Ramsey. Let’s take a look at the reviews, starting with Nicolas Rapold of the New York Times . The critic didn’t seem to think too much of the movie, calling it “cringe” and writing: 

Viewer beware: Between the uplift and the cringe, this movie may cause whiplash. Joel Smallbone plays his own father, David, who faces financial and reputational ruin after booking a big concert and failing to pack the house. He resettles the family in the United States, but no job materializes. His pep-talking spouse, Helen (Daisy Betts), and their beatific children pull up bootstraps and practically whistle while they work, but it’s not enough. … Despite the fuzzy good intentions, it’s tough to make much of this making-of story.

Katie Walsh of the L.A. Times also understands the movie’s intention and recognizes that it will inspire its audience members. However, the story is predictable, and Joel Smallbone is too close to the situation to properly reflect on his family’s experience and offer anything meaningful, Walsh writes. The critic says:  

It’s a humble story, one with the capacity to inspire in its simple message of perseverance. But the film itself, as an artistic product, feels limited in its observational scope, because the filmmaker doesn’t have any distance from the material. Smallbone is a fine actor, but alongside Ramsey, he’s a limited filmmaker. Their visual style is drab at best, and the storytelling lacks the kind of self-reflection that might elevate this project. As it is, Unsung Hero feels more like band merch than an insightful family portrait.

Others, however, seem moved by the Smallbones’ story and the family’s faith amid so many hardships. Linda of Linda’s Lunacy says she didn’t want the movie to end, and she recommends it as a family film, noting that it’s suitable for all ages. Linda writes: 

I was moved to tears several times over the things that God did for them. I actually lost track of the number of times I was moved to tears. But Unsung Hero is not just a tearjerker. It’s a story of faith, hope, and love of family. And what God can do in our lives. … So many things happened to knock them down. A health scare, hospital bills, no vehicle, depression, among others. The whole time, the family prayed, worked, and stuck together.

Adam R. Holz of Plugged In calls the family’s story “quietly remarkable,” saying the “warts and all” approach to David’s struggles gives Unsung Hero a feeling of refreshing realism. Holz says: 

In some ways, the saga of this Australian family’s sojourn in the United States, strangers in a strange land, is an archetypal Christian movie, with a pure Hollywood ending to boot: The underdogs win, persevering through a seemingly unending series of unfortunate, Job-like events that might’ve capsized the faith of other families. In the end, Rebecca St. James launches her triumphant career. Redemption, hope and beauty win the day... But Unsung Hero is no airbrushed hagiography of the Smallbone family. Their path to beauty has been fraught with jagged, startling, even ugly brokenness.

The Christian movie review site Movieguide writes that Unsung Hero delivers in a big way. The Smallbones’ story is compelling, and all of the actors turn in impressive performances. The review continues: 

Unsung Hero is a powerful story of faith and family. The saga of a large family uprooted, experiencing culture shock, and seeking to work together toward a common goal is compelling. The filmmakers tell the story with lots of sincerity and heart. The acting is very good with singer songwriter, Joel Smallbone, of For King and Country fame, turning in a convincing performance as his father, David. Indeed, all the family members are well portrayed, They all have their own unique affinities. The music throughout Unsung Hero is fitting for both the low and high points of the family’s journey, as is the writing.

While Unsung Hero isn’t to the liking of all of the critics, it sounds like those hitting the theater to see a story about a family’s faith and perseverance won’t be disappointed. The movie will be on the big screen starting Friday, April 26, and be sure to check out our 2024 movie release calendar to see what else is coming soon to theaters. 

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Heidi Venable is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend, a mom of two and a hard-core '90s kid. She started freelancing for CinemaBlend in 2020 and officially came on board in 2021. Her job entails writing news stories and TV reactions from some of her favorite prime-time shows like Grey's Anatomy and The Bachelor. She graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a degree in Journalism and worked in the newspaper industry for almost two decades in multiple roles including Sports Editor, Page Designer and Online Editor. Unprovoked, will quote Friends in any situation. Thrives on New Orleans Saints football, The West Wing and taco trucks.

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Entertainment | Movie review: ‘Unsung Hero’ more like band…

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Entertainment, entertainment | movie review: ‘unsung hero’ more like band merch than insightful biopic.

Cinematic memoir can be a complex creative endeavor. Film is a collaborative medium, and memoir requires a certain acknowledgement of the author’s creation. Without that self-reflection, memoir can slip into murky, confusing territory. This space is where the new film “Unsung Hero” exists, which is billed as “A For King + Country Film.”

If you’re not yet aware of the Grammy winning Christian pop duo For King + Country , comprised of brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone, “Unsung Hero” will introduce you to their folksy family lore, if not their musical successes. The film is a biographical drama about the Smallbone family, a large brood from Australia who emigrated to Nashville, Tennessee, in the early 1990s, following father David’s dreams of working as a promoter in the music industry.

“Unsung Hero” is co-written and co-directed by Joel Smallbone (with Richard L. Ramsey), and he also stars in the film playing his own father, David, who eventually managed the music careers of For King + Country, and Joel’s sister Rebecca St. James. Their siblings work in the family business as managers, lighting directors and documentarians (they all make cameos in the film), and there’s a sense of can-do collaboration among the tight-knit Smallbone family. This theme runs throughout the film, and so it makes sense that Joel would undertake the telling of his family’s own story in such an intimate way.

Therefore, “Unsung Hero” is like a much more expensive extension of the camcorder home movies that serve as a running motif throughout. This isn’t just a music biopic or a family drama, it’s a presentation of a family narrative as told, and embodied, by the family themselves. A valid endeavor, to be sure, but important context when considering the work as a cultural product.

Joel Smallbone is an appealing actor, even if it is a bit distracting that he’s portraying his own father (he has described the experience as a “therapy session”). Joel is also a character in the film, as a child (Diesel La Torraca), while Daisy Betts plays Helen, the Smallbone matriarch and Joel’s mother. Helen is, of course, the unsung hero of this story, the heart and spine of the family who insists on keeping them together while David makes one last-ditch attempt to make it in the music industry in Nashville. Helen is the emotional center of the family and Betts is the emotional center of this film, her character unflagging in her determination, keeping spirits up as David’s dreams are slowly crushed.

The family of attractive Aussies arrive in the United States without a stick of furniture awaiting in their rental home, and they nest in beds of clothes while they get on their feet, with the help of a couple from their church (Lucas Black and Candace Cameron Bure). They clean houses and landscape yards, clip coupons and accept the charity that comes their way, reluctantly, on David’s part.

While David struggles with the dampening of his dreams, his daughter Rebecca (Kirrilee Berger) is just starting to embrace her musical aspirations. But she can’t chase them until her father gets over his own emotional obstacles and deep hurt at being rejected by the industry. It takes him some time to understand the advice given to him by his own father James (Terry O’Quinn) back in Australia, that his family isn’t in the way of what he wants, they are the way.

“Unsung Hero” follows a predictable narrative path of struggles and salvation, but it’s not a traditional music biopic — it doesn’t start with a record deal, it ends with one. The focus is on their hardships to get to that record deal, which is clearly what matters to filmmaker Joel Smallbone. It’s not the success, the Grammys, the stadium concerts, but the ways they stuck together, eked it out, allowed themselves to dream while sleeping on beds of clothing, thanks to their mother, who never let David’s challenges get in the way of her kids’ imaginations.

It’s a humble story, and it has the capacity to inspire in its simple message of perseverance, but the film itself, as an artistic product, feels limited in its observational scope, because the filmmaker doesn’t have any distance from the material. Smallbone is a fine actor, but alongside Ramsey, he’s a limited filmmaker. Their visual style is drab at best, and the storytelling lacks the kind of self-reflection that might elevate this project. As it is, “Unsung Hero” feels more like band merch than an insightful family portrait.

‘Unsung Hero’

2 stars (out of 4)

MPA rating: PG (for thematic elements)

Running time: 1:54

How to watch: In theaters Friday

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‘Unsung Hero’: God Himself Can’t Save This Uninspiring Faith-Based Drama

SAY A LITTLE PRAYER

Christian musician Joel Smallbone co-directed this biopic about his own hardscrabble family, who worshiped their way to wealth.

Jesse Hassenger

“I know what I believe,” says Rebecca Smallbone (Kirrilee Berger), a teenager defending her ability to write and sing pop songs, about halfway through the biopic Unsung Hero .

The audience has to more or less take her word for it, because while she will eventually become the Christian pop star Rebecca St. James, Unsung Hero doesn’t focus enough on Rebecca to give anyone a sense of her thoughts or feelings on much of anything. We’re left to assume that she simply shares most of her beliefs with the true subjects of the film: her parents, David and Helen. In the tradition of King Richard , where Will Smith played the cantankerous, determined, high-standards father of Venus and Serena Williams, the next step in biopic evolution apparently involves paying tribute to the parents who figure so prominently in certain success stories. This seems like a particularly appealing tactic for a faith-based movie like Unsung Hero . Call it Fifth Commandment Cinema.

Unsung Hero is Fifth Commandment Cinema without the benefit of Will Smith-level charisma to make the stubbornness and screw-ups go down easier. What it lacks in star power, it makes up for in astonishing levels of faux-piety and false modesty: Joel Smallbone, of the Christian musical act For King & Country, co-writes and co-directs a biopic starring himself, playing his dad David. As the movie tells it, David follows his dream as a Christian music promoter and, after taking a bath on an early-'90s Amy Grant tour (blamed vaguely on “the economy”), uproots the family and moves them to the United States to start a new record label with another artist. When they arrive, David learns that the deal has fallen through. Now the family is stranded in Nashville with a six-month visa, no jobs, and plenty of pressure to head back to Australia. David doesn’t want to give up, but he’s also not sure what to do next.

This may be why Smallbone plays his father with a constant expression of stricken nerves; with every new turn of fate, even some strokes of objectively fantastic luck, David looks as if he’s just learned that he was swindled out of his life savings. Facing a barrage of anti-Australian discrimination due to the family’s six children (with a seventh on the way) and alienating use of the word “knackered,” the Smallbone family—following a cross-country train trip so lengthy that Helen (Daisy Betts) appears to become several months more pregnant by the end of it—makes a go of it without a cushy music-industry job.

Relying on their faith and worth ethic, which is to say home-schooling and child labor, the family starts a lawn-care business to make ends meet. They also receive help from wealthy local couple Jed (Lucas Black) and Kay ( Candace Cameron Bure , also an executive producer). Various behind-the-counter wage workers may be framed as vaguely forbidding and judgmental, but the Smallbones can count on the gracious charity of the rich for a leg up.

To be fair, David eventually bristles at this help, because he bristles at nearly everything. Thankfully, Helen’s ability to read almost anything as a manifestation of God’s blessings more than compensates for David’s sad-sack weaknesses. (“It’s a miracle—it’s like some kind of sign we’re supposed to be here,” she exclaims about a note from her mother that, when inspected by customs officials, unexpectedly helps them get into the U.S. despite their intention to overstay their visa.) Through the family’s perseverance, their prosperity gospel comes true.

If you’re looking for insight into what fuels the music of Rebecca St. James or For King & Country, Unsung Hero seems to find any detailed depiction of artistry or creativity untoward. There is God-given talent, there is the faith to pursue it, and there’s a very long roll call of the family’s successes appended to the end of this slender quasi-inspirational story. It’s hard to glean much inspiration, for that matter, when the movie’s hardships start to feel a bit like poverty cosplay. While David’s parents’ financial standings aren’t specified, they seem plenty comfortable, and the movie never supplies a particularly strong reason that the family must stay in the U.S. after David’s job offer falls apart.

Doubtless there is some interesting combination of craft, grit, and calculation that goes into making mass-appeal Christian pop, and members of the real Smallbone family could probably speak to that. But the ones who made this movie have demurred in favor of honoring their father and mother. Here, it's hard to shake the feeling that it’s the feel-good inspo they’re after, not the songs.

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‘Nowhere Special’ Review: Tender, Quiet Adoption Drama About a Dying 35-Year-Old Dad Will Absolutely Destroy You

Christian blauvelt.

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Just the premise alone of “Nowhere Special” will make you choke up.

35-year-old single father John ( James Norton ) is terminally ill, so he needs to make plans for his toddler son’s life after he’s gone — that means adoption and finding him a new family. The film follows him and his unwitting son, Michael (Daniel Lamont), meeting with prospective parents who will shape his boy’s life.

In the best tradition of Jim Sheridan and John Crowley, they build “Nowhere Special” from the smallest of moments: John telling Michael not to spill his cereal on the table, and Michael defiantly pushing one Cheerio off the edge of his plate anyway; John washing his car and Michael wanting to emulate his dad, so he washes his toy truck at the same time; stopping at an overpass to watch the cars go underneath; going grocery shopping together; Michael practicing his counting by putting the exact number of candles for his father’s age in a cake on his dad’s birthday; driving a bumper car and winning a prize at a carnival; bath time; reading a storybook together, and John’s eventual realization he doesn’t want to read kids-learning-about-death touchstone “When Dinosaurs Die” because he doesn’t want his son’s life to be defined by death. This is the stuff life is made of. Related Stories Andrew Ahn to Direct ‘Reimagining’ of ‘The Wedding Banquet’ Starring Lily Gladstone and Bowen Yang ‘Extensive Bodily Injuries’ for Dolly Grip Marvin Haven on ‘The Pickup,’ Fundraiser Details

This is a great dad, and a portrait of fatherhood so powerful it practically makes you believe in fatherhood all over again. Norton is attractive even as his disease subtly starts to take its toll and he’s — unremarked upon — suddenly wearing knit caps, his face appearing a bit more weathered. But the film avoids “hot dad” tropes as well. You almost think that’s going to happen when a woman starts talking to him and Michael at the grocery store and says to Michael how lucky he is to have a dad who’s going to bake a cake. But that’s just that. There’s no real flirtation there, and romance and sex are things John appears to have put behind him. So many times you think a particular trope is going to be indulged, Pasolini avoids them.

But these are minor quibbles for a film so emotionally overwhelming yet understated in execution. How on earth has this movie not received a U.S. release until nearly four years after its Venice premiere? Was there a fear that the thick Northern Irish accents throughout are inaccessible to an American audience? Is the aversion to films about loss that profound? Pasolini’s next movie, “The Return,” an adaptation of “The Odyssey” starring Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche, is likely getting a release from Bleecker Street this summer. At the very least, “Nowhere Special” is one of the great father-son movies . There’s truth behind these tears.

“Nowhere Special” premiered in Horizons at the 2020 Venice Film Festival. It opens April 26 in New York and L.A. from Cohen Media Group, with a national rollout to follow.

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Lego ninjago: masters of spinjitzu: possession, common sense media reviewers.

Teamwork, loyalty, and some cartoon violence in fun series.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Teamwork, loyalty, patience, and coping with loss

The Ninja are loyal but don't always follow the in

Lots of martial arts moves, including kicks, flips

Nothing sexy, but there are romantic tensions and

The series is a commercial for the Ninjago line of

Parents need to know that Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu: Possession is the fifth season of the Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu series. Like its predecessors, this season has lots of fantasy violence and serves as a commercial vehicle for Lego Ninjago toys and games. However, loyalty, teamwork…

Positive Messages

Teamwork, loyalty, patience, and coping with loss are themes.

Positive Role Models

The Ninja are loyal but don't always follow the instructions. Master Wu is wise and experienced.

Violence & Scariness

Lots of martial arts moves, including kicks, flips, and people getting knocked down. Ghosts possess people and things, making them scary.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Nothing sexy, but there are romantic tensions and jealousy between members of the group over Nya.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

The series is a commercial for the Ninjago line of Lego.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu: Possession is the fifth season of the Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu series. Like its predecessors, this season has lots of fantasy violence and serves as a commercial vehicle for Lego Ninjago toys and games. However, loyalty, teamwork, and sacrifice are common themes, making this a solid choice for action lovers. The loss of a loved one also is a central theme in this series installment.

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Community Reviews

• Parents say (3)
• Kids say (14)

Based on 3 parent reviews

Kinda scary for young ones

What's the story.

LEGO NINJAGO: MASTERS OF SPINJITZU: POSSESSION is the fifth season of the Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu series. While Master Wu ( Paul Dobson ) is building up his tea farm business, Lloyd ( Jillian Michaels ) struggles with the loss of his father. While on a solo mission, he walks into a trap that results in him being possessed by Morro, a ghost that has escaped the Cursed Realm. Kai's ( Vincent Tong ) younger sister Nya ( Kelly Metzger ) joins the rest of the teen Ninja as they attempt to stop Lloyd from cursing the Sixteen Realms at the Tomb of the First Spinjitzu and releasing Morro's master, the Preeminent. As if this isn't hard enough, they're also learning the art of Airjitzu.

Is It Any Good?

Like its predecessors, this latest installment of the energetic franchise features the young Ninja team pulling together to save Ninjago from destruction. Like most teenagers, the crew loses patience and bends some rules, but Master Wu is there to remind them that wisdom comes with time, obedience, and experience.

Fans of the series will enjoy the story, but younger kids nervous about ghosts may get a little jittery during certain scenes. It's not particularly educational either. But Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu: Possession offers a story that underscores the importance of patience as well as teamwork.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about what makes the Ninjago franchise so popular. Is it because it's based on Lego characters? The stories? The action?

How can a TV show promote things to viewers without directly telling them to buy them? Does Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu: Possession do this? If so, how?

• Premiere date : May 27, 2018
• Cast : Paul Dobson , Kelly Metzger , Jillian Michaels
• Network : Cartoon Network
• Genre : Kids' Animation
• Character Strengths : Teamwork
• TV rating : TV-Y7-FV
• Last updated : July 10, 2023

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‘Unsung Hero’ Review: Music Dedicated to the One They Love

In fact, there’s a lot of singing in the clan whose members inspired this movie and who have racked up five Grammy Awards for their Christian recordings.

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By Nicolas Rapold

In the faith-based drama “Unsung Hero,” an Australian concert promoter trying to earn a living makes a last-ditch move to Nashville with his wife and six children. Based on an actual family of musicians, it mostly plays as a treacly tribute to the parents of Joel and Luke Smallbone — a.k.a. the Christian pop duo For King & Country — and their sister, the singer Rebecca St. James.

Viewer beware: Between the uplift and the cringe, this movie may cause whiplash. Joel Smallbone plays his own father, David, who faces financial and reputational ruin after booking a big concert and failing to pack the house. He resettles the family in the United States, but no job materializes. His pep-talking spouse, Helen (Daisy Betts), and their beatific children pull up bootstraps and practically whistle while they work, but it’s not enough.

Community, humility and the power of prayer are the lessons on offer in their story, set in the 1990s, bathed in warm light and interspersed with home video segments. Fellow churchgoers pitch in, and David gets over himself; he secures auditions for his teenage daughter, Rebecca (Kirrilee Berger), who keeps breaking into dulcet song about how everything is beautiful. The outcome of “Unsung Hero,” as written and directed by Richard L. Ramsey and Joel Smallbone, is never in doubt, though the climax has a kicker line that genuinely surprises with its laughable shamelessness.

The family business has become a success: Rebecca, Joel and Luke have won five Grammys among them. But despite the fuzzy good intentions, it’s tough to make much of this making-of story.

Unsung Hero Rated PG. Running time: 1 hour 52 minutes. In theaters.

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