‘LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation’ Review – Reminiscent of the After-School Specials of Old

Synopsis:

Finn has arranged a surprise vacation for his friends aboard the Galactic Starcruiser, The Halcyon! But Finn’s plan quickly goes awry when he’s separated from the group. Alone on board the Halcyon, Finn encounters three Force Spirits — Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker and Princess Leia, who each share their own unexpected stories of vacations gone wrong.

The one constant in life is change. Friendships, relationships, family, jobs, every aspect of your life morphs and evolves constantly. Whether it’s for the good or just plain bad, things don’t always stay the same and you don’t have control over most of it. However, what you can control is how you respond to the changes and how you move forward. Think before you react and adapt.

“No one’s ever really gone.”

Even heroes need a vacation. If you just saved the universe, what do you think you would need? Probably a little rest and relaxation. Directed by Ken Cunningham, LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation is reminiscent of the after-school specials of old. With a very familiar cast of characters from the light and dark side of the Force, there are lessons to be learned from the Rebel Alliance as well as the Empire. Taking place in between somewhat recent events, there are references to films that are relatively new. Continuing with the legacy of past LEGO Star Wars television specials, LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation is a fun, goofy, and educational adventure for the whole family.

If you have to learn, might as well involve some lightsabers and Force activity, right? Right! Led by Finn’s sadness and frustration that this may be the last time that all of his friends will be together, he ends up being visited by 3 Force ghosts that take him on a reflective journey that results in positive realizations. It also further confirms that Finn is indeed Force-sensitive. He is taught lessons such as having fun in the moment, doing what you love, and that no one is ever really gone. Not only can he immediately use what he learns for his dilemma, but they are gentle reminders to us all. From a karaoke ruse, a beach takeover, to a family trip, the memories of the past are a lot of fun with one being a precursor to an eventual dark event. With its tie-ins to the film franchise, wackiness, and fast pace, the special is sure to delight those who experience it, even if a bit cheesy. The voice acting is vivacious, the animation is on par, and most importantly, the kids will love it. Its rewatchability is medium.

Pacing & Pop

The pacing is perfect. The special wastes no time getting the adventure started and diving into the heart of the story. It’s able to cover three short stories in a quick and concise way. What popped for me was actually the not-so-subtle after-school special cloak that is draped upon the Finn and the crew. It may seem corny at times, but sometimes lessons need to be obvious and told in plain language.

Characters & Chemistry

Starring; “Weird Al” Yankovic, Yvette Nicole Brown, Thomas Lennon, Paul F. Tompkins, Dee Bradley Baker, Ashly Burch, Kyliegh Curran, Anthony Daniels, Trevor Devall, Allie Feder, Jake Green, Matt Lanter, Ross Marquand, Omar Miller, Kevin Michael Richardson, Matt Sloan, James Arnold Taylor, Kelly Marie Tran, Helen Sadler, Billy Dee Williams, Matthew Wood, and Shelby Young

Like most LEGO projects, the cast is incredibly lively and filled with familiar voices. The delight and playfulness in their voices not only set the tone but lift your spirits. I can’t say that there is any performance in particular that stands out but there are some voices that do. We all know and love the strong bassly voice of Kevin Michael Richardson. After years of watching Drake & Josh, Talking Dead, and binging Community, Yvette Nicole Brown has become a very warm and distinct voice that I always welcome. And Kelly Marie Tran and Billy Dee Williams voice the animated versions of their actual characters.

LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation premieres on Disney+ on August 5, 2022. Stay safe and may the force be with you.

Rated: TV-G

Runtime: 45m

Director: Ken Cunningham

Writer: David Shayne

Executive Producers: David Shayne, James Waugh, Josh Rimes, Jacqui Lopez, Jill Wilfert, Keith Malone, Jennifer Twiner Mccarron, Jason Cosler

Production Services: Atomic Cartoons

Score: John Williams

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZnXjJqJp8g]