“The Star Wars Holiday Special” is regarded as one of the worst holiday specials – and one of the worst things to come out of the “SW” franchise – EVER. But if you’re concerned about the brand-new “LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special”, don’t be.
I’ll be surprised – let me rephrase that, STUNNED, if LucasFilm fanatics don’t absolutely love this new 45-minute special debuting on Disney+. Writer David Shayne and director Ken Cunningham have put a substantial amount of care into the story, the dialogue and the design and placement of specific scenes.
On Life Day, Rey is looking to learn more about the strength and power of The Force. And in doing so, she gets to experience some key moments in the “Star Wars” saga. And we get to re-live them… in LEGO form.
These sequences are the most fun and impressive. They’re well-animated and clever, filled with references large and small. Some characters provide twice or three times the normal amount of impact. (You’ll understand that once you watch it.) And even a certain lil’ guy shows up. Diehard fans will be thoroughly entertained by these portions of “The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special”.
A couple of “SW” legends, Anthony Daniels and Billy Dee Williams, voice C-3P0 and Lando, respectively. The rest of the voice actors are totally game, too. The first five minutes or so are slow, and the Life Day ‘party prep’ antics are standard but amusing. What’s smartest about them, though, is the involvement of Chewbacca’s family, which is a deliberate nod to the ‘70s “Star Wars Holiday Special”.
The makers know they want to make-up for what happened last time and give the old and new generations of “Star Wars” lovers a holiday-themed ensemble piece to embrace. And they triumphantly succeed.