Morgan Freeman: From wise mentor to Hilariously Flawed Wizard!
Morgan Freeman: The Master of Mentor Roles (and Unexpected Comedy!)
Morgan Freeman is legendary. Six decades of acting; roles ranging from serious dramas to hilarious comedies. Most know him for those wise, guiding mentor roles – think Se7en or even Bruce Almighty (playing God!). This particular character typecasting helped create a deep image and identity surrounding him and those viewers will know why some fans were excited or even somewhat surprised when some characters show up in these roles. Yet there is also that fun comedic aspect to it as well, which completely complements and adds to this versatile aspect about him! This image was completely subverted in an absolutely brilliant manner through the iconic role Vitruvius.
We are talking about Vitruvius, in The Lego Movie. This absolutely unexpected role from Freeman’s typical serious acting is what elevates this character, taking a relatively normal aspect, such as those kinds of "wise old mentors" in those classic heroic narratives that involve a wide cast, from a standard character to someone actually memorable. Let’s unpack this! The creative storytelling methods from this game were never completely seen anywhere before and have truly become a critical part for why The Lego Movie became such a success.
Vitruvius: The Wise Mentor Who Made It All Up!
Vitruvius? That classic mentor archetype— wise, experienced, offering guidance, but not necessarily anything truthful either; and those specific roles are what completely flips Freeman’s typical character persona completely, adding a different perspective that the audience likely was not aware of – making those earlier appearances completely surprising for everyone. This particular character was designed as an "old man with a vast history; " in fact, this one added the details that a wise, talented magician fits this role perfectly. This choice however, completely subverting expectations through adding comedic elements into his design!
Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, The Lego Movie features Emmett Brickowski (voiced by Chris Pratt). He’s just an ordinary Lego minifigure. He eventually has to become part of this resistance group that tries to defeat this truly nefarious mastermind– Lord Business. This villain, after some other disastrous and violent interactions eventually encounters Vitruvius; who guides Emmett (along with other heroes like Wyldstyle and Batman) in some important interactions that will greatly impact and determine how this larger, ongoing conflict ends.
Here's the hilarious twist. Vitruvius makes up the prophecy! This completely undercuts this whole “wise mentor” role; this addition demonstrates creative intent to change those pre-existing expectations. He dies heroically later in this storyline – yet that hilarious lie is made known and even shown in the end where he becomes a ghostly version of himself. All the dramatic flair for his eventual return makes this ending satisfying in an unusual way.
Vitruvius’s Brief (and Hilarious) Reappearance in The Lego Movie 2
The Lego Movie’s success brings forth its 2019 sequel, The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part. That movie was surprisingly good. This sequel has all the same characters: Emmett and pals. It’s completely unrelated to that initial story arc! In fact, we get to revisit Vitruvius briefly, too, during this later story; and it actually brings his character back as an iconic character; showcasing once again, the impact of this relatively small detail; the importance that he truly had upon all the characters from the first story!
Vitruvius (this time, voiced by an uncredited actor, this time around—sadly, no more Freeman!), shows up for two incredibly brief moments – the beginning of the entire story which adds an appropriate level of nostalgia; while in his second brief cameo, this one completely different; is still as amusing and helps tie this new storyline directly to what came before. His earlier hilarious storyline adds further to this totally awesome role from Freeman’s vast career – completely subverting what he’s actually known for! This addition shows just why that brief inclusion truly made him the legendary figure that has earned so much popularity!
Conclusion: Morgan Freeman's Masterclass in Genre-Bending Comedy
Morgan Freeman’s Vitruvius isn’t simply an amazing “wise mentor” character; instead; this shows the perfect combination of taking that easily-understood archetype and making it into something else entirely different–completely reversing the typical approach and expectation, which is not common in all of these kinds of films and is why this detail remains memorable for many involved; becoming an almost symbolic moment involving a highly accomplished and well-respected actor’s use of skill within this particular role which continues to earn praise; further solidifying Freeman's place within these unique, hilarious, creative moments in movie history that are surprisingly easy to create.
