TV Review: "LEGO Disney Princess: Villains Unite" Turns Playtime into Adventure

Following the success of the 2023 Disney+ special LEGO Disney Princess: The Castle Quest, Disney+ once again celebrates World Princess Week with a direct follow-up - LEGO Disney Princess: Villains Unite. This half-hour special adds more characters to this imaginative brick version of some of Disney’s best-known fairytales, and also incorporates more playsets that have since been introduced. Best of all, some of the original voices of these timeless characters reprise their roles!

Snow White, Ariel, Tiana, Rapunzel, and Moana have become an integral part of the village surrounding the magical castle they share, with every day feeling like a dream come true… until Gaston returns! Having recruited help from more Disney Villains - the Evil Queen, Ursula, and Jafar - Gaston makes yet another attempt to seize the castle for himself. Thankfully, the princesses summon some help via the Magic Mirror - Cinderella, Aurora, and Belle. Can the power of love and friendship once again defeat the vain and selfish villains?

Jodi Benson (Ariel), Richard White (Gaston), Jonathan Freeman (Jafar), Anika Noni Rose (Tiana), Mandy Moore (Rapunzel), and Auli’i Cravalho (Moana) all reprise roles of characters they first brought to life in corresponding animated classics. As with The Castle Quest, Villains Unite is like watching playtime come to life. As LEGO versions of these characters, they say and do things that feel foreign to their original film, such as Rapunzel trying to find a new household item that can become a weapon, but it’s all in good fun.

While the half-hour animated special mostly plays to kids, there are some fun references for adult Disney fans. Part of Gaston’s plans include unleashing the “Bog Monster," which turns into a fun cameo. And Sir Hiss from Robin Hood becomes somewhat of a sidekick for Gaston this time around. Plus, fans will find a few Disney Princess animal friends popping up here and there.

Naturally, this special includes several LEGO products that are available for purchase. The Ultimate Adventure Castle from the first special is retired, but a similar cohabitated palace was just released that emphasizes animal sidekick characters. The marketplace in the village is populated with shops from the Disney Princess Market Adventure set, including Tiana’s restaurant, Cinderella’s dress shop, Aurora’s hotel, and Ariel’s antique store, plus the central fountain.

Both LEGO Disney Princess specials inspire kids to use their imagination to create new adventures for these classic characters. LEGO Disney Princess: Villains Unite is another entertaining offering from the LEGO animated universe, and while elements of it may feel like a toy commercial, at the end of the day, what it really does is inspire kids to create a better world, which just so happens to be the current Disney Princess marketing campaign - “Create Your World." What better way to do that than with LEGO?

LEGO Disney Princess: Villains Unite is now streaming on Disney+.

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