For a movie most fans are destined only to experience on their television sets, there was nothing small-screen about the new BIONICLE® 2: Legends of Metru Nui premiere last Wednesday night. From the marquee to the Toa greeting and posing for pictures at the entrance, Disneys El Capitan Theater in Hollywood, California played host to the feature and guests in regal Hollywood style. Attendees included kids and parents alike, as well as many of the talented people responsible for bringing this second installment to DVD. As my son Ben (5 years old) and I settled in with our popcorn and soda, we took in the various BIONICLE discussions circulating around us until the lights dimmed and all eyes turned to the silver screen.
As with Mask of Light , the movie opens with a brief history of the BIONICLE world before jumping feet first into the action. In whats best described as a prequel, Legends of Metru Nui is set prior to the events of Mask of Light , before the foundation of Mata Nui, island home of the BIONICLE world. A lone Toa, LHIKAN, last Toa of Metru Nui, investigating the mysterious disappearing heart of Metru Nui, enlists the aid of six Matoran and empowers them with the keys to becoming the next generation of Toa. From there the six must discover their individual mask powers and learn to work together in order to save the heart of Metru Nui before a growing darkness consumes and destroys their great city.
The story and imagery are much darker than Mask of Light , and in many ways much more compelling. Though I was initially concerned about it being too dark for my five year old, Ben was thoroughly engrossed in the story. Centered on the Toa and their task as protectors, Legends surpasses the first BIONICLE movie in dealing with the main characters of the mythos and their relation to the Matoran and Turaga. The inclusion of the Dark Hunters was a nice upgrade from the seemingly mindless automaton qualities of the Rahkshi, and made for more than a few comedic moments. As with Mask of Light , similarities between this movie and other popular myth-based films is quite apparent. Whether it be the disembodied voice of evil, the visionary flashes of impending doom, or the deceit of a trusted leader with drastically ulterior motives, there is something for every fan of this genre of film or literature. As easy as it was to make connections between BIONICLE 2 and such classic films as Lord of the Rings and Star Wars , in making those connections so effortlessly I had to wonder why Legends was not seeing a theatrical release.
From a cinematic stand point Legends is beautifully animated, rich in textures and color, with a soundtrack that rivals the likes of Williams and Shore as it pertains to the story unfolding before your eyes. Nathan Furst has once again done a superb job of putting emotion into the film through musical composition.
BIONICLE 2 is a very strong film and boasts many of the production qualities expected in big-budget Hollywood blockbusters while imbued with valuable life lessons parents would be eager to share with their children. The talented teams at Creative Capers and The LEGO Company have produced another top-notch feature to support the BIONICLE line and myth. As a parent of four, I see a lot of toy-based films targeted at children solely geared to sell product; Bionicle 2: Legends of Metru Nui , in my opinion, goes far beyond that facet and is the best product-driven movie Ive seen to date. My son and I are already looking forward to BIONICLE 3 next Fall.
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