Why the hate towards The Legend Reborn?

[Vraiment]

Since I joined the forum I've read bad comments towards the movie. I just finished watching it and I think is FAR superior than the original trilogy: the plot, the design, the dialogues, voice actors (except Tuma, Kiina and Beryx). Everything is better, by the end it slips a little yet is a whole lot better... Even the fight scenes are better and in the originals we had toa with elemental and masks powers!

[Toa Malachives]

Though I don't agree with everything you said it was a great movie and I don't know why it has so much hate. I remember when I was sick on my birthday (it was quite a rare reaction to the virus that usually lasted two week and made you sick but mine lasted six months and I was pretty sick) and I had wanted to go to the movies but instead we got movies from the video store (when we had those lol) one of them being The Legand Reborn. I loved it so much

[Sir Kohran]

Well, as the first (and currently only) Bionicle movie since the rather underwhelming Web of Shadows in 2005, expectations for it were pretty high.

[Nidhiki of the Shadows]

I think it boils down to 3 factors for me:

-Really wooden fights kind of pull me out of the action

-Unmemorable, sometimes even grating musical score

-Awful last fourth of the movie

 

Seriously, I loved the movie from the start to when Mata Nui and his Glatorian buds make it to Tesara. After that it kind of falls apart. The battle between Tuma and Mata Nui is just awful (with Berix explaining the whole thing when we can see it QUITE CLEARLY), cringe-worthy dialogue, and one of the most empty and stiff wars I have seen in the history of animated movies. Not to mention sequel-bait (that we never even got, to boot).

 

Also, the movie doesn't really add anything to the lore. The lab of the Great Beings is kind of cool but doesn't really play a pivotal part in the bigger picture. After lots of supplementary material in 2009 hinting at the Core War, Great Spirit Robot, and The Shattering, I think a lot of people were expecting some more actual revelations and explanations in this film. 

 

The action sequences, IMO, are not better. It's pretty much just a turn-based RPG in film format. One Glatorian swings. He misses! The other does. He hits! Repeat. This drags on, it's not exciting and not in any way fluid either. The best fight was the 1 minute fight between Tarix and Vastus, which had both fighting at a nice speed. For the rest of the film's action, I'd rather watch that 10 second fight between Vakama and Matau in WoS on repeat any day. 

 

Speaking of the original trilogy, LoMN and MoL did action in a different way, avoiding direct violence for more of a "problem-solving" approach. Despite that, the pacing, fluidity, and stakes in those (by-comparison) more juvenile fight scenes surpasses anything The Legend Reborn had going for it. And of course, WoS had an awesome battle in The Coliseum that is more loads more epic and dynamic than the Skrall-Glatorian battle (which doesn't even show the periphery army doing anything).

 

Finally, compared to Nathan Furst's soundtrack, John D'eandra's musical score is very... generic. It's not memorable and it barely enhances the mood of the story. 

 

That being said, I still love a lot of the elements of the movie. The animation (minus the stiff battling) is gorgeous for the most part, and the character models are nicely detailed and weathered. The voice-acting is actually amazing and it's definitely one of the best parts of the production as a whole. First half is still really high up there in my books, I wish it didn't flub up so hard in the last bit.

 

It's not a bad movie by any means - as a family direct-to-dvd movie it can't get much better. I'm sure kids loved it and has a good message for sure.

 

Since I'm actually finishing Raid on Vulcanus (which, by the way, would have made an amazing film) I'm pretty much on The Legend Reborn arc of 2009 so I'll probably revisit this movie tomorrow. I'll update this post if my opinions have changed for better or worse in the last couple of years since I've seen it.

 

-NotS

[Rider Of Spiders]

I kinda liked it, but those you-spin-me-right-round pegs are off putting.

[25K Now!]

In my opinion, it isn't horrible, but it's just ... pretty bland.

[Xabla]

No revelations. They should have made a 2010/2011 movie instead, with TONS of reviled secrets.

[TheSkeletonMan939]

There was an almost unbelievable amount of anticipation for the film. Who was the traitor? What would happen to Mata Nui? Would he make it back to the Matoran Universe?

 

Well, we learned who the traitor was from one of the stupid trailers, so scratch that off the list. Nothing really happened to Mata Nui except for the fact that he made a couple buddies. The only part of the movie I really enjoyed was the bit where Mata Nui goes into the basement of the Great Beings' lair. That scene ended too soon.

 

Disappointing soundtrack, disappointing fight sequences, too much revealed through trailers... by Bionicle standards, it's not a bad movie, but there's nothing special about it. You could read the book version and get the exact same experience.

[Toa Green Ninja]

Having a 2010 finale movie would have been much better. It's too late, though. I didn't hate TLR, but I didn't entirely love it, either.

[Toa of Ice - 1987]

I think it's average and felt that Click(the beetle) was way too gimmicky as a weapon. also the interior of mata nui's giant robot was poorly portrayed in the movie(no islands or metru nui, just crowds of matoran in a shopping mall with a energy source)

[Banana Gunz]

It just... didn't do anything. I agree, I loved it when I saw it as a kid but after re-watching it, everything about it a from the action to the voice actors just didn't work. The plot as a whole could've been really interesting, but it wasn't a good introduction to Bara-Magna and the tone was too goofy in places. Comedy and laughs are good, but only when they can be pulled off well. The main problem was that it felt like you were being told things. You were being told that Bara-Magna is a sad place, told that the people struggled day to day and life was dangerous, being told this, and that. But when making a movie, you have to show, not just tell. The struggle with tone really hindered this and just the fact that there were no centralized themes to make the movie have a point or meaning. The movie wasn't all bad, but it's ideas were never expanded on much and it just flopped and fell short of what people expected to bring life into a wave of sets and story that had disappointed so far. Mata-Nui had a real story to tell, but I never felt like I cared, when the movie's job was to make me feel attached and affected by it.

 

I hold absolutely nothing against those who love it, you have every right to, I mean even I have my own bit of nostalgia from that movie, but looking at it realistically I have found there to be a lot of problems with it that really keep it from holding up.

[UngluedBike]

From what I've seen it looks fairly cheesy and bland, but I feel terrible for not watching it, I just don't want to commit money to film that I probably won't enjoy. Could someone link me to a cheap Ebay listing?

 

EDIT: Or I could get off my lazy butt and find one, which I have.

Edited December 20, 2014 by UngluedBike

[Flex Lord Splash]

I liked it simply because the characters looked way more like the sets then the characters did in the old films. It also bothered me they made everyone's eyes red in MOL.

[LegoSWfan]

The pros:

 

The first bionicle movie in six years

 

Mata nui awakens

 

The cons:

 

Spinny pins

 

Too similar to the toys (blue pins on fire guy!?)

 

Rip your ears off voices from the girl water fighter and little water boy.

 

Rock guys shown as a swarm, just like the visorak and Vahki

 

No really big secrets reviled.

 

Although its been a few years since I've seen it, I don't remember anything overly amazing about it.

[dotcom]

Rock guys shown as a swarm, just like the visorak and Vahki

 

To be fair, that's pretty much just what the Skrall were.

[Rahkshi Lalonde]

 

Rock guys shown as a swarm, just like the visorak and Vahki

 

To be fair, that's pretty much just what the Skrall were.

 

 

yeah, that's the problem. :b

[dotcom]

 

 

Rock guys shown as a swarm, just like the visorak and Vahki

 

To be fair, that's pretty much just what the Skrall were.

 

 

yeah, that's the problem. :b

 

Well, I mean, perhaps. But that's not really on the movie, it's just how it was. I suppose you could say it is on the film for not really making, say, Stronius a character, though, but that's different.

[LegoSWfan]

 

 

 

 

Rock guys shown as a swarm, just like the visorak and Vahki

 

To be fair, that's pretty much just what the Skrall were.

yeah, that's the problem. :b

Yup.

[Regitnui]

It was good to see thebionicle world back on film, but as the first part of a trilogy that was never finished, it raises more questions than answers. It's all setup and no payoff,

[UngluedBike]

It was good to see thebionicle world back on film, but as the first part of a trilogy that was never finished, it raises more questions than answers. It's all setup and no payoff,

Not gonna lie, I think it helped kill Gen 1.

[dotcom]

 

It was good to see thebionicle world back on film, but as the first part of a trilogy that was never finished, it raises more questions than answers. It's all setup and no payoff,

Not gonna lie, I think it helped kill Gen 1.

 

Preeeetty sure that decision was long past made at that point.

[LegoSWfan]

Then why put money into a sinking franchise?

[UngluedBike]

 

 

It was good to see thebionicle world back on film, but as the first part of a trilogy that was never finished, it raises more questions than answers. It's all setup and no payoff,

Not gonna lie, I think it helped kill Gen 1.

 

Preeeetty sure that decision was long past made at that point.

 

In that case, I don't think it changed their minds.

 

Then why put money into a sinking franchise?

They had to give a long running series a good send off (whether it really was that, I don't know, but at least Lego tried). Edited December 21, 2014 by UngluedBike

[LegoSWfan]

Then why put money into a movie for a sinking franchise?

Whoops! Double post!

[UngluedBike]

Then why put money into a movie for a sinking franchise?

Whoops! Double post!

I must have posted in the split second between the first press of post and the second. So actually you can just edit your second post into a reply Edited December 21, 2014 by UngluedBike

[LegoSWfan]

Oh its fine.

[dotcom]

Then why put money into a sinking franchise?

I can't say I know for sure, but I'm guessing TLR was in development for quite a long time, so by the time they decided to end the line it had gotten to a point where not releasing the film would have been more of a loss. As I understand it, they decided to end it in late 2008 or early 2009 or so (I think I remember hearing that they made the final decision after seeing how the first wave post "reboot" did, which was evidently not that great.) While I guess perhaps if the movie had been a tremendous success maybe it could have saved the line at the last minute (which was always going to be a long shot) I doubt it really affected things in either way by that point.

[LegoSWfan]

It was the last lifeboat on a sadly doomed franchise

[UngluedBike]

 

Then why put money into a sinking franchise?

(I think I remember hearing that they made the final decision after seeing how the first wave post "reboot" did, which was evidently not that great.)

 

And this is another problem of mine, I really don't understand the hate towards the Glatorian sets either.

 

But that's discussion for another thread, I'll possibly make a topic, similar to this, but towards 2009-2010 in general.

[LegoSWfan]

I'll see you there.

[Owlexander]

I think most of the hate comes off from where the movie left off. I was confused as a kid until I got the next comic and realized what was happening.

[Boidoh]

 

Rock guys shown as a swarm, just like the visorak and Vahki

 

To be fair, that's pretty much just what the Skrall were.

 

The Skrall and Bone Hunters(they weren't even bone hunters! They were Atakus clones on a Rock Steed. LOOK AT THEIR HELMETS!) were probably at the intelligence level of a Vorox or something in those movies. There were about 10 Stronius clones all about when he was supposed to be the only one to look like that. They all spoke like mindless beasts.

 

I loved TLR because the 09' story was different. Now I read Raid on Vulcanus, that book was great, and made TLR look like Artakha Bull droppings.

Edited December 22, 2014 by Boidoh

[dotcom]

 

 

Rock guys shown as a swarm, just like the visorak and Vahki

 

To be fair, that's pretty much just what the Skrall were.

 

The Skrall and Bone Hunters(they weren't even bone hunters! They were Atakus clones on a Rock Steed. LOOK AT THEIR HELMETS!) were probably at the intelligence level of a Vorox or something in those movies. There were about 10 Stronius clones all about when he was supposed to be the only one to look like that. They all spoke like mindless beasts.

 

I loved TLR because the 09' story was different. Now I read Raid on Vulcanus, that book was great, and made TLR look like Artakha Bull droppings.

 

That's not true. Stronius was part of his own class of Skrall, and he wasn't the only one in that class.

But yeah, the way they just overpowered them was unrealistic. Them's the breaks with this movie :/

[Shaymin36]

I personally really liked TLR! I just dislike the voice acting and dialogue. I think most of the hate comes from people hating on 2009 in general, and not having the old characters.

[bioniclepluslotr]

Cheesiness factor increased over 9000.

[Boidoh]

 

 

 

Rock guys shown as a swarm, just like the visorak and Vahki

 

To be fair, that's pretty much just what the Skrall were.

 

The Skrall and Bone Hunters(they weren't even bone hunters! They were Atakus clones on a Rock Steed. LOOK AT THEIR HELMETS!) were probably at the intelligence level of a Vorox or something in those movies. There were about 10 Stronius clones all about when he was supposed to be the only one to look like that. They all spoke like mindless beasts.

 

I loved TLR because the 09' story was different. Now I read Raid on Vulcanus, that book was great, and made TLR look like Artakha Bull droppings.

 

That's not true. Stronius was part of his own class of Skrall, and he wasn't the only one in that class.

But yeah, the way they just overpowered them was unrealistic. Them's the breaks with this movie :/

 

Evidence on the Stronius? No mention of any other special force Skrall besides him.

 

Edit: I stand corrected, but it was stated there are very few. In TLR there were tons!

Edited December 22, 2014 by Boidoh

[PDPsi HAN]

We're probably too old for TLR, since it's target audience is quite young. 

While the highlight for me was Worf voicing Mata Nui, I can understand why some people did not enjoy the kid influence on a lot of the action scenes. 

[Tuuli]

Tuna, kiina and berix are popular and talented voice actors. I love the legend reborn I don't get the hate towards it, besides that they didn't finish the series