To most, if not all Bionicle fans, Bionicle: Mask of Light is a priceless gem and a cornerstone of Bionicle lore. Based on the Bionicle LEGO franchise and released in 2003, this direct-to-video animated film set a new storytelling standard for the Bionicle franchise. Most importantly, this movie brought the beloved characters of the Bionicle universe to life in a beautiful way. And after all these years, with a few caveats, the film still largely lives up to the hype.
Obviously, Bionicle: Mask of Light was made for kids -- the demographic which the entire franchise was being marketed towards -- so it isn't the most complex movie. It didn't need to be, though. It told a fun story and everyone got to watch their favorite characters on TV. LEGO pretty much accomplished what it set out to do. Not to mention, the film received a pretty positive response overall for what it was.
Of course, nostalgia plays a key role in how much any fan enjoys this movie, but that can only take things so far. Granted, the film is still incredibly fun to watch, and fairly quotable, but there are plenty of pros and cons to Bionicle: Mask of Light. Let's take a deeper look.
Mask of Light Keeps its Story Simple
Unlike most other Bionicle stories, Bionicle: Mask of Light doesn't follow the heroic Toa Nuva in their quest to defeat the shadowy Makuta and safeguard the Matoran. Rather, the film revolves around two of those Matoran, Takua and Jaller (voiced by Jason Michas and Andrew Francis), as they look for the prophesized Toa of Light. On their journey, the two Matoran team up with the Toa at various points while also facing the vicious Rahkshi, the sons of the Makuta. Ultimately realizing his own destiny, Takua becomes the Toa of Light Takanuva, battles Makuta (voiced by Lee Tockar) and saves the spirit of Mata Nui.
All-in-all, the story is pretty straightforward. Given how the Bionicle comics and other storytelling mediums had already done plenty to flesh out the Toa, it made sense to use them more like side characters this time around and focus on other faces. The theme of self-discovery is at the forefront of Takua and Jaller's journey. It might not be the most graceful handling of the concept, but considering this is a kids' film, it's good for what it is.
If there's anything resembling a side plot, it would be the one involving the Toa. The focus is mostly on Tahu (voiced by Scott McNeil), who has trouble accepting that he needs his Toa brothers and sister. He grows more and more aggressive towards the other Toa throughout the film, especially Gali (voiced by Kathleen Barr). This thread resolves predictably, though, as the Toa all come together by the end of the film to defeat the Rahkshi. It's not a lousy subplot, but it's nothing special either.
Mask of Light's Characters Are a Mixed Bag
Jaller and Takua get the most screen time of any of the characters. These two best friends both act as interesting foils to each other. Jaller is confident in himself while Takua has absolutely no clue who he is. It's obvious what the filmmakers were doing with these characters, but through them, the theme of self-discovery is fleshed out quite well -- or at least well enough that kids will understand it. So, overall, these two Matoran make for great protagonists.
It's understandable why the Toa sort of get shafted in this film, but it's hard not to be a little ticked off that they have next to nothing to do. What action the Toa do see isn't really enough to show off their full potential, which is upsetting. Thankfully, the characters themselves are handled fairly well. Tahu is appropriately hot-headed, Gali is noble, Lewa is free-spirited, Kopaka is a huge loner and Pohatu is quick-witted. The only real upset is Onua, who has next to no screen time and comes off as a bit of a blockhead for some reason, which isn't how the character normally acts.
If there's any one character who is clean top to bottom, it's Makuta. The Master of Shadows is threatening from start to finish, thanks in no small part to Lee Tockar's voice work for the character. His final battle with Takanuva is pretty lackluster (why did he challenge him to a game of kolhii?), but his menacing aura can't be denied otherwise.
Mask of Light's Animation Gets The Job Done
For a film that came out in 2003, the animation of Bionicle: Mask of Light still holds up pretty well overall. While the environments can be blurry at times, there's at least a noticeable distinction between every village and setting. The heat of Ta-Koro (the fire village) and the freezing cold of Ko-Koro are fully apparent in the appropriate scenes, and the jungle of Le-Koro is a fairly pleasant sight.
Literal character animations are hit or miss, sadly. While some animations are sloppy, lazy, or even used repeatedly (there's a clip during the final battle that is deliberately used twice), other movements and actions are focused and slick. The particle effects are surprisingly clean for the most part. The biggest disappointment comes from any action scenes, which are especially cheap and do very little to show off the characters' abilities. But for an animated film from 2003, these animations get the job done well enough.
What's most impressive regarding the film's animation is how faithful it is to the original designs of the Bionicle toys while also being unique in its own right. Bionicles have always been described closer to cyborgs, and the characters are animated with what appears to be organic matter along with their obviously robotic parts. You can tell there are specific Bionicle pieces animated onto the character models, which is really cool to look at. So, even if it's outdated, the animation in this film works for what it is.
Mask of Light Absolutely Holds Up
Overall, Bionicle: Mask of Light is probably about as good as fans remember it being when it first came out. It stands to reason that most people outside of the Bionicle fandom might not be interested in this animated movie, but for any and all true fans of the franchise, it has definitely managed to stand the test of time (by some stroke of luck). So, to any fans out there, make sure you give this film another watch when you can.