Bionicle: The Legend Reborn

Between the endless list of sci-fi options, Bionicle: The Legend Reborn is the one that earns the time. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. 132 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Dee Bradley Baker sets the tone, and the world-building does the rest. There is no real reason to keep putting it off.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Bionicle: The Legend Reborn is worth clearing space for. Bionicle: The Legend Reborn uses its genre premise as cover for asking bigger questions. Once the ruler of an entire universe, the Great Spirit Mata Nui finds himself cast out of his own body, his spirit trapped inside the fabled Mask of Life, hurtling through space. After landing on the far-away planet of Bara Magna, the mask creates a new body for Mata Nui, who unwillingly gets caught up in the furious battles of the nearly barren and dangerous planet. Dee Bradley Baker and Jeff Bennett lead a cast that keeps the bigger ideas grounded in something human. It hit screens in 2009. What separates Bionicle: The Legend Reborn from lesser genre entertainment is a willingness to let the concept cost the characters something. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

For late-night viewing or a proper weekend binge, Bionicle: The Legend Reborn fits the bill. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Dee Bradley Baker grounds the bigger ideas in something human. Once you are in, you will want to talk about it.

Bionicle: The Legend Reborn was released in 2009, directed by Mark Baldo. The full 80-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.