Statistically, you in all probability haven’t seen the Monster Hunter film, in all probability as a result of it got here out at precisely the mistaken time. Paul W.S. Anderson’s adaptation of Capcom’s online game collection was launched in December 2020, throughout a interval the place many individuals have been nonetheless staying residence quite than going to the theaters. It’s one of many solely box-office disappointments of Anderson’s profession, nevertheless it’s certainly one of his greatest collaborations with Milla Jovovich — an epic style mashup that successfully delivers on the dimensions and hazard of the video games.
The setup is actually an isekai: Captain Artemis (Jovovich) leads a U.N. Joint Safety Operations group despatched to analyze a mysterious disappearance within the desert, earlier than being transported to a fantastical world the place they encounter many monsters and finally an ally referred to as The Hunter (Tony Jaa). There’s additionally a positively feral Ron Perlman, nearer to his Magnificence and the Beast look than something he has executed since.
Crucial factor to get proper in a Monster Hunter film is the sense of scale, and Anderson and his group completely nail it. The huge landscapes are peppered with impossibly giant skeletons, and our heroes use big weapons to face off in opposition to the hulking monsters. Anderson makes use of top-down pictures and prolonged sluggish zoom-outs to evoke a larger-than-life fantasy world earlier than going vast and letting the monsters fill the complete body. He’s in a position to create moments of spectacular awe by spare and efficient use of slow-motion results. Plus, the entire thing appears nice — it may be simple to overlook within the nonstop motion and frantic enhancing, however Monster Hunter has terrific lighting, with vibrant white sands within the desert contrasting darker scenes stuffed with meticulously positioned pops of sunshine and colour to attract your eye.
However my favourite half upon revisiting the film is how Monster Hunter mashes genres collectively. On the floor, it’s a fantasy film pitting troopers in opposition to hulking creatures. However Anderson makes use of that premise to seamlessly cycle between inspirations from among the biggest monster motion pictures in historical past, with an Alien-style egg laying, a Jurassic Park-esque stampede, a Shelob-like big spider lair, some Jaws-inspired sequences with monsters swimming within the sand, and different kaiju and creature function staples.
That’s all on prime of the terrific buddy comedy setup between Artemis and The Hunter. Neither can perceive the opposite’s language, which ends up in an at first contentious and finally fairly charming and humorous dynamic, pairing his impish chortle along with her sternness. (A selected spotlight: Her delivering an epic “Let’s do that” earlier than an enormous battle and him responding with a confused “Hmmm?”).
One of many extra controversial components about Monster Hunter, even amongst my fellow Paul W.S. Anderson die-hards, is the enhancing type. Anderson introduced in Doobie White, who had beforehand labored with him on Resident Evil: The Closing Chapter however is maybe greatest recognized for his work with Neveldine and Taylor on the chaos-cinema staple Gamer. The result’s numerous fast-paced enhancing. At occasions, it’s too frantic, particularly in the course of the motion sequences, the place you lose out on among the fluidity of Jaa and Jovovich’s terrific motion abilities. One of many biggest athletes to ever grace film screens, Jaa nonetheless delivers with some killer flips, spectacular kicks, and one hell of a sword, even when the film typically struggles to maintain up with him. However the strategy does successfully promote the turmoil of the world, particularly as Artemis tries to know precisely what the hell she’s gotten herself into and what guidelines this land is ruled by.
Anderson has an extended historical past adapting video video games, beginning together with his traditional Mortal Kombat, working by his Resident Evil franchise, and looking out ahead together with his upcoming Home of the Useless adaptation. Some followers of the Resident Evil video games rejected his motion pictures on the time due to a scarcity of perceived faithfulness (these are undoubtedly “vibes over fealty” variations), and whereas Monster Hunter brings in lessons, costumes, and weapons from the sport franchise, the precise monster hunts don’t resemble those within the video games all that intently. However that’s OK! It feels like a Monster Hunter film, and what separates Anderson from many different filmmakers adapting online game and comics initiatives nowadays is the truth that he isn’t embarrassed of the supply materials. He’s a real fan who additionally occurs to have immense technical talent. And there could also be extra on the way in which, sometime: The ending units up a doable Monster Hunter sequel, and each Anderson and Jovovich have stated they’d prefer to make one other one and that Anderson has labored on a script. Add Tár into the combination, and you’ve got a complete universe of nice Monster Hunter motion pictures.
Monster Hunter is streaming on Hulu.
