Known for his video game movie adaptations director Paul W. S. Anderson now brings us, Monster Hunter. Now I’m not a gamer, Wii is as far as I go. Knowing all the controls and what they do is where I get lost. What I love to do is watch people play games, wishing I could do that. The action is what draws me in and Monster Hunter was non-stop action. The graphics and special effects are amazing and the renders look realistic and gritty, achieving a genuine atmosphere.
Synopsis: A group of soldiers led by Natalie Artemis (Mila Jovovich) is investigating the disappearance of another team. Soon they find themselves transported to a different world where giant monsters live. Bullets have minimal effect on them. Captain Natalie Artemis, barely survives and is the only one on her team to make it. Now the question is, where is she and how will she get back home?
Highlights
The monsters were awesome. From crab-like spiders, sand monsters, and the final one a dragon of some sort. This was the reason I wanted to watch it. Until reading the synopsis before watching the movie I was thinking this was going to be an update Tremors movie with Mila kicking butt, which I got and more it was just like watching a streaming video game. The CGI and other effects, the detail, and how they tried to kill our heroes were cool to watch. The movie progressed like a game. The monsters got more and more difficult to kill. Captain Artemis gained weapons and help along the way. Help came in the form of the Hunter (Tony Jaa) and The Admiral (Ron Pearlman).
Low Lights
Too many people die in this film and all at the beginning of the film. You don’t even get to know their names, much less anything about them. Heck, you don’t even know anything about Artemis and why her wedding ring is in a box. The plot or therefore lack of is the problem. We don’t why the Captain’s team is out searching for a previous team. Too much time with the Hunter and not enough with any remembers of the team that came through the portal hole with her. Also, Ron Pearlman is an awesome actor why not give his character more screen time.
Overall
For most of the film, you’re watching Captain Artemis struggle to survive in this new world. The biggest goal is trying to not get killed by monsters. She teams up with the Hunter in an attempt to kill a dessert monster. All of that is at least an hour, maybe a bit more of the movie of which was completely action-packed. In the end, it rushes explaining how the captain and her crew got to this new world, the importance of this ancient tower, which allows all this portal jumping. Honestly, that wasn’t even explained well.
The way this movie is made leaves you feeling like it’s more of a pilot for a series than a movie. Just when we think we know where this film could go, suddenly the credits roll. If you’re like me who just wants to see people fight monsters, shoot guns, Monster Hunter is for you. However, If you’re looking for more plot and less action you may not want to spend your time watching this.
Grade
For me, Milla Jovovich makes this movie. To quote my BFF who watched this with me “Having a main female character doesn’t make it come off as a dude movie”. I couldn’t agree more. Overall I give the movie a B-. Ideally, it needed more story/backstory. I wish I could have seen this on the screen. It is a fast-moving thrill ride that on the big screen these monsters would have been amazing to see and watch.
Mamma, Mimi, Michele, call out any one of those names and I will answer. There are several hats on my shelf. My passions are photography, being outside, movies, tv, pop culture and anything haunted or spooky. People are my other interest, I love meeting new people and socializing. When I lived in Savannah GA I worked as a tour guide both haunted and historical tours. I met people from all over the world, that was the best part of the job. All of this I can write about too, that’s the beauty of being a writer.
