The Monster Hunter movie, written and directed by super fan Paul W. S. Anderson, isn't actually that good, according to these reviews from critics.
Video game movies have often struggled to show the curiosity and depth of their worlds in a comparatively shallow 120 minute window. Think about it: you sink hours and hours into Mortal Kombat, Tomb Raider, or World of Warcraft, and that narrative complexity and the tangible experience of being a proper part of the story doesn't translate very well to the passive role of the audience. Also, explosions-a-plenty will only carry you so far (to exemplify, see the Transformers series of movies).
So, with Anderson's enthusiasm for the original games, and the renaissance that video game movies have enjoyed recently, the Monster Hunter movie should have been a surefire success. Except, it wasn't. Upon the release of the movie in China, a racist joke led to Monster Hunter being pulled from theatres in the country and authorities even blocked references to the movie online. Not a brilliant start, for sure. Now that it's released in the United States, its review scores are looking rather bleak.
Of the seven reviews published, two are positive. Barry Hertz, for The Globe and Mail, said that the movie is completely and totally silly, and it's enjoyable on the whole. The AV Club commended Milla Jovovich's performance, saying she's "capable of going toe-to-toe with the greats of the '80s when it comes to delivering cheesy dialogue with a steely glare," though its story and set up is unfortunately simple. "[Anderson] is a dexterous director of set pieces, with an excellent sense of space and scale that goes a long way when it comes to showdowns with hulking demon things and oversized creepy crawlies or a climactic battle that pits the military-industrial complex against a colossal dragon," concludes the review.
Not everyone was so stunned by the spectacle, however. John DeFore, for The Hollywood Reporter, deemed it "unimaginative," with "senseless" scenes for the sake of setting up a possible sequel. The review from Los Angeles Times sums it up in a succinct but savage sentence: "'Monster Hunter' feels like an attempt to answer a question no one has asked: What would the 'Jurassic Park' movies be like if they were drained of all sense of wonder?" Ouch. Bowing under the weight of a "tedious" and "bland" first hour, the movie picks up the pace for the remaining... 33 minutes.
IndieWire also argues that accomplished martial artist Tony Jaa has been hoodwinked in his role as the Hunter, because there are hardly any moments in the movie that let his skills shine. "It soon becomes clear that Anderson is just trying to cross the streams and contrive a way for the wyvern to fight a military plane," the critic continues. "Anderson is palpably excited at the idea of using monsters to humble our faith in modern technology, but the Hunter and his pals never wield their signature weapons - giant bows, giant swords, giant bow-swords, etc. - in a way that offers a reasonable alternative to machine guns."
At the time of writing, Monster Hunter has made just under $5 million at the box office, which is a twelfth of its budget. It seems to me that video game shows are the way forward, with the success of The Witcher and the hype for The Last of Us adaptation. Maybe there's still a redemption arc in there for Monster Hunter.
Featured Image Credit: Sony Pictures ReleasingTopics: News