Synopsis:
At 130 minutes, ‘Monster Hunter’ throws too many punches in an attempt to become an all-out action extravaganza. However, for a film about real people fighting the beasts of the new world, it feels a lot less thrilling than its source material. Are you up for it?
Cast & Crew:
Paul W.S. Anderson| Director/Producer
Dennis Berardi| Producer
Milla Jovovich| Actor
Ron Perlman| Actor
Tony Jaa| Actor
Meagan Good| Actor
Diego Boneta| Actor
Josh Helman| Actor
Story:
Lt. Artemis and her team are brutally attacked by the mysterious and deadly monsters of the new world while on a mission to find the missing US soldiers. Desperate and bruised, captain Artemis meets an unexpected ally in the form of a hunter who has been trained to combat these savage creatures. Can they, however, overcome the massively destructive powers if they work together?
Review:
‘Monster Hunter,’ based on a video game of the same name, makes no attempt to make any more sense than that. It’s a sinister plot centered on Lieutenant Natalie Artemis (Milla Jovovich), who lives in the real world,’ but while on a mission, a sudden storm transports her and her entire team to the portal of the ‘new world.’ They discover the remains of the missing soldiers and their vehicles here. The new world is teeming with hideous-looking powerful monsters born to wreak havoc on humanity and kill them. It’s now a suicide mission until Lt. Artemis discovers the Hunter (Tony Jaa) – a warrior trained to hunt and kill monsters.
From the horned, subterranean creature Diablos to the harmless herbivores Apceros and the fire-breathing dragon-like creature Ratholos, writer-director Paul Anderson focuses on bringing to life the video game’s imaginative new world of savages. He succeeds, but only at the cost of writing and execution, both of which are just enough to justify all the mindless action. Thankfully, it broadens the canvas for a stunning spectacle of visual effects and massive creatures rushing at you – the kind of entertainment that deserves to be seen on the big screen. So what if a strong narrative is a clear casualty in this case?
Milla Jovovich’s commanding screen presence is a welcome oasis in a desert of hideous monsters. She is a lean and means captain with the grit to survive an apocalypse-level disaster. Her chemistry with Tony Jaa takes off after a while, but despite the fact that Jovovich and Jaa’s interactions are more engaging, Anderson doesn’t bother giving Hunter’s character any screen time any depth, or real meaning. With Jaa’s arrival, the action more than doubles, but, like the previous bloodbath, it feels heavily orchestrated. Even when the kind-hearted Admiral (Ron Perlman) enters the scene, an opportunity to tie up many of these loose ends is lost. As the much-anticipated final act begins, one is left with the mixed impression of having witnessed so much death and destruction, but with barely a plot to hold it all together. At 130 minutes, ‘Monster Hunter’ throws too many punches in an attempt to become an all-out action extravaganza. However, for a film about real people fighting the beasts of the new world, it feels a lot less thrilling than its source material. Are you up for it?
