The Monster Hunter movie just came to streaming at the perfect time

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 unsuitable 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 had been nonetheless staying house moderately than going to the theaters. It’s one of many solely box-office disappointments of Anderson’s profession, however it’s one in every 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 workforce despatched to research 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 Beauty and the Beast look than something he has achieved since.

Crucial factor to get proper in a Monster Hunter film is the sense of scale, and Anderson and his workforce completely nail it. The large 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 photographs and prolonged sluggish zoom-outs to evoke a larger-than-life fantasy world earlier than going large and letting the monsters fill the whole body. He’s capable of create moments of spectacular awe by way of 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 coloration 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 a few of the biggest monster films 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 characteristic staples.

That’s all on high of the terrific buddy comedy setup between Artemis and The Hunter. Neither can perceive the opposite’s language, which results in an at first contentious and finally fairly charming and humorous dynamic, pairing his impish snort along with her sternness. (A specific 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 Last Chapter however is probably greatest recognized for his work with Neveldine and Taylor on the chaos-cinema staple Gamer. The result’s plenty of fast-paced enhancing. At instances, it’s too frantic, particularly in the course of the motion sequences, the place you lose out on a few of 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 generally 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 games, beginning along with his basic Mortal Kombat, working by way of his Resident Evil franchise, and looking out ahead along with his upcoming House of the Dead adaptation. Some followers of the Resident Evil video games rejected his films on the time due to an absence of perceived faithfulness (these are positively “vibes over fealty” diversifications), and whereas Monster Hunter brings in courses, 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 lately is the truth that he isn’t embarrassed of the supply materials. He’s a real fan who additionally occurs to have immense technical ability. And there could also be extra on the way in which, sometime: The ending units up a potential Monster Hunter sequel, and each Anderson and Jovovich have stated they’d like to make another one and that Anderson has worked on a script. Add Tár into the combination, and you’ve got a complete universe of nice Monster Hunter films.

Monster Hunter is streaming on Hulu.