Monster Hunter Movie Teaser Trailer

sXeth

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But they're always doomed to failure, because the Japanese actually understand the premise of the Godzilla franchise: Nature always wins.

Thats more or less how Monster Hunter goes too.


Abnormal monster causes crap, bigger tougher monster evolves to counter its dominance. Humans fight one or the other, and then something shows up to wreck the humans too. Granted, it is a videogame, so the protagonists tend to end up beating up the final big bad thing too, but then realize the escalation occurring.


In Monster Hunter World for instance, Nergigante evolved/was created by the planet to counteract Xenojiva, and later in Iceborne Shara Ishvalda which were both approaching continent/maybe planet scale threats by messing with the Everstream.
 

Asita

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The thing is, this is big dumb action. Which is probably all the depth you were going to get out of the source material, setting or world building aside. Why on earth would you need to dump the weird military stuff in. Were dudes with katanas and steampunk machine guns, wingsuits, and transforming battle axes fighting dragons not actiony enough?
Honestly, this is pretty paint by numbers stuff. Protagonists cross the threshold into the new world, big monster sets upon them. They just barely manage to drive it back. Problem is, fighting it is costly in at least one way. Maybe their equipment was largely ineffective, maybe it's just that they can only win like that so many times due to an inability to restock on their starter equipment. Regardless, they might have won the battle, but they can't keep it up and will lose the war unless they figure out a new way to fight. Cue the arrival of the mentor character, who teaches them how to fight more effectively and sustainably. It's a pretty well trod formula. The point of the military hardware is to establish the monsters' threat level and give weight to the decision to adopt the local fighting style.
 

sXeth

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Honestly, this is pretty paint by numbers stuff. Protagonists cross the threshold into the new world, big monster sets upon them. They just barely manage to drive it back. Problem is, fighting it is costly in at least one way. Maybe their equipment was largely ineffective, maybe it's just that they can only win like that so many times due to an inability to restock on their starter equipment. Regardless, they might have won the battle, but they can't keep it up and will lose the war unless they figure out a new way to fight. Cue the arrival of the mentor character, who teaches them how to fight more effectively and sustainably. It's a pretty well trod formula. The point of the military hardware is to establish the monsters' threat level and give weight to the decision to adopt the local fighting style.

Sure. But the point is, Military Dudes are humans. Monster Hunters are also humans. In Monster Hunter land we accept that somehow a human can beat the giant dragon death with a sword (or whatever).


This movie sets out to immediately indicate to us that humans can't do much to the monster even with an anti-aircraft gun (which in the Monster Hunter universe, can drive off an elder dragon, so Diablos wouldn't just be shrugging off that), and is then going to presumably introduce us to the Hunter guy who can somehow fight it with a sword.


So it then has to immeidately start inventing some random backlore about the Hunters being aliens, or descended from ancient bloodlines (like Johnny Cage in the more recent MK games) all to get its military pandering in.


To take another cross-comparison, the army dudes in Transformers are there... they get whipped utterly by Decepticons and have to rely on other tactics. But those other tactics are Autobots with alien tech, not another bunch of dudes with swords and steampunk weapons.
 

Chimpzy

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Here's my suggestion on how to react to this movie

It's by Paul W.S. Anderson. It exists to remind you he has an awesome hot wife.

So just nod, turn around and walk away slowly. It can't harm you if you do. Play a game instead. Like, anything. Way better use of your time.
 

Gergar12

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It's real!?!?

Huh, I saw it on Angryjoe and assumed it was a joke.
 

Gordon_4

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Sure. But the point is, Military Dudes are humans. Monster Hunters are also humans. In Monster Hunter land we accept that somehow a human can beat the giant dragon death with a sword (or whatever).


This movie sets out to immediately indicate to us that humans can't do much to the monster even with an anti-aircraft gun (which in the Monster Hunter universe, can drive off an elder dragon, so Diablos wouldn't just be shrugging off that), and is then going to presumably introduce us to the Hunter guy who can somehow fight it with a sword.


So it then has to immeidately start inventing some random backlore about the Hunters being aliens, or descended from ancient bloodlines (like Johnny Cage in the more recent MK games) all to get its military pandering in.


To take another cross-comparison, the army dudes in Transformers are there... they get whipped utterly by Decepticons and have to rely on other tactics. But those other tactics are Autobots with alien tech, not another bunch of dudes with swords and steampunk weapons.
No they fucking don’t. In fact in the first three movies I felt very hard pressed to find a situation where the Autobots truly felt necessary to the defeat of the Decepticons - TF07 was a huge offender in this regard.
 
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sXeth

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As the big trailer goes.


Well the Monster Hunter bits (all like, 5 5 second clips or so) look... decent, impressive even for being accurate to the game. In what may just be a dumb cut, Mila appears to be using fire dual blades on a Rathalos which is obviously inherently stupid even without an iota of knowledge of the games, but that could be as noted, a dumb edit because in the shot where the blades go on fire we don't see what she's fighting, just the previous shot was Rathalos.


Its still a rife with all the nonsense, and what I think is probably a spoiled sequel bait ending where Rathalos takes down their VTOL (since we know they came in on the jeep thing, that would have to them doing their helicopter away at the end, in theory.
 

Hawki

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Its still a rife with all the nonsense, and what I think is probably a spoiled sequel bait ending where Rathalos takes down their VTOL (since we know they came in on the jeep thing, that would have to them doing their helicopter away at the end, in theory.
Anderson's worked on Resident Evil for so long, he's obviously ported the "helicopter is always destroyed" trope. 0_0
 

Dirty Hipsters

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But they're always doomed to failure, because the Japanese actually understand the premise of the Godzilla franchise: Nature always wins.
Did the US military stop Godzilla? I didn't see the movie and now I'm genuinely curious.
 

Dirty Hipsters

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Yes in the '98 Roland Emmerich one, no in the 2014 movie.
Oh crazy Chimpzy, there was no '98 Godzilla movie starring Matthew Broderick. That's just silly. You're silly.
 
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cursedseishi

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Definitely 'lore' for the series, though nothing really tied to the games--it's all Japanese exclusive material mostly; stuff about genetically engineered hybridized soldiers, advanced societies and great wars etc. etc.. Generally speaking, Hunters aren't exactly expected to be 'regular' folk, which makes sense given... well... everything we see them do in the game. It's also stuff you simply won't even hear or read about unless you go digging about for it or have friends who like to do that.

Having a bunch of military folk tossed into the world at least excuses a little of that (don't know how much or how well carrying about heavy loads of gear translates to giant Jovovich-sized swords however), and gives them an easy out for explaining the world. Can't expect everyone seeing this to be a MH fan, so 'outsiders' serve as a great stand-in for the general audience. It's a lazy way of telling about your world, but it's cheap and effective and simple.

I'm one of the odd folk who can... enjoy... most of the RE films Anderson made, even if only as just popcorn filler. It's like high-budget low-grade B-movie schlock that started at 'pretty decent' with the first movie and kind of just... petered down and about following it. They hit low about where RE5 to RE6 stands for me. Not worth the price in theaters (full price), not really worth buying on release (small sale), but...if it's on TV? Yeah, I might watch it (rent) or buy it low (deep discount).

And lets be honest... This could always be worse. Uwe Boll could be directing it, and rather than Greater Rathalos it's just a monster-truck called Rathalos in some shoddy faux-Mad-Max setting with cheap CG raptor assets. And rather than decent-to-competent action-movie actors (Jovovich, Tony Jaa), we'd end up with... my cousin Bobby who did a backflip once in high school while high, and a grown man who wishes he had the hand-eye coordination of that one Star Wars viral video kid with the stick.


If Anderson's being earnest about his love for the series? If Capcom is keeping tabs on this movie...? I can at least see it being a decent romp ala movie RE1 or 2. I'd rent it, at least.
 

Aiddon

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The thing that makes me roll my eyes at Anderson is he's incapable of making anything entertaining. The RE games, goofy one-liners aside, are inherently entertaining with great monster design, thrilling set pieces, and satisfying tension. Anderson is just a boring artist; everything he does is so fake and dull. He is genuinely incapable of making anything fun or thrilling because he's incapable of being creative. And there's also the fact that his ineptitude during one of the RE films led to a stunt actor losing an arm and bilked her for reparations. So fuck him as a person too.

And it looks to be more of the same with Monster Hunter. The franchise has a fascinating setting full of potential, so it could have been an opportunity to make a story in it. Hell, Monster Hunter Stories did just that with basically making a game version of How to Train Your Dragon. If you were going adapt the franchise I say make it a swashbuckling adventure movie like Ray Harryhausen. But alas, that would take someone with talent. Best to just let this die.
 
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