Quick Thoughts – B – Monster Hunter is a fun monster movie that features Milla Jovovich and Tony Jaa battling pugnacious creatures in another world. If you are looking for a movie that features people fighting monsters, you’ve come to the right place.
If you are looking for a fun creature feature that gets to the action quick, and never lets up, Monster Hunter is the movie for you. Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, this adaptation of the incredibly popular Capcom role-playing game rewards viewers with copious monsters and a lot of action icon Tony Jaa. The 47% Tomatometer score isn’t a surprise, but, if you are a fan of Anderson and Jovovich, you will easily get on the movie’s wavelength, and will be able to enjoy the carnage.
Monster Hunter focuses on the exploits of Natalie Artemis (Milla Jovovich), a United States Army Captain who is sucked into a new world with a squad of United Nations soldiers. After several brutal attacks by Nerscyllas (large spiders) and a Diablo (gigantic monster who can swim in the sand – think Tremors), Artemis is left alone and injured on an isolated rock oasis. After a wild They live-esque brawl, Artemis teams up with Hunter (Tony Jaa), a fellow warrior who was also left stranded on the rock oasis after his Monster Hunter squadron was ambushed by Diablos. Together, the two have to figure out how to defeat the Nerscyllas AND Diablo, so they can escape the desert death trap and continue on with their mission. The good news is that this happens in the first 45 minutes! The rest of the film won’t be spoiled, just know that it involves gigantic monsters, explosions, and a cheeky cat.
Monster Hunter is a wonderful popcorn film that doesn’t take itself seriously, and solely focuses on people fighting monsters (it’s very refreshing). Anderson wanted the movie to look authentic, so he and Jovovich traveled to Namibia in an effort to capture the feel of the game, and showcase vast stretches of desert that add to the production design. The monsters all look great, and they feel like legitimate threats that can only be defeated with critical thinking and lots of slow-motion. The cinematography by Glen MacPherson (Pompeii, The Three Musketeers) captures the African landscapes and monster mayhem expertly, and he must love working with Anderson because it’s their sixth film together.
Final thoughts – The movie is called Monster Hunter. Enjoy the monster hunting. Also, it’s super cool seeing action icons Jovovich and Jaa in the same film.