Paul W.S. Anderson, the director of the upcoming Monster Hunter movie, says he could only use five or six monsters in his adaptation. Anderson is known for his not-so-accurate video game movies. His first major directing job was the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie, a box office flop that has gained ironic cult status in recent years. He's also responsible for the Resident Evil movies, which turned the atmospheric zombie horror game into a series of increasingly over-the-top action movies from 2002 to 2016. His latest directorial effort is an adaptation of the popular long-running Monster Hunter game series.
Starring his wife and frequent collaborator Milla Jovovich, Monster Hunter is set mainly in the desert, having shot in the barren sands of Namibia. Despite claiming that Monster Hunter is the most faithful video game adaptation ever, the trailers and images released so far make it look like Anderson has once again twisted the original game's themes to his own preoccupations. Instead of a fantasy adventure, the movie's trailer looks distinctly like a military survival movie. As a result, game fans are up in arms, fearful that Anderson has once again taken a beloved game series and turned it into a mediocre movie. And the latest news won't help to quiet those fans' fears.
Speaking to Total Film, Anderson says that while he'd love to explore the universe further in any potential sequels, he admits that the first Monster Hunter movie only features five or six monsters. Anderson says he could only use that number of monsters in the film, though it's unclear whether that was due to the script he wrote or because of budgetary or studio restrictions. Anderson adds that the movie really "only scratches the surface" of the more expansive universe. You can read his full comments below:
There’s hundreds of monsters [in the game]. I can only use five or six of them in the movie. So it’s a big, fun world that I think we’ve only just started to scratch the surface of.
These comments won't make fans who were already worried about how unfaithful the adaptation looks any happier. One of the video game series appeals is the wide variety of monsters that players get to face, so by limiting the movie to just a few key monsters, which so far include the Diablos and Greater Rathalos. In Anderson's defense, stuffing the film with too many monsters would make the narrative a little loose and unfocused, but fans will bristle at the news nonetheless.
For those burned by Anderson's Resident Evil adaptations, it's another sign that the director intends to take Capcom's most popular properties and water them down for wider audiences. It's a pity, as the Monster Hunter universe is ripe for a faithful adaptation that really explores the unique universe created in the games. Sadly, it seems as though this movie, set to release in theaters on December 30, isn't it.
Source: Total Film
