Monster Hunter is a science fiction/fantasy film written and directed by Paul W.S. Anderson and is based on a video game series from Capcom. Milla Jovovich is in the lead as Army Ranger Captain Natalie Artemis. The cast alongside her includes Tony Jaa, Megan Good, Tip “T.I.” Harris, and Ron Perlman.
An elite United Nations military force is mysteriously transported to another planet where all kinds of horrific monsters stalk the desert. Captain Artemis ends up being the sole survivor of her unit, but she has unexpected help from a native hunter to try to get back home. Then she has a several allies to help her out as she learns to kill the creatures that are apparently protecting some dark tower that may be the key to getting the captain back home.
This film is based on a video game series, so there needs to be a certain level of stupidity to be expected in the plot and dialogue. And if you are expecting that level of stupidity, you won’t be disappointed. The visual effects are pretty well done. The fight scenes are impossibly choreographed but entertaining. All the stunts and effects are compelling enough. Jovovich is still talented and entertaining enough to sell her role. Of course, she carried the Resident Evil film series for several years, so she is an old hat in this genre. She has also stayed in shape and looks great even when she is covered in sand, grime, and monster entrails. The monsters are fine and appropriately startling at times. There isn’t much here as far as new ground being broken, but the film was reasonably entertaining for an evening out.
This is just an unapologetic popcorn movie, and it works just as fine as that as long as the expectations for a coherent plot and clever dialogue is pretty low.
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