Featuring iconic characters, ferocious creatures, and a generous dose of nostalgic animation, Monster Hunter: Legends Of The Guild offers fans a unique perspective on the popular video game franchise. Following in the footsteps of Capcom’s iconic series, the film is closely connected to the source material and shares several key components. However, like all video game adaptations, there’s more to the movie than sticking religiously to previous plots.
Netflix’s new film was actually first mooted back in 2018. Originally conceived as a special release, the production comes courtesy of Pure Imagination Studios – the team responsible for hits including LEGO Jurassic World: The Indominus Escape and The Lego Movie: 4D – A New Adventure. Much like these previous offerings, the new Monster Hunter movie borrows heavily from existing source material, while carving its own clearly defined path. The result is a self-contained story that offers plenty to both new and old fans.
The most obvious connection to the existing Monster Hunter video game series comes in the form of the monsters themselves. The 58-minute Netflix movie packs plenty of creatures into its limited runtime, including stalwarts such as Velocipreys and Velocidromes. The main antagonist in the drama is one of the legendary Elder Dragons popularized by the game, providing a clear link between the onscreen action and its origins.
It’s not just the creatures that demonstrate the connection between Legends Of The Guild and the video games. Chronologically, the film serves as a prequel to the events of 2013’s Monster Hunter 4, in which players take control of fledgling hunter Ace Cadet – also known as Aiden – on the path to joining the notorious Hunters Guild. The movie follows Aiden’s development from excitable if slightly hapless youth to someone more capable of hunting monsters thanks to the tutelage of a band of grizzled experts.
There are also several other, more subtle connections to the original game. Throughout the movie, characters and monsters behave in a similar way to their virtual counterparts. Many creatures showcase perfectly recreated attack patterns, while human characters use the same gear and weaponry that they would in the game. Even the animation style, which is relatively basic for a 2021 release, is deliberately nostalgic and wouldn’t look out of place as an original Monster Hunter cut scene.
There’s no doubt that Monster Hunter: Legends Of The Guild represents a brand new addition to the Monster Hunter family. However, for fans of the original series, the Netflix movie provides plenty to get excited about.
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