The Future Looks Bright For HALO: Nightfall
Confession time (again): I absolutely love Science Fiction. I mean LOVE it. Through and through.
Because of my outright adulation of all things otherworldly, I’m usually the first person to explain that my reviews in this genre may not be the most impartial you’re going to read today. Don’t get me wrong: I can be just as hard, just as critical, just as vicious with a SciFi flick as I can anything else. It’s just that I will tend to look past some of the lesser errors and focus in my insights on some of the more jarring disconnections.
But I will say like so many others that I knew next-to-nothing about the big, super, fabulous Halo franchise and still that ignorance didn’t stop me from enjoying the heck out of this latest DVD release, Halo: Nightfall.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last three paragraphs for my final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the product packaging: “Halo: Nightfall tells the personal story of Jameson Locke, a legendary manhunter and agent with the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), Earth’s most powerful and secretive military branch. He and his team are investigating terrorist ‘chatter’ on the distant colony world of Sedra, when they are caught in a horrific biological attack ..."
I’ll stop it right there even though there’s more – probably much more that ties in to one’s understanding of the broader Halo universe – but let me risk repeating myself: you don’t have to know beans about Halo in order to enjoy this release. I’ve looked at a few other reviews only to see if others felt the same way, and I’m pleased to confirm that they did.
So bravo to all involved for bringing a terrific product tie-in that just might increase those interested in the gaming universe.
Because of my outright adulation of all things otherworldly, I’m usually the first person to explain that my reviews in this genre may not be the most impartial you’re going to read today. Don’t get me wrong: I can be just as hard, just as critical, just as vicious with a SciFi flick as I can anything else. It’s just that I will tend to look past some of the lesser errors and focus in my insights on some of the more jarring disconnections.
But I will say like so many others that I knew next-to-nothing about the big, super, fabulous Halo franchise and still that ignorance didn’t stop me from enjoying the heck out of this latest DVD release, Halo: Nightfall.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last three paragraphs for my final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the product packaging: “Halo: Nightfall tells the personal story of Jameson Locke, a legendary manhunter and agent with the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), Earth’s most powerful and secretive military branch. He and his team are investigating terrorist ‘chatter’ on the distant colony world of Sedra, when they are caught in a horrific biological attack ..."
I’ll stop it right there even though there’s more – probably much more that ties in to one’s understanding of the broader Halo universe – but let me risk repeating myself: you don’t have to know beans about Halo in order to enjoy this release. I’ve looked at a few other reviews only to see if others felt the same way, and I’m pleased to confirm that they did.
So bravo to all involved for bringing a terrific product tie-in that just might increase those interested in the gaming universe.
Nightfall is a smart, SciFi action piece, one executive produced by no less than genre master Ridley Scott.
For those uniformed, I really feel for you. Scott’s been behind some of the smartest Science Fiction works of a generation, including Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982), and Prometheus (2012). Unlike Scott's other big screen features, this one certainly isn’t a character-intensive journey (i.e. Alien introduced us to the Ripley character; Blade Runner clearly is Deckard's chance to shine; and much of Prometheus's narrative is built around Noomi Rapace's Elizabeth Shaw). With Nightfall, the audience is introduced to a relative handful of military men and women, but the overall structure of the story reveals itself pretty early. In a world where “survival is a choice,” not everyone is going to have what it takes to make it out alive.
(To be precise, Scott didn't direct Nightfall; his duties stuck with Executive Producing responsibilities.)
As a consequence of the story, the audience isn't invited to 'invest' as much in these characters as they have been with other franchises. One of the detriments to universes that evolve from gaming platforms (this is an ongoing argument of mine) is that characters are generally supplemental to the action. While gaming, players are invited to vicarious experience 'the thrill of the hunt' or 'of being hunted'; when these properties move into the realm of features, writers are clearly attempting to adapt what works best from the game into the cinematic experience, yet the characters aren't granted the kind of rich tapestry their more literary counterparts are given. Screenwriter Paul T. Scheuring does layer on a few flaws for his principle players, but the secondary faces are formulaic and forgettable. After all, the monsters have to eat, no?
Thematically, Nightfall reminds me very much of the Vin Diesel starrer, Pitch Black (2000), which pitted a crew of crash survivors against a forbidding world secretly populated with creatures out for human blood. On the surface, Nightfall falls into the same general package – this elite military unit finds itself on a barren terrain whose only indigenous lifeform is ‘drawn’ out (and hungry) by the use of technology. Thus, one could argue that it delivers not an entirely original story … but for the purposes of these 100 minutes it works just fine.
In fact, the only significant drawback I had with any of it was the film’s central ‘villain’: these CGI-rific man-eating worms. Basically, they’re a hive intellect, so they’re genetically wired to move as a greater collective instead of individually. However, the quality of the CGI isn’t all that revelatory; it’s good, and it works, but there’s little distinctiveness to them when compared with effects work done with similar creations. Sure, it’s a minor quibble, but when your feature’s monster maybe isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be methinks that deserves a mention.
Otherwise, Nightfall is inspired. It’s clearly drawn from a very large palate, and perhaps that’ll serve this feature well. Who knows? It might just lead interest folks to check out its gaming companion, and that’s never a bad thing … especially if it leads to more features like this one.
For those uniformed, I really feel for you. Scott’s been behind some of the smartest Science Fiction works of a generation, including Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982), and Prometheus (2012). Unlike Scott's other big screen features, this one certainly isn’t a character-intensive journey (i.e. Alien introduced us to the Ripley character; Blade Runner clearly is Deckard's chance to shine; and much of Prometheus's narrative is built around Noomi Rapace's Elizabeth Shaw). With Nightfall, the audience is introduced to a relative handful of military men and women, but the overall structure of the story reveals itself pretty early. In a world where “survival is a choice,” not everyone is going to have what it takes to make it out alive.
(To be precise, Scott didn't direct Nightfall; his duties stuck with Executive Producing responsibilities.)
As a consequence of the story, the audience isn't invited to 'invest' as much in these characters as they have been with other franchises. One of the detriments to universes that evolve from gaming platforms (this is an ongoing argument of mine) is that characters are generally supplemental to the action. While gaming, players are invited to vicarious experience 'the thrill of the hunt' or 'of being hunted'; when these properties move into the realm of features, writers are clearly attempting to adapt what works best from the game into the cinematic experience, yet the characters aren't granted the kind of rich tapestry their more literary counterparts are given. Screenwriter Paul T. Scheuring does layer on a few flaws for his principle players, but the secondary faces are formulaic and forgettable. After all, the monsters have to eat, no?
Thematically, Nightfall reminds me very much of the Vin Diesel starrer, Pitch Black (2000), which pitted a crew of crash survivors against a forbidding world secretly populated with creatures out for human blood. On the surface, Nightfall falls into the same general package – this elite military unit finds itself on a barren terrain whose only indigenous lifeform is ‘drawn’ out (and hungry) by the use of technology. Thus, one could argue that it delivers not an entirely original story … but for the purposes of these 100 minutes it works just fine.
In fact, the only significant drawback I had with any of it was the film’s central ‘villain’: these CGI-rific man-eating worms. Basically, they’re a hive intellect, so they’re genetically wired to move as a greater collective instead of individually. However, the quality of the CGI isn’t all that revelatory; it’s good, and it works, but there’s little distinctiveness to them when compared with effects work done with similar creations. Sure, it’s a minor quibble, but when your feature’s monster maybe isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be methinks that deserves a mention.
Otherwise, Nightfall is inspired. It’s clearly drawn from a very large palate, and perhaps that’ll serve this feature well. Who knows? It might just lead interest folks to check out its gaming companion, and that’s never a bad thing … especially if it leads to more features like this one.
Halo: Nightfall (2014) is produced by 343 Industries, Scott Free Productions, and Microsoft Studios. DVD distribution is being handled by 343 Industries. As for the technical specifications? Yowsa! This is a terrifically assembled release – one that I personally would’ve loved to have seen up on the silver screen – and viewers can expect some exceedingly high quality sights and sounds. (It’s replete with some terrific set construction.) Lastly, if you’re looking for special features, then have no fear: this disc is loaded with extras including behind-the-scenes bits as well as an expansion on smaller stories within the larger HALO world … and I imagine gamers will have few complaints when they get their hands on this disc.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
In short, I knew very little about the Halo Universe -- I'm well aware that it's a titan in the gaming industry, and I've read a handful of comic book tales set in its universe, but they did little to interest me -- but that didn’t keep me from unabashedly loving so very much of Halo: Nightfall. Sure, I'll concede that the characters and situations grew a bit predictable in the final act -- this reality tends to affect a high number of genre projects these days -- but that didn’t decrease my enjoyment in the slightest with the entire property. In fact, I’d personal entertain another trip to this universe if the producers who so inclined to make this a franchise within a franchise. Bravo!
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at 343 Industries provided me with a DVD copy of Halo: Nightfall by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review; and their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
In short, I knew very little about the Halo Universe -- I'm well aware that it's a titan in the gaming industry, and I've read a handful of comic book tales set in its universe, but they did little to interest me -- but that didn’t keep me from unabashedly loving so very much of Halo: Nightfall. Sure, I'll concede that the characters and situations grew a bit predictable in the final act -- this reality tends to affect a high number of genre projects these days -- but that didn’t decrease my enjoyment in the slightest with the entire property. In fact, I’d personal entertain another trip to this universe if the producers who so inclined to make this a franchise within a franchise. Bravo!
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at 343 Industries provided me with a DVD copy of Halo: Nightfall by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review; and their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
