Monster Hunter

The biggest gadgeteer of genre cinema has again come up with a delightfully childish and ostentatiously formalistic flick. Anderson’s films can evoke the innocent amusement and wonder that we experienced in childhood when we first encountered genre spectacle. However, that does not mean that he works with nostalgia. On the contrary, his work – in terms of overall style and the formalistic treatment of individual sequences and shots – reaches a level of avant-garde that goes beyond most conventionally staid Hollywood blockbusters. Whereas those are childishly immature in their flattery of fans, would-be seriousness and false depth, Anderson remains idiosyncratically childlike and playful. Grouches will always look condescendingly down their noses at his films, but they will also never see the true delight in his movies. Monster Hunter is a typically pure action fantasy in Anderson’s style, where straightforwardness, spectacle and unrealism become superlatives. As is typical of the master, part of the joy is how Anderson works with video-game elements and finds formalistic and narrative equivalents for them, and how Mila Jovovich perfectly personifies the ethos of his films. In comparison with his previous projects, we also see gratifying progress in the merging of physical and digital attractions, which confirms the fact that Anderson reflects contemporary trends while also forging his own path in the cinema of spectacle. (25/10/2021)

Despite Ron Perlman's hairstyle and Paul W.S. Anderson's reputation, it’s not bad! I believed in Milla Jovovich more than when she is among zombies, the action scenes were great, I have nothing to complain about in terms of the special effects, and I was pleasantly surprised by the number of monsters. The biggest weakness of the film, however, is that it was obviously created mainly so that another part could be made, because a lot of things would remain unresolved, and although I enjoyed the desert-like, literally horrible stay, in the end I just had to ask: What was it all for? I wouldn't think I'd write this after a Resident Evil mess, but this time I will - I'd quite like Anderson to make a sequel. (02/07/2021)

The coronavirus has made me miss a lot of things, but mindless CGI blockbusters like this is certainly not one of them. It can hardly be considered a movie, Paul W.S. Anderson has stopped making them, now he makes expensive long videos where his wife can play the action heroine, that’s the only reason why Monster Hunter exists. Seeing Ton Jaa and Ron Pearlman contributing to this in their less than dignified roles is just sad. (16/02/2021)

Milla Jovovich and Paul W.S. Anderson may be done with Resident Evil and zombies, but their Monster Hunter is more or less the same thing. Only there are dragons and dinosaurs, but otherwise this duo once again serves up solid action wrapped in a very contrived and uninteresting story with characters you'll be glad you remembered their name. Unfortunately, the decent action loses out on points to an uninteresting story and boring characters. But perhaps that's all one can expect from Anderson. (22/02/2021)

As awful as it can be. I should probably admire the reluctant development of a cinematic (and purely blockbuster) speech that rejects action set-pieces, but everything in it is so laughable. There isn’t a hint of a story, there characters are bland and have shallow to stupid interactions, the pace goes from frantic to boring and, on top of that, it has the most ramshackle concept of a dual fictional world cinema has ever seen. As a bizarre showcase of every possible source of inspiration (mainly video games, of course) and timeless narrative tropes, it is certainly unique, but as a well crafted fantasy adventure the only thing worthy in it are the decent visuals. An incredibly shabby and unfocused film that has seen no equal in its weight category. 25% (16/02/2021)