monster hunter movie reviews

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, chaz's journal, great movies, contributors, monster hunter.

Now streaming on:

The story goes that Paul W.S. Anderson has been trying to make a film version of the video game series “Monster Hunter” since 2012, but one would never guess this after seeing the end result. Say what you will about the often critically derided films in the “ Resident Evil ” series, there’s at least a sense of style behind them that’s entirely missing for the first hour of “Monster Hunter.” That hour is bafflingly incompetent, failing to give viewers even the basic action they presume comes with a purchase or rental of something called “Monster Hunter.” At around the 70-minute mark, the Anderson who knows how to use excess for entertainment wakes up, but it will be too late for most people, who will either be asleep or figuring out if there’s a way to get a refund on their VOD rental. And then Anderson sabotages any goodwill he could have left with his viewers by dropping a non-ending designed purely to tease a sequel that seems unlikely to ever be. When it was announced, the hope was this could launch another series like “Resident Evil.” Sadly, this is going to be closer to “Soldier” on Anderson's resume. Maybe they could get the gang together for more zombie dogs?

“Monster Hunter” opens in a vast desert in country with a group of U.S. Army Rangers on patrol, led by Captain Natalie Artemis ( Milla Jovovich ). What looks like a combination sandstorm/thunderstorm rises on the horizon, and Natalie and her team are suddenly thrust into an alternate universe alongside ours that is basically more desert, but with giant, terrifying creatures. Instead of world-building, which has defeated some of his most enjoyable escapism, Anderson goes for a vast desert wasteland aesthetic, and it’s a fatal flaw. You can’t make a movie called “Monster Hunter” that’s boring to look at it, and this is one of Anderson's flattest films in every way.

After Anderson dispatches with most of Natalie’s crew, he unites his heroine with someone from this world called “The Hunter,” played by Tony Jaa . If you’re thinking, “Oh, cool, a Jovovich vs. Jaa fight has some potential,” I was on the same page, but Anderson can’t even pull that off. Working with editor Doobie White , he cuts every sequence in “Monster Hunter” into a hyperactive cinematic gruel so everything just looks and feels the same, at least for the first hour. Even when Jaa gets to show off some of his notable skills … we barely get to see them because of the choppy filmmaking.

What about the monsters? Shouldn’t a movie called “Monster Hunter” that’s co-produced by Toho scratch that itch for fans of “Godzilla” movies? Again, that mark is missed. The creature design isn’t even as elaborate or detailed as the games, feeling like the bare minimum required to satisfy a memo to an effects studio that says “make a big monster.” Some of the creature design in the “RE” movies can be grotesquely creative, but the decisions here in terms of monsters feel safe and boring.

And then something very bizarre happens. About two-thirds of the way into “Monster Hunter” it’s almost like Anderson and Jovovich get so bored that they just decide to start the wackier sequel earlier. Spotted briefly in the prologue, a scenery-chewing Ron Perlman drops into the action accompanied by a team of hunters that includes a giant cat who acts like a human. And in this moment you realize that all of “Monster Hunter” needed to be this weird. It’s not a great film at any point, but there’s style and creativity in the last act that’s a stark contrast to the dull noise that came before. If you’re gonna transport a star like Milla Jovovich to a land of monsters, why strand her in the desert for an hour and then basically become a different, more stylish movie in the final act? By the time Anderson figures out the right tone for this project, you’ll be hunting for a better movie.

Brian Tallerico

Brian Tallerico is the Managing Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. He is also a writer for Vulture, The Playlist, The New York Times, and GQ, and the President of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

Now playing

Peyton Robinson

Good Bad Things

Strange Darling

Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger

Peter sobczynski.

Matt Zoller Seitz

Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In

Simon abrams, film credits.

Monster Hunter (2020)

Rated PG-13 for sequences of creature action and violence throughout.

104 minutes

Milla Jovovich as Artemis

T.I. as Link

Ron Perlman as Admiral

Tony Jaa as The Hunter

Diego Boneta

Meagan Good

Josh Helman

Jin Au-Yeung

Paul W. S. Anderson

Writer (video game series)

Kaname Fujioka
Paul W.S. Anderson

Cinematographer

Glen MacPherson
Doobie White
Paul Haslinger

Latest blog posts

Apple TV+'s Pachinko Expands Its Narrative Palate For An Emotional Season Two

Tina Mabry and Edward Kelsey Moore on the Joy and Uplift of The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat

The Adams Family Gets Goopy in Hell Hole

A Look Back at MUBI FEST CHICAGO

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

Upcoming Movies and TV shows
Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

About Rotten Tomatoes®
Login/signup

Movies in theaters

Opening this week
Top box office
Coming soon to theaters
Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

Fandango at Home
Prime Video
Most Popular Streaming Movies
Certified Fresh Movies
What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

75% Blink Twice Link to Blink Twice
97% Strange Darling Link to Strange Darling
87% Between the Temples Link to Between the Temples

New TV Tonight

93% Chimp Crazy: Season 1
100% Pachinko: Season 2
-- That '90s Show: Season 3
-- OceanXplorers: Season 1
-- Classified: Season 1
-- Reasonable Doubt: Season 2
-- The Anonymous: Season 1
-- Face to Face With Scott Peterson: Season 1
-- Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War: Season 1

Monster Hunter Reviews

Paul W.S. Anderson once again takes a CAPCOM franchise and instead of adapting the source material faithfully in any way he just makes sure his wife looks as cool as possible and fills in the rest with light lore and visual nods. I’d avoid this one.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | May 15, 2023

A soulless and apathetic product. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 3/10 | Nov 18, 2022

Monster Hunter ’s story is as simplistic as they come, but for fans of the game and director Paul W.S. Anderson, there’s more than enough exciting action to enjoy.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 1, 2022

If nothing else, some people will enjoy it just for the non-stop action and CGI spectacle. But that doesn’t hide the glaring lack of story and character development.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Aug 24, 2022

There are entertaining stretches here, but they compete with repetitive and often predictable ones.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/10 | May 17, 2022

It is a series of special effects sequences. Pretty ropey.

Full Review | Jun 23, 2021

It's a shame, because Monster Hunter could have at least been a fun, dumb action movie, but what we're left with is a messy and uninteresting flick that's too afraid to go full camp and have fun with itself.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jun 22, 2021

It achieves a kind of jokey bombast.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 18, 2021

Despite a muddled final act, Monster Hunter is satisfyingly efficient, a quick-fire thrill-ride of creepy thrills, nasty kills, and of course, monster-hunting.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 17, 2021

Monster Hunter [is] vapid, empty spectacle that sands down any potential geopolitical commentary.

Full Review | Jun 5, 2021

A spectacle with no life. [Full Review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | May 17, 2021

There is an entertaining, lean action-adventure at the heart of Anderson's film, but either indecision over purpose or studio interference has compromised that vision with unnecessary and extraneous elements at either end.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/10 | May 2, 2021

Shockingly fun and self-aware, Monster Hunter is a goddamn blast.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Apr 20, 2021

Monster Hunter relies to heavily on Jovovich's screen charm but fails to develop a cohesive universe in which to build an engaging story. It takes itself too seriously to even enjoy it campiness and it is too campy to be considered a serious film.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/10 | Apr 8, 2021

The script is bland, the premise seems too unbelievable, and the action scenes are too long.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Mar 29, 2021

We must critique Monster Hunter for what it is, a filmic exercise with abundances and deficiencies. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 24, 2021

It is a relic of sorts, where the guts and action, unrefined and tawdry as they are, are at least based on a genuine creative impulse rather than a fake injection of meaning or purpose either in the form of symbolic social lectures or furthering an IP.

Full Review | Mar 17, 2021

Even if [Paul W.S] Anderson meant to approach "Monster Hunter" as a check-your-brain-at-the-door B-movie style, it lacks that much-needed sustainable sense of mindless fun to last until the end.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Mar 10, 2021

The film's overall visual aesthetic is a confused and derivative hodgepodge, and audience enjoyment will depend upon their affection for the over-saturated genre.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Feb 22, 2021

Too bland to be entertaining in a mindless, ridiculous way, and just meandering and monotonous in general.

Full Review | Feb 21, 2021

Login / Sign Up
Entertainment

Monster Hunter is shockingly, bombastically faithful to the games

The Milla Jovovich-led action movie lovingly parrots the Capcom franchise

by Chelsea Stark

I, someone who is happy to admit to having played 140 hours of Monster Hunter World since its 2018 launch, was on board with the Monster Hunter movie adaptation from its opening minutes. In the first scene, we see a pirate-style ship glide across a sea of dunes. Aboard the ship is a woman, peeking out of a candle-lit window with mismatched binoculars. During the film’s publicity blitz, we knew things like the titular monsters would look fairly accurate to their video game franchise counterparts, but I was dumbfounded by how much detail and care went to cribbing every aspect of the game’s identifiable style.

What to know before going to a movie theater

As new movies open in theaters around the United States and the world, Polygon encourages its readers to consider the state of the COVID-19 pandemic and relevant safety precautions. We will continue to cover weekly theatrical releases only to the extent in which our writers feel comfortable, but will not require anyone to attend a general screening at a movie theater in instances where studios were unable to provide screening options. We encourage our readers to follow guidelines provided by the CDC, health authorities, and theaters to determine whether attendance is right for them.

For more information on the current risks of going to the movies, read our guide on the state of COVID-19 and multiplex safety.

The woman in the mismatched binoculars is simply known as The Handler, and while she has fewer lines than her chatty, cheery in-game counterpart — who’s essentially your tutorial guide in Monster Hunter: World — visually, they’re near dopplegangers. Her early appearance in the film felt shorthand to me that Monster Hunter ’s cinematic debut was done with a lot of love to the sometimes-impenetrable franchise. This wasn’t just a movie made on top of Monster Hunter, but an actual Monster Hunter movie.

That attention to detail is everywhere. After Milla Jovovich’s Captain Artemis and her Army Ranger squad are sucked through a mysterious storm into “Monster Hunter world” (I’m sorry!), every moment of the film feels primed to reward fans. All the set dressing, clothing, armor, weapons, and hair styles are ripped from the games — except for maybe Ron Perlman’s so-bad-its-bad wig. The monsters themselves are peak CG spectacle, especially the iconic Rathalos, the series mascot who gets the final showdown. Writer-director Paul W. S. Anderson loves to pull in close to the reflections in their (maybe even a bit too detailed) eyes, as they stalk Jovovich, her squad, and the Hunter she meets, played by Tony Jaa.

The movie monsters are far more lethal than a video game power fantasy might let on. Monster Hunter isn’t afraid to drop bodies in some pretty gnarly ways, and the movie’s long first act sends the squad running from one perilous beast to another as they are picked off one by one. Anderson’s Resident Evil films were no stranger to gory deaths, but there’s at least one in Monster Hunter that felt unnecessarily gross, all to drive home the point that monsters can tear through modern armored vehicles like tissue paper. (The lopsided tank-vs.-monster matchups, despite being largely revealed in cinematic trailers, are some of the biggest gut-busting funny moments of the film.)

Naturally, the only way to take their foes down are traps, grappling hooks, and big-ass swords, all of which are equally faithful to their game counterparts, down to the ways Jaa’s Hunter swings his great sword and Jovovich wields the dual blades. The biggest great sword swings are even shot to honor their video game inspiration, often with dramatic wide shots that show the scale between human and beast.

Despite Monster Hunter having a large supporting cast on paper, Jovovich spends chunks of the movie alone, toughing it out through wicked monsters and reinforcing her action-hero pedigree. Many of these moments are tropes we’ve seen before; she kisses a ring inscribed “forever” before cauterizing a wound on her leg with gunpowder and a flare. But the actress’ charisma brings life to the one-dimensional character, and once she teams up with Jaa, the pair’s language barrier doesn’t stop their chemistry. They learn to cooperate in the fights, and while close-cropped editing diminishes the impact of some of their longer brawls, the stunts are dramatic.

The entire movie is light in the story and character department; Jovovich’s entire Ranger squad has names like “Axe,” “Marshall,” “Dash,” and “Linc.” Anderson seems aware — the tropes felt as deliciously campy as the action. Matched with a reverence for the games, Monster Hunter ’s fan service-laden setpieces were the perfect, mindless salve for 2020. It’s hard to say if it’s comprehensible to someone who doesn’t love the series, but its bombastic action hardly lags during its hour-and-a-half run time. It’s a happy member of this new class of video game movies written with an obvious love of its lore, though possibly not able to stand up without a deep appreciation for the source material.

Monster Hunter is out now in theaters

Patch Notes

The best of Polygon in your inbox, every Friday.

This is the title for the native ad

More in Movies

The best movies to watch before they leave streaming next month

The Latest ⚡️

Breaking News

Review: A funky finish and Milla Jovovich can’t redeem ‘Monster Hunter’

Copy Link URL Copied!

The Times is committed to reviewing theatrical film releases during the COVID-19 pandemic . Because moviegoing carries risks during this time, we remind readers to follow health and safety guidelines as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health officials .

For roughly two-thirds of its running time, the big-screen video game adaptation “Monster Hunter” feels like an attempt to answer a question no one has asked: What would the “Jurassic Park” movies be like if they were drained of all sense of wonder? The film rallies toward the end with a few genuinely spectacular images, but even its best scenes fail to justify a tedious first hour.

Written and directed by the veteran genre movie impresario Paul W.S. Anderson, “Monster Hunter” stars the battle-tested action-adventure actor Milla Jovovich , who also anchored Anderson’s “Resident Evil” films. She brings her usual spark to the role of Natalie Artemis, a no-nonsense U.S. Army officer who is leading her troops on a desert mission when a sandstorm transports them to another dimension dominated by enormous, predatory, dinosaur-like animals.

After sustaining heavy losses, Artemis makes contact with “The Hunter” ( Tony Jaa ), who first captures her but then joins forces to try to survive the near-unceasing monster onslaught. Initially, the two can barely communicate with each other until they bond over a mutual love of chocolate.

From the opening scene onward — aside from the few minutes of awkward conversation between Artemis and the Hunter — the action in “Monster Hunter” is pretty nonstop. But that succession of large-scale monster-attack sequences comes at the expense of story and character development. Even the mythology from the “Monster Hunter” video game series is minimized, as the heroes are too busy fighting off creature after creature.

Anderson makes some head-scratching choices with the staging of those big fights. In the first one, the attacker is mostly under the sand. A little later, Artemis fends off a wave of behemoths in a dark cavern. In both cases — and with most of the early action in “Monster Hunter” — the monsters themselves are hard to see, and the strategies and logistics of the skirmishes are difficult to comprehend.

Throughout the picture, Anderson and his editors rely a lot on quick camera moves and quick cuts, effectively killing any sense of flow to the action. (Jaa, an accomplished martial artist, is especially ill-served by a visual approach that chops up and obscures his cool moves.) There’s just not a lot of awe here … and since the days of “King Kong” and “Godzilla,” monster movies have relied on awe.

And yet, just when “Monster Hunter” is looking like a complete waste of time, Artemis meets a grizzled warrior played by Ron Perlman , and at long last the movie starts to get a little funky. As the good guys gear up for a grand clash between human and beast, Artemis learns a bit more about the weird world she’s been visiting, with its sand-bound sailing ships and its humanoid felines.

Almost out of nowhere, the muddled and bland “Monster Hunter” of the first 60 minutes gives way to a movie with much more originality and personality. Even the fight scenes brighten up, culminating in a stunning-looking standoff between a dragon and a high-end military-grade helicopter.

Alas, the good stuff comes too late. To be fair, all this movie promises from the start is monsters and hunters, and Anderson delivers both, from the first frame to the credits. But for way too long, the generic title is matched to generic action.

'Monster Hunter'

Rated: PG-13, for sequences of creature action and violence throughout. Running time: 1 hour, 43 minutes Playing: Starts Dec. 18 in drive-ins and in limited release where theaters are open

Review: ‘Borderlands’ is a game-to-screen misfire so thoroughly bad, it’s breathtaking

Aug. 9, 2024

Four plastic dolls of varying skin and hair colors wearing colorful, elaborate outfits

Move over, Barbie: Universal developing ‘Monster High’ film based on Mattel dolls

June 5, 2024

Jump scares? That’s yesterday’s stale gore. Two new horror films break the rules

May 30, 2024

Only good movies

Get the Indie Focus newsletter, Mark Olsen's weekly guide to the world of cinema.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

More From the Los Angeles Times

Actor Michael Madsen, right, poses with his wife DeAnna Madsen while crouching on a red carpet

Michael Madsen’s wife ‘broke into’ Malibu home, actor won’t be charged after arrest, lawyer says

A woman and a man point guns in different directions.

Review: ‘The Killer’ brings a Hong Kong action genius back to the site of his own crimes

A woman rests her chin on a man's shoulder.

Review: A rabbi and an older student find reciprocity in the playful ‘Between the Temples’

A man in a dark trench coat walks down an urban street.

Review: Weighed down by too much muck and not enough myth, a slackly remade ‘The Crow’ flops

Aug. 23, 2024

Search Please fill out this field.
Newsletters
Sweepstakes
Movie Reviews

Monster Hunter is a CGI battlefest and nothing more: Review

Christian Holub is a writer covering comics and other geeky pop culture. He's still mad about 'Firefly' getting canceled.

There are fantasy films with intricate worlds — sagas of faraway lands with fleshed-out rules. There may not be any elves or demons in real life, but some films work hard enough at world-building to help us suspend disbelief and get engrossed in the various dynamics of made-up places. Monster Hunter (out on VOD this Friday) is not one of those movies.

That's not necessarily a failing, since Monster Hunter isn't pretending to be Tolkien. It sells itself as a movie about Milla Jovovich fighting CGI monsters, and it is indeed a movie about Milla Jovovich fighting CGI monsters — no more and no less. Like Jovovich's previous collaborations with her husband, director Paul W.S. Anderson , on the Resident Evil films, Monster Hunter is based off a video game franchise. It certainly feels like an old-fashioned video game: Plot doesn't really matter, there's not much character development to speak of, but there is a lot of fighting against an endless swarm of enemies.

The opening scene shows us a giant ship crashing in the midst of a supernatural storm, but soon cuts to "our world" — indicated by an empty Coke can on the side of the road, and U.S. soldiers patrolling a desert area. (Credit where it's due: Those are two pretty on-brand descriptions of our modern world.) Jovovich's Captain Artemis is the leader of this squad, but it's one thing to lead your troops into battle against human combatants; it's another to suddenly find yourself pulled into another dimension by a freak storm.

This world is also a desert; it's not actually clear how much the two planes differ geographically. It's just that, while humans thoroughly dominate the food chain on our Earth, this one has a whole different class of apex predators. Giant spiders cause the most problems at first; one poor sucker (played by T.I.!) even gets eggs laid inside him, Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark -style. The rest of Artemis' crew doesn't last much longer, which frees us from having to worry too much about dialogue from then on. A survivor of that opening shipwreck known only as the Hunter (Tony Jaa) finds Artemis and becomes the only ally in her newfound war against monsters, but he doesn't speak English (and we viewers don't even get subtitles). The closest they come to communicating is agreeing that Artemis' Hershey bar tastes good, though one would think that consuming chocolate would be counter-productive in a desert devoid of water. Ah well, hopefully, the product placement was worth something.

Together, Artemis and the Hunter fashion themselves some reasonably-cool armor, weapons, and traps out of both the surrounding desert detritus and the corpses of monsters they kill, so that they can become even better at killing more monsters. This sequence is the heart of the movie, and there's fun to be had with the monster battles — especially when the Hunter shoots one triceratops-looking fiend through the eye with a poisoned arrow, allowing Artemis to mount its back via grappling hook and deal even more damage.

In between, these fights are training montages that raise more questions than they answer. Why do blades forged in this dimension emit blasts of fire? Who knows? The Hunter doesn't even tell Artemis, much less us. Eventually, Ron Perlman shows up as an old ally of the Hunter's, and he can speak the same language as Artemis, so there's a half-hearted attempt to dump some lore on us: Something something ancient race of technologically-advanced people whose reach exceeded their grasp, something something tower that connects these two worlds and must be destroyed for the safety of both, etc.

At a certain point, Monster Hunter just decides to end. As the surviving characters gear up for a final assault on the magic tower, the credits start rolling. A film that doesn't even bother to wrap up its own story, instead gesturing vaguely at a hypothetical sequel, is telling you exactly how much you should care about it. At least some of those monsters are fun and gross. Grade: C

Monster Hunter Review

An adaptation of the Japanese video-game series, Monster Hunter is heavily inspired by video-game structure – hordes of enemies, distinct environments impossibly conjoined to make different levels, a final boss. The outlandish plot is grounded by the inspired pairing of Milla Jovovich and Tony Jaa , as director Paul WS Anderson focuses on their greatest strength: their physicality. It’s thrilling to see the film so fully embrace this; their chemistry thrives because of the narrative restriction of a language barrier, leaving the two to mostly communicate through body language. Jovovich moves with action-hero grace, Jaa is nimble and extremely charming, even with minimal dialogue.

Anderson’s storytelling is spartan, limiting exposition about the world Artemis and her squad find themselves in. This is satisfying for its first two acts — the soldiers’ arrival and their quick dismemberment; Jovovich and Jaa’s characters bonding — but the finale is muddled, suddenly introducing more cannon-fodder for the battle. Still, Monster Hunter ’s leanness is mostly its greatest asset, flying through a surprising variety of set-pieces as Artemis flees from and later slays a range of giant beasties.

As for the monsters themselves, the creature design is fun and faithful to the series, though after a time their scaly textures feel indistinct, which is a shame considering the delightfully outlandish costume and prop design elsewhere. The framing of the story through the eyes of the military initially feels uninspired but it’s less of a frustration once the purpose of these poor soldiers is clear: to make regular weaponry look feeble next to the hunter’s supersized weapons, carved from monster bones. Spectacle is the aim of the game, so to speak — but it’s not thoughtless, the soldiers themselves immediately joking about how their roles as political tools will consign them to the meat grinder. Too bad for them, so much fun for us.

Supported by

‘Monster Hunter’ Review: Beasts of Boredom

Milla Jovovich stars as an Army Ranger trapped in an alternate universe in this video game-derived silliness.

Share full article

By Jeannette Catsoulis

“Monster Hunter” — 80 percent monsters, 20 percent hunter — proves definitively that neither gaping wounds nor a gargantuan armored earwig can stop Milla Jovovich.

Having accompanied the film’s writer and director, Paul W.S. Anderson, through multiple chapters of his “Resident Evil” franchise, Jovovich is well prepared to class up this latest video game-derived nonsense. The opening alone is a hoot and a half: A giant galleon heaving and bucking across a storm-tossed desert, captained by a worried-looking Ron Perlman and pursued beneath the sand by the aforementioned earwig. Someone has been reading too much Frank Herbert.

The sandstorm also strands Lt. Artemis (Jovovich) and her Army Ranger unit in this parallel universe, populated by “Lost World”-style critters and the mysterious Hunter (Tony Jaa). When her team noisily succumbs to cave-dwelling spider-thingies that incubate their young in human skin, Artemis decides to team up with Hunter and, well, do something. He doesn’t speak English and the script doesn’t speak coherence, so their plans are necessarily vague.

Luckily, Perlman shows up again to introduce his personal chef — a man-sized cat wearing a cat-sized hat — and explain about the mysterious tower that opens the gateway between worlds and will no doubt feature prominently in the inevitable sequel. Until then, we’re left to process a Post-it-sized plot, numbing fight sequences and dialogue along the lines of “My God!” and “Aargh!”

Jovovich, though, remains limber, leggy and — like her lipstick — damn near indestructible. And that’s very good news for schlocky pictures like this one.

Monster Hunter Rated PG-13 for spider-filled pustules and poison-filled entrails. Running time: 1 hour 39 minutes. In theaters. Please consult the guidelines outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before watching movies inside theaters.

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

For Parents
For Educators
Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

Movie Reviews
Best Movie Lists
Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

Best TV Lists
Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
Common Sense Selections for TV
Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

Book Reviews
Best Book Lists
Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

Game Reviews
Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

Podcast Reviews
Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

App Reviews
Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

YouTube Channel Reviews
YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

How to Help Kids Build Character Strengths with Quality Media

Family Tech Planners
Digital Skills
All Articles
Latino Culture
Black Voices
Asian Stories
Native Narratives
LGBTQ+ Pride
Best of Diverse Representation List

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

Monster hunter.

Common Sense Says
Parents Say 7 Reviews
Kids Say 16 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Loud, violent video game adaptation is mostly forgettable.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 14+?

Tons of action/fantasy violence: People are attacked, impaled, crushed, burned t

Infrequent: a couple uses of "s--t," several "hells" and "godammits," and a few

Nothing on screen, but the movie is a promotional tie-in to the popular video ga

Artemis and the Hunter drink out of a flask; while it isn't clear what they drin

Any Positive Content?

Promotes teamwork, courage, and perseverance in the face of seemingly unbeatable

Artemis is a brave, strong, and disciplined captain who cares about her crew. Sh

Violence & Scariness

Tons of action/fantasy violence: People are attacked, impaled, crushed, burned to death, and eaten by the giant, animal-like monsters. Humans use a combination of modern and ancient weapons against the creatures: guns, crossbows, hand grenades, tanks, helicopters, fighter planes, explosives, swords, and spears. Monsters are shown eating people or crushing their skulls, with torsos and legs hanging out of their mouths. In one graphic scene, a character's stomach erupts with baby spider monsters. A couple of scenes involve human-on-human violence, with a man punching a woman in the face and soldiers trying to shoot the Hunter.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Infrequent: a couple uses of "s--t," several "hells" and "godammits," and a few exclamations of "Jesus" and "oh my God."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Nothing on screen, but the movie is a promotional tie-in to the popular video game franchise.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Artemis and the Hunter drink out of a flask; while it isn't clear what they drink, Artemis winces/gasps as if it's something strong.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Messages

Promotes teamwork, courage, and perseverance in the face of seemingly unbeatable odds. Stresses the importance of mutual respect and collaboration among people who speak different languages and come from different backgrounds.

Positive Role Models

Artemis is a brave, strong, and disciplined captain who cares about her crew. She sacrifices her safety to try to save her team and, later, the Hunter. The Hunter is also courageous and compassionate. The cast is racially and ethnically diverse, but most of the characters don't stay alive long enough to merit discussion. The two main characters are a White woman and an otherworldly character played by an ethnically Asian man.

Parents need to know that Monster Hunter is a violent video game-based action/fantasy adventure in which a group of soldiers ends up crossing into another dimension, where giant carnivorous monsters kill the few humans around. The captain of the Ranger unit, played by Milla Jovovich , teams up with a mysterious Hunter ( Tony Jaa ) to fight the massive. frightening creatures. As in the video games , there's there's violence in nearly every scene, some of it jump-worthy, as the humans try to kill every monster that crosses their paths. Humans and monsters are destroyed by a variety of weapons: guns, grenades, heavy artillery, crossbows, spears, swords, and more. Many characters die: People are crushed, dismembered, burned to death, and eaten. Strong language is infrequent but includes "s--t," "goddammit," and religious exclamations. The movie is likely to appeal most to fans of the game franchise (who will understand the world-building) or fantasy-adventure enthusiasts. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

Parents say (7)
Kids say (16)

Based on 7 parent reviews

Great Monster flick, but one TERRYING SCENE with Spiders make this not age appropriate for someone age 13 IMO.

Great imagination of the game, what's the story.

Monster Hunter is an action movie based on the Monster Hunter: World video game. Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson , the undisputed king of video game adaptations, the film stars Milla Jovovich as Capt. Artemis. She leads an Army Ranger squad that drives through a desert storm that's actually a portal to another world, where -- one by one -- they're picked off by huge dinosaur, spider, dragon, and sea creature-like monsters that are intent on killing all of them. Emerging as the sole survivor of her team, Artemis teams up with a mysterious Hunter ( Tony Jaa ) who knows about the various creatures and how to best kill them. Together, the Hunter -- who speaks an unknown language -- and Artemis find a way to communicate and train to kill more of the beasts and hopefully find a way to get her back to Earth.

Is It Any Good?

As video game-based movies go, this isn't the worst, because spouses Anderson and Jovovich know what they're doing -- but it's still a forgettable compilation of violent CGI effects. At this point, Anderson owes his career to turning video games into movies, and his Resident Evil star-turned-wife is his fierce, fabulous muse. Despite dismal reviews, the Resident Evil franchise has a sizable following, so it's possible that Monster Hunter will strike the same chord. But for audiences who are unfamiliar or uninterested in the game, the movie has little to offer beyond a seemingly unending sequence of violent battles between humans and beasts. But the tension is underwhelming, as is any investment in the characters (even Artemis and the Hunter remain unknowable).

There are a few moments of levity, such as when Artemis gives the Hunter her stash of chocolate and he demands more, or in the inevitable training montage when she learns to use his armor and weapons, but they fall short of humanizing the characters. This is definitely not a buddy adventure, nor is it a character study of warriors strategizing and overcoming rough odds. It's just a show of humanity-versus-beast violence -- and not a creative show at that. Then again, these movies never pretend to be something they're not, and there's clearly an audience for them. Don't expect substantive world building, back stories, or plot explanations, just artillery-spraying, human-crunching action.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the violence in Monster Hunter . Is it necessary to the movie? Does fantasy violence impact viewers differently than realistic violence?

How do the movie's characters demonstrate teamwork , perseverance , and courage ? Why are these important character strengths ?

The movie has been boycotted in China because of a joke about "Chi-knees" included in previews that was later deleted. What responsibility do screenwriters and filmmakers have to be thoughtful about the use of racist or insensitive language in their films?

What do you think about the genre of video game-to-movie adaptations? Which one is your favorite? How does this one compare to the others?

Movie Details

In theaters : December 18, 2020
On DVD or streaming : March 2, 2021
Cast : Milla Jovovich , Ron Perlman , Tony Jaa
Director : Paul W.S. Anderson
Inclusion Information : Female actors, Asian actors
Studio : Screen Gems
Genre : Action/Adventure
Topics : Magic and Fantasy , Adventures , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
Run time : 99 minutes
MPAA rating : PG-13
MPAA explanation : sequences of creature action and violence throughout
Last updated : November 24, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

What to watch next.

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Stargate Atlantis

Best fantasy movies, best action movies for kids, related topics.

Magic and Fantasy
Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission.

Monster Hunter Is Loud, Unapologetic Fun

Paul W.S. Anderson is the rare director who seems to make good movies out of video games , with Mortal Kombat , the Resident Evil series, and now Monster Hunter on his résumé. Each of these adaptations is quite different (and some are better than others), but if there’s one thing that seems to unite the pictures, and Anderson’s work in general, it has to be his attention to the environments in which the action takes place; he’s the most architectural of genre filmmakers. His first feature, the controversial indie British drama Shopping , introduced the world to Jude Law as a nihilistic young hood who got his kicks crashing cars into shopping malls. In the two films that followed, Mortal Kombat and Event Horizon , location became even more critical — particularly in the latter, a horror-sci-fi masterpiece about a spaceship that had gone quite literally to hell and back, in which the ship, a cross between space station and medieval torture chamber, was arguably the central character.

All of this makes Anderson an ideal director for video-game adaptations, because more than action — which, admittedly, he’s quite deft at — the chief appeal of so many games seems to be the ability to both use and lose oneself in their often-otherworldly environments. Monster Hunter — which takes place in a fantastical dimension in which lowly humans are pitted against a variety of humongous, surreal, terrifying creatures — was partly shot on a striking lunar-landscape stretch of desert in Namibia, and it does feel like we’ve been transported somewhere not of this Earth. (The director has the good sense to kick the film off with one of its most striking images: a giant ship sailing through an ocean of sand, rising and falling and crashing with the rolling dunes.)

The “ Wizard of Oz meets Hell in the Pacific ” story follows Artemis (Milla Jovovich), an Army Ranger whose team was swept into this world through a kind of storm portal, and a character known as the Hunter (Tony Jaa), an inhabitant of this land who has been trapped in a desolate stretch of desert after getting swept off one of those aforementioned sand ships. Artemis and the Hunter don’t speak each other’s language, so pretty much all of their communication happens through gestures and glances. They also start off as adversaries, and only begrudgingly ally themselves against the armies of giant spiders and the huge horned underground worm-demons and the fire-breathing armored dragons and whatnot. A proud schlockmeister, Anderson doesn’t play coy or get too subtle with the creatures here: The movie is called Monster Hunter , after all, and dammit, he’s gonna give us monsters. Not to mention some gnarly weapons, from giant scimitars to flaming swords to retractable, wrist-mounted crossbow thingamabobs. (I assume some of this stuff comes from the game, which I haven’t played.)

Yet, there is art in it, too. There’s something truly electric about the pure, visual storytelling of Monster Hunter . After Artemis discovers, for example, that the giant spiders can’t step out into the sun, a couple of suspense scenes turn on the slow, agonizing appearance and disappearance of sunlight; because we’re so embedded in these characters’ perspectives, their gazes and their movements, the experience of watching them becomes more visceral. This is also where Anderson’s penchant for designing his action scenes around the settings comes in handy. The landscape, with its caves and outcroppings and ledges and canyons and different levels, is filled with dramatic potential. It’s there to be used, not just to be passed through, or to have backstory-filled conversations in.

Admittedly, this won’t be to all tastes. There’s a bluntness to Monster Hunter that may turn off viewers looking for something with more grandeur or refinement or ambition. Anderson has always seemed content with his corner of the genre universe — making loud, ruthless, gleefully violent, jump-scare-filled thrillers and action flicks that some of us find irresistible and others find obnoxious. The PG-13 Monster Hunter has some of the rough trappings of a more family-friendly fantasy entertainment than much of his previous work, but as with his period pieces — the underrated Pompeii and Three Musketeers — the director bends the picture to his charmingly barbaric will, not the other way around. The film even contains one classic cat jump-scare … but the cat in this case turns out to be a muscle-bound feline pirate wielding a knife. Which should give you an idea of the kind of movie this is. Monster Hunter is so unapologetically itself, it warms your heart.

More Movie Reviews

They Finally Made The Crow for Goth Incompetents
The Mesmerizing Close Your Eyes Asks What Really Makes a Life
Megalopolis Is a Work of Absolute Madness
movie review
paul ws anderson
monster hunter
resident evil
milla jovovich
video games

Editor’s Picks

Most Popular

What is your email.

This email will be used to sign into all New York sites. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us.

Sign In To Continue Reading

Create your free account.

Password must be at least 8 characters and contain:

Lower case letters (a-z)
Upper case letters (A-Z)
Numbers (0-9)
Special Characters (!@#$%^&*)

As part of your account, you’ll receive occasional updates and offers from New York , which you can opt out of anytime.

Monster Hunter (2020)

User Reviews

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews

User Ratings
External Reviews
Metacritic Reviews
Full Cast and Crew
Release Dates
Official Sites
Company Credits
Filming & Production
Technical Specs
Plot Summary
Plot Keywords
Parents Guide

Did You Know?

Crazy Credits
Alternate Versions
Connections
Soundtracks

Photo & Video

Photo Gallery
Trailers and Videos

Monster Hunter review roundup: here’s what the critics are saying

The Monster Hunter reviews are in and they're... not good

The Monster Hunter reviews are in – and they’re not all that positive. The movie stars Milla Jovovich as Artemis, Tony Jaa as the Hunter, Ron Perlman as Admiral, and T.I. as Link, and is directed by Paul W.S. Anderson. Anderson and Jovovich previously teamed up for the cinematic adaptations of Resident Evil.

With Monster Hunter reviews finally reaching the internet before the movie releases in American cinemas this week, we've rounded up the critical reactions. They're quite something. Our own review will be forthcoming.

IGN – Zaki Hasan – 3/10

“We may be barreling towards the tail end of December, but it seems 2020 isn’t done with us yet: under the wire, it’s delivered one of the worst action movies in recent memory, and another addition to the Video Game Movie Adaptation Hall of Shame… here comes the latest cinematic game defenestration, writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson’s Monster Hunter, to remind us how rare good video game movies are.”

Variety – Peter Debruge – N/A

“As a filmmaker, Anderson has a take-it-or-leave-it style that confounds many, but pleases enough to sustain a career making hyper-visual effects-heavy movies that play like feature-length trailers: Event Horizon, Alien vs. Predator, Pompeii and the four aforementioned Resident Evil movies. Monster Hunter is no different in that it moves along at a steady clip, dispensing with all but the most rudimentary character details in order to maximise the stuff that excites the fans — namely, striking compositions and carnage.”

Indie Wire – David Ehrlich – D-

“From that point on, “Monster Hunter” is relentlessly terrible even by 2020 standards, as it quickly descends into a dull and colourless bit of bug-hunting that marries the production value of a SyFy Original with the scale of a tutorial level, resulting in one of the drabbest and least imaginative video game movies ever made. Series fans will feel cheated by such a chintzy and incurious take on something they love, while the rest of us will be left wondering how the source material earned itself any fans in the first place.”

The Hollywood Reporter – John DeFore – N/A

“More an expensive VFX demo reel than a story, the latest Paul W.S. Anderson film hopes to take yet another video game, Capcom 's Monster Hunter, and turn it into a money-minting movie franchise. Teaming again with wife Milla Jovovich, star of his hugely successful Resident Evil series (also based on a Capcom franchise), the writer-director tacitly acknowledges his lack of interest in dialogue by introducing a co-star, Tony Jaa, whose character speaks no English. A few flashes of amused chemistry between the two actors represent all the human interest in this unimaginative sci-fi actioner, but that doesn't mean the pic's relentless focus on giant-monster battles won't please the director's fans.”

Entertainment Weekly – Christian Holub – C

“It sells itself as a movie about Milla Jovovich fighting CGI monsters, and it is indeed a movie about Milla Jovovich fighting CGI monsters – no more and no less. Like Jovovich's previous collaborations with her husband, director Paul W.S. Anderson, on the Resident Evil films, Monster Hunter is based off a video game franchise. It certainly feels like an old-fashioned video game: Plot doesn't really matter, there's not much character development to speak of, but there is a lot of fighting against an endless swarm of enemies.”

Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox

Comic Book – Rollin Bishop – 2/5

“Monster Hunter ultimately flirts with being an absolutely fine movie while just managing to miss the mark. It’s not going to change hearts and minds, but seeing a military convoy try to take on Diablos and others is exactly as thrilling as it sounds. It just lacks the attention to detail that, say, Pacific Rim has to its world and characters. By the end of the film, I didn’t really understand why I was supposed to care about anyone still left alive beyond the fact that they remained on the screen. Monster Hunter is the energy drink of movies; a quick shock of energy followed mostly by a headache.”

Monster Hunter is released in the US this December 18 2020. While you wait, check out our guide to all of 2020 and 2021’s movie release dates .

I'm an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.

Joker 3 is unlikely according to the film’s director: "I think we’ve said what we wanted to say"

A heartbreaking Studio Ghibli movie with a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score is coming to Netflix next month

Borderlands 4 has finally been revealed, and it's out in 2025 across PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S

Screen Rant

Monster hunter early reviews: a dumb, not-so-fun creature feature.

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

10 Spider-Man Villains That Still Haven't Appeared In Live-Action Marvel Could Use For Tom Holland's Next MCU Movie

Jennifer lopez's cult classic horror movie is getting comedy remake, jack black & paul rudd eyed for starring roles, pitt & clooney's new movie had its theatrical run slashed by apple, now the director responds.

The Monster Hunter reviews are in for the adaptation of the popular role-playing game series. The Milla Jovovich-starring feature has been in the works for some time, and now, fans will be able to see the iconic Rathalos on the big screen. The movie releases this week in North America, but already saw a release in China before being pulled for a controversial joke .

The Monster Hunter video game series has been around since 2004. The franchise gained notable prominence internationally in 2018 with the release of Monster Hunter: World . In fact, not only is Monster Hunter: World the best-selling game in the series, but also Capcom's highest selling game of all time. Monster Hunter typically follows individuals tasked with defeating numerous monsters around a fictionalized land, but the film adaptation adds a real-world wrinkle. The film follows a military force that gets transported to the world of Monster Hunter . Understandably, not everybody was pleased with this direction. Director Paul W. S. Anderson discussed what he feels is the key thing when making a video game adaption , saying adaptations should be for both fans and those who have never played. If Monster Hunter achieves this difficult balance, it may find considerable success.

Related: Milla Jovovich Is Hollywood's Deadliest Action Star

With Monster Hunter's reviews here, fans can see if the film has achieved the quality of its source material. Does Monster Hunter continue the positive streak of video game adaptations left by Detective Pikachu and Sonic the Hedgehog ? If one is looking for anything but nonstop action, it's probably best to look elsewhere. Reviews agree that character development is nonexistent. However, the action is fast-paced. Those who had a blast with Anderson's Mortal Kombat movie appear to be in for a treat. Check out the critic reviews for Monster Hunter below.

Edward Douglas, The Weekend Warrior

Monster Hunter is definitely not the kind of movie I recommend to everyone – fans of the OTHER Paul Anderson would turn their noses up at the suggestion – but if you’re a fan of giant monsters and some of Anderson’s earlier work, you’ll probably already know whether or not this will be for you.

Noel Murray, Los Angeles Times

To be fair, all this movie promises from the start is monsters and hunters, and Anderson delivers both, from the first frame to the credits. But for way too long, the generic title is matched to generic action.

Barry Hertz, Globe and Mail

Listen: Monster Hunter is all sorts of super-dumb fun. And though its middle section lags – there are only so many training montages audiences can handle – Anderson and his wife Jovovich prove that their long-running Resident Evil franchise was no fluke: this is a couple who know how to take the flimsiest of video games and turn them into self-knowing slices of cinematic ridiculousness.

Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, The AV Club

Anderson’s breakthrough, Mortal Kombat, is still the benchmark for infectiously fun video game adaptations. If Monster Hunter is intentionally a more spartan piece of work, its gamer aesthetics and bare minimums, even at their crudest, still feel like an antidote to the lethargic drag of movies with better VFX and cooler trailers.

David Ehrlich, IndieWire

From that point on, “Monster Hunter” is relentlessly terrible even by 2020 standards, as it quickly descends into a dull and colorless bit of bug-hunting that marries the production value of a SyFy Original with the scale of a tutorial level, resulting in one of the drabbest and least imaginative video game movies ever made. Series fans will feel cheated by such a chintzy and incurious take on something they love, while the rest of us will be left wondering how the source material earned itself any fans in the first place.

Alif Majeed, Battle Royale With Cheese

Despite all the myriad problems plaguing the movie and none of which relates to pun-inducing dialogues, it entertains on an elementary level. That is because Monster Hunter delivers exactly what it promises. Even though that is very little in the end.

Mike McGranaghan, Aisle Seat

You won't find any substance here, which is fine. Monster Hunter makes no pretensions of being anything other than what it is – a great big escapist creature feature, packed with wild wall-to-wall action. If that's your thing, and it's definitely mine, the movie offers a very good time.

Liam Nolan, CBR

Monster Hunter isn't a good movie. The movie's characters are flat, while its the exposition is clunky and any internal logic falls away the moment one stops to think about pretty much anything that happens. Monster Hunter is, thus, like pretty much every video game adaptation Anderson has done in the last decade, meaning it holds absolutely no surprises for any of his devotees. However, just because Monster Hunter isn't a good movie doesn't mean it's not entertaining while it lasts.

Eric Frederiksen, GameSpot

The parts that work, work really well. The same way that 2014's Godzilla excelled when Godzilla was on the screen, Monster Hunter is a blast when Artemis and the Hunter are fighting the authentically realized monsters. But the movie seems more interested in seeing giant monsters destroying helicopters and Humvees than in exploring its actual interesting setting.

Rollin Bishop, ComicBook

Monster Hunter ultimately flirts with being an absolutely fine movie while just managing to miss the mark. It’s not going to change hearts and minds, but seeing a military convoy try to take on Diablos and others is exactly as thrilling as it sounds. It just lacks the attention to detail that, say, Pacific Rim has to its world and characters. By the end of the film, I didn’t really understand why I was supposed to care about anyone still left alive beyond the fact that they remained on the screen. Monster Hunter is the energy drink of movies; a quick shock of energy followed mostly by a headache.

Christian Holub, EW

At a certain point, Monster Hunter just decides to end. As the surviving characters gear up for a final assault on the magic tower, the credits start rolling. A film that doesn't even bother to wrap up its own story, instead gesturing vaguely at a hypothetical sequel, is telling you exactly how much you should care about it. At least some of those monsters are fun and gross.

Featured Monster Hunter Releasing Christmas

For many, the overall reception won't come as surprising. The marketing positioned Monster Hunter as little more than a mindless action movie. Still, it appears those looking for a fun film with monstrous creatures like the Rathalos and Diablos have come to the right place. This kind of mindless, escapist entertainment might just be what some need as 2020 wraps up.

Last month, Jovovich said Anderson was working on a script for a potential Monster Hunter sequel . It definitely appears there's more to be done in the world of Monster Hunter . However, it remains to be seen how well it does at the box office. The Resident Evil movies were lucrative, but Monster Hunter lost a key source of box office gross in China, with no word on the film returning to theaters there. For its release elsewhere, soon it will be known if Monster Hunter 's action and creatures can entice potential moviegoers to venture out.

Next: How Defeat Black Diablos in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

Source: Various (see above)

Key Release Dates

Monster Hunter

monster hunter

Monster Hunter Movie Review: A Monstrous Miscalculation

First Released Dec 4, 2020 released

Paul W.S. Anderson is no stranger to video game adaptations, but he missed the mark with Monster Hunter.

By Eric Frederiksen on December 16, 2020 at 6:00AM PST

If video game movies have a king, that man is Paul W.S. Anderson. Starting with Mortal Kombat in 1995, Anderson is responsible for many of the most middlingly-acceptable video game movies of the last quarter century. That sounds like I'm dunking on the guy, but video game movies have historically bordered on unwatchable. Anderson, meanwhile, directed the first Mortal Kombat and Resident Evil films, which are considered two early examples that both honor the source material and work as films.

Now, Anderson has set his sights on another video game created by Japanese developer Capcom for adaptation: Monster Hunter. The result is a movie that tries to please everyone by both staying faithful to its source material and bending over backward to be "accessible;" it does both to its own detriment as it gets bogged down by reality before leaving many of its most interesting aspects unexplored.

The movie opens on one of the most visually impressive sequences, though it makes a promise the rest of the film can't keep. A sandship--a sailboat moving across the desert as if in water--hurtles across the dunes, hinting at a strange world full of strange technology and even stranger monsters. And then we cut to humvees and a bunch of people in military fatigues singing songs about how much being in the Army sucks, and nothing that matters happens for at least another hour. That's because Monster Hunter actually takes place from the point of view of Milla Jovovich's character, Lt. Artemis. She and her Army Rangers are looking for a missing squad in the African desert when a Mad Max: Fury Road-grade sandstorm sweeps up the characters and they wake up in a different, sandier desert.

From that point, it's almost an hour before we get any real action, and it's over almost before it starts. The 103-minute movie feels like a stretched-out version of the first 45 minutes of a much more interesting movie.

Anderson spoke at length in interviews about wanting the audience to feel like a new player in a Monster Hunter game; a person from our world experiencing the expansive world Capcom has built up over the last decade. That sounds like a smart idea on paper, but it ignores the fact that, over the last decade, moviegoers have been engulfed in nerd culture. Casual viewers of superhero movies know what a multiverse is, and can make sense of the machinations of Houses Stark and Targaryen. They even know that some Mandalorians don't take off their helmets, but others do. Anderson's mistake here is that we don't need onboarding into the world of Monster Hunter. The accessibility angle, largely pinned to the army aspect, comes across as condescending in 2020.

Another seemingly smart idea Anderson had was to be faithful to the games, right down to consulting with the game creators on his translations of the games' monster designs. Anderson has told a story more than once in interviews of having to dull the Diablos' claws at the behest of one of the game designers, because Diablos is a sand-burrowing creature and would have its claws worn down from the friction.

The way that manifests in the film is that we spend a lot of time in training and trap-preparation montages as Lt. Artemis gets to know Tony Jaa's character, "the Hunter" (more on him later). These sequences are full of details that committed Monster Hunter fans will love, but do little to either move the story forward or flesh out the characters in any meaningful way.

It's a shame, too, because Monster Hunter is a gorgeous movie. The filmmakers spent a lot on special effects and set design. Diablos and the other monsters look great, and both their size and threat are conveyed well; watching Artemis and the Hunter fight Diablos brought back memories of doing the same in Monster Hunter World. Anderson went out of his way to make the environments look like something otherworldly; the desert is stark and imposing, the jungle incredibly lush. The cave the Nerscylla spiders dwell in and the field of domes above them gave me the willies.

The movie rides on the backs of Milla Jovovich, Tony Jaa, and Ron Perlman. Jovovich looks at home in her Monster Hunter outfit, twirling around with twin blades. In addition to being married to the director, she's a veteran of his movies, and it shows. Tony Jaa and Ron Perlman, meanwhile, are wasted. Jaa is one of the premiere movie martial artists in the world, and it's always a treat to see him do his thing. Only here, he's exclusively fighting Jovovich, and these sequences have more cuts than a dead Rathalos. Jaa goes a long way toward making the property's trademark oversized weapons look even a little believable, but his world-class martial arts are otherwise unused, and the character never actually says a word in English and gets no subtitles when he does speak.

Ron Perlman, meanwhile, looks less like a character who grew up in the same world as The Hunter and more like an aging cosplayer with lots of enthusiasm and free time. Plus, he's barely in the movie, and when he does appear, he's saddled with delivering big dumps of nonsensical exposition.

Monster Hunter fans will be bored by the entire first act of the movie, but will enjoy the dozens of Easter eggs and nods Anderson sprinkled throughout, from the game-perfect campfire that Artemis and the Hunter chill at in the second half to the Meowscular Chef (That's his name. Seriously ) that Artemis meets during her second escape sequence. Newcomers, meanwhile, will also be bored by the entire first act of the movie, and will wonder what's happening throughout the rest of it. It's not that the story is incomprehensible, but that very little happens, and it's mostly in the service of setting up an action-packed climax with plenty of room for a sequel.

The parts that work, work really well. The same way that 2014's Godzilla excelled when Godzilla was on the screen, Monster Hunter is a blast when Artemis and the Hunter are fighting the authentically realized monsters. But the movie seems more interested in seeing giant monsters destroying helicopters and Humvees than in exploring its actual interesting setting.

Leave Blank
The monsters and world look great
The monster battles are a blast
Fans will enjoy Easter eggs and nods to the games
Movie is bogged down with military exposition that does nothing to forward the story
Tony Jaa and Ron Perlman's talents are wasted
Treats fans like they haven't been watching complex geek movies for the last decade
Those not steeped in Monster Hunter will likely be baffled
The Meowscular Chef is creepy

About the Author

Eric Frederiksen

More gamespot reviews.

Use your keyboard!

An Honest Review Of The Monster Hunter Movie From A Die-Hard Fan

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Twisters Is A Reminder We Don’t Let Regular People Lead Movies Anymore

Randy pitchford expected pushback over the borderlands movie cast, is alien: romulus secretly a remake.

The Monster Hunter movie had all the makings of a total flop. From the husband-wife creative team behind the Resident Evil film series, Monster Hunter diverged from the video game in a pretty major way. While all of the games take place exclusively in a fantasy world filled with monsters and hunters, the film magically teleports a group of soldiers from the real world into the monster world. Monster Hunter fans were understandably irritated about this change, especially after six Resident Evil films of debatable quality that had very little to do with the source material. What’s more, the film had a complicated and confusing release schedule because of Covid restrictions, and when it finally did come out, it sparked controversy with Chinese audiences thanks to a racist joke (which had been cut out of the version I watched on Google Play). Monster Hunter may seem like a cynical cash-in on the outrageous success of Monster Hunter World, but as it turns out, it’s a surprisingly competent movie with plenty of fanservice and some truly thrilling action scenes. It’s not going to win any Oscars, and trying to follow the story — which is all crammed in at the very end — will make your brain short circuit. But if you love Monster Hunter, the Monster Hunter movie isn’t a betrayal to the franchise, not even close.

Related: Monster Hunter Film Was Meant To Feel "Like Playing The Game For The First Time", Says Milla Jovovich

I’ll admit that the premise of Monster Hunter did not excite me at all. The “character from Earth has been transported to a fantasy world” is an entire genre that I find to be rather paint-by-numbers and predictable. In anime and manga, this genre is called Isekai, and Hollywood has been doing this to video game movies forever. The Super Mario Bros movie is an Isekai about two human brothers who get transported to Dinohattan, and of course, it’s terrible. I hated when they did this to Sonic last year, and while, admittedly, I think the Sonic movie is decent, I would have much preferred to see a Sonic movie that takes place in Sonic’s world, not ours.

Naturally, it seemed like director Paul W.S. Anderson was just using this “safe” formula for Monster Hunter and that the film would have very little to do with games. Surprisingly, I think going Isekai worked really well for Monster Hunter. The Monster Hunter games are definitely not known for their compelling storylines, but the movie does such a great job of introducing viewers to the world with Milla Jovovich’s Artemis serving as the audience surrogate. The film is nearly as light on story as the games, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun it was to watch her discover all these things about the world of Monster Hunter that I’m already familiar with. In an interview , Jovovich explained that the story was meant to feel like playing the game for the first time, and I think that’s totally apt.

Most importantly, the movie gets the world of Monster Hunter so damn right. It’s filled with fan-service, including a palico chef that recreates the cooking cutscene from Monster Hunter World. But even when the movie isn’t winking at MH fans with obvious references, it’s always representing the games through the setting and storytelling.

Related: Tony Jaa Was The Only One Who Could Lift Monster Hunter's Giant Sword

Artemis teams up with a hunter, played by the incredible Tony Jaa, in the film’s second act. Through him, you get to see a variety of authentic weapons, cooking, camps, slinger ammo, part breaking, and plenty of other video game details and iconography. The movie feels like it exists in the actual Monster Hunter world from the beginning until just before the end. The story even mirrors the progression loop of the game. If you’ve got a monster that’s too strong to take down, in this case, Diablos, then you need to first hunt a weaker monster and craft gear out of its parts. All of the Earth weapons that come through with Artemis are shown to be completely useless against Diablos. Only a weapon made from a monster can kill a monster, and Artemis quickly learns how to fight like a true hunter.

The trailers really only ever showed off Diablos, but there are few more monsters. Although I would have loved to see tons of monsters from the games, I also sort of appreciate that the movie features about as many monsters as one could realistically fight in 90 minutes of playing Monster Hunter World. I have to spoil this so no one gets their hopes up though: there are no turf wars in the movie. This is by far the biggest letdown.

During the final act, there’s a huge info dump scene that lays out a bunch of lore and answers to questions that no one would have asked. It’s really dumb, and if you happened to go to the bathroom for just two minutes, you would miss the entire thing. It seems like a big setup for a sequel, but it was the first time in the movie that things got so stupid I that I couldn’t believe what I was watching. There’s some great action at the end of the movie (and even more weapons) but the story also gets even more outlandish and further away from the source material.

Ultimately, is Monster Hunter a cash grab, or does it respect the fans and stay true to the games? I say it’s about 90% authentic, and any Monster Hunter fan will almost certainly enjoy it. I had enough watching it to ignore that contrived lore jammed in at the end. It’s not a masterpiece, but if you love Monster Hunter, you won’t be disappointed.

Next: Capcom Has Just Reported Its Highest Third-Quarter Profit "At All Levels" In Company History

TheGamer Originals
Monster Hunter
Monster Hunter World

Monster Hunter Wilds' "Gendered Armor" Eliminated by Capcom

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Capcom has announced its removal of gendered armor in Monster Hunter Wilds . Every character can wear any equipment in the upcoming game, which debuts in 2025.

Monster Hunter Wilds director Yuya Tokuda revealed during the game's Gamescom presentation that the highly requested change will finally arrive two decades after the franchise's debut. "In previous Monster Hunter games, you had male and female armor, but I'm happy to confirm that in Monster Hunter Wilds , there's no more male and female armor. All characters can wear any gear," Tokuda said. Monster Hunter fans celebrated what they felt was an overdue change, with a Reddit post titled "We Defeated Gender" amassing over eleven thousand upvotes.

Monster Hunter Wilds Should Bring These Key Features Back From Rise

With a new and exciting Monster Hunter game on the horizon, there are key elements from the last release the series should embrace moving forward.

Capcom first announced the upcoming RPG at The Game Awards last year, confirming that the latest entry in the series will arrive on Xbox, PS5, and PC via Steam in 2025. Monster Hunter Wilds continues where its 2018 predecessor, Monster Hunter World , left off. The previous game brought the series to PlayStation 4 and Xbox, establishing Monster Hunter in the mainstream. Capcom also released Monster Hunter Rise for Nintendo Switch and other platforms.

Capcom Reaffirmed Monster Hunter Wilds Won't Come to Nintendo Switch Any Time Soon

Monster Hunter Wilds will not grace the Nintendo Switch any time soon, if at all, according to Capcom. The developer believes its release on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC platforms will realize the upcoming action RPG's full potential. Capcom addressed questions in a recent shareholders' meeting about Monster Hunter Wilds regarding whether the game would "be limited to these non-portable consoles." Capcom responded by citing the technological reasons behind the decision, saying a crucial concept of the project is to "portray the maximum of the world of Monster Hunter by utilizing the latest technology to its limit."

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Art Book Announced by Dark Horse

Dark Horse Books and BioWare Studios reveal a new art book, The Art of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, based on the next Dragon Age game.

Before closing the answer by emphasizing the other themes and concepts of the game to be revealed later, Capcom stated that "the platforms capable of realizing that concept are currently the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC." The Nintendo Switch has received wide acclaim since its 2017 launch as an innovative gaming platform. However, the hybrid console, by the developer's estimation, does not suit the technological ambitions of Monster Hunter Wilds .

Capcom's upcoming RPG, Monster Hunter Wilds , will arrive on Xbox, PS5, and PC via Steam in 2025 .

Source: Gamescom and Reddit

Monster Hunter Wilds cuts out the clunk - and plays like the most streamlined, beginner-friendly entry yet

I'm on the hunt for a Chatacabra, a sort of lizard frog thing with an imposing tongue. I'm riding on the back of my Seikrat bird-like mount that's whisking me off in pursuit of my prey. And I'm not alone: I've got three fellow hunters by my side, but they're not real players.

SOS calls aren't new to Monster Hunter , but they're now readily accessible with a flick of the radial menu. And if nobody online returns the call, three slots will be filled by NPCs to replicate the feel of co-operative multiplayer while still playing solo - along with your cute cat companion, of course. It means in Monster Hunter Wilds you're never truly alone, unless you want to be.

The inclusion of NPC teammates feels like just one of many additions in this latest series entry that pitches it as the most approachable, beginner-friendly effort yet. That's been a fairly long-running trend for the series - generally each new Monster Hunter game eschews the clunkiness of the last, in an effort to expand the series' audience - but it's especially true of Wilds.

Back to my playthrough though, and the Chatacabra battle is just a taste, as the second part of the demo is a proper hunt, this time for a Doshaguma - a huge bear-like creature with massive claws. Before setting off I entered a tent to choose two different weapons and cook up some mouthwatering steaks to buff my hunter for the journey. Then, with a quick tap on the d-pad, my Seikrat sweeps me up and automatically sniffs out our target as we seamlessly exit the sizeable camp area (complete with cooking cats, but sadly no dango song) and emerge out in the desert. While riding, I can easily switch weapons, down a potion, and prepare for the battle to come whilst on the chase.

In previous games, much of this Seikrat activity was done back at camp. Now, you can switch loadouts practically on the fly, cook meals anywhere, and drink health-restoring potions while riding a mount out of danger. The Seikrat streamlines so much preamble, ensuring you're always on the move, always hunting. What's more, restoring health is a quick flick of the radial menu to use an optimal potion, another nice tweak that trims back on the fiddly cycling through menus.

What's also new in Wilds is that some monsters gather in packs and must be separated from the herd. The Doshaguma is one such beast, and naturally this separation is done by flinging dung. The scent is enough to put off the herd and begin chasing its leader, with your own action beginning the subsequent quest, rather than chatter back at camp.

Monster Hunter Wilds official image showing a hunter diving away from a sandworm in close up

That brings us to combat, which has similarly been streamlined. Wounds can be inflicted on monsters organically by simply targeting the same points in succession, anywhere on the body, as if naturally hunting. Then, once a wound appears, focus mode can be engaged to automatically target weak points. My primary weapon choice is the bow, so frequently shooting at the Doshaguma's head caused a wound to appear; then, by holding the right bumper, the wound was automatically targeted with homing arrows for massive damage. What's more, bow players can fire a tracer at any body part and use this for focus attacks too with additional effect.

Focus mode aside, the controls felt familiar after time with Monster Hunter: Worlds and Monster Hunter: Rise, and I easily slipped back into a comforting rhythm as I shot a storm of arrows and performed last minute dodges. It all feels swift and elegant where before it's been clunky, and manoeuvring on the Seikrat helps to smooth over the whole experience. For newcomers, the game features a quiz to help determine the type of weapon that's most appealing, though I suspect there's still a fairly high barrier to entry for absolute beginners. I switched (easily while mounted) to the insect glaive weapon to perform some of the new pole dancing moves and admittedly my skill level dropped considerably.

Monster Hunter Wilds official image showing a glowing blue monster and AoE attack

There are also plenty of interactions between monsters. While hunting the Doshaguma, it was at one point squeezed by a sandworm-like Balahara, and another Chatacabra made an appearance too. More frightening was the region's apex monster, the lightning dragon Rey Dau, who not only appeared to strike my own prey but brought a storm to darken the skies and sweep up the sand. Between weather effects, giant monsters, and herds of beasts on screen, the experience is highly dynamic and there's plenty to keep track of - plus plenty for the hardware to keep up with, just about.

Handily, players are accompanied by the Palico cat companions who once more can be customised - my little black fluffy guy came with an adorable moustache. Palico are handy in battle, distracting foes and providing healing, and this time their intelligence has been dialled up to bolster their usefulness - yet another quality of life improvement.

Though Capcom won't describe the game as open world, it is seamless as you move from hub area to exploration. This particular desert area was far larger than those in Rise and sprawling too, though the Seikrat makes navigation a breeze as it charges across the desert and leaps across rocky outcrops. Character models are also beautifully detailed, from the gnashing teeth of monsters to the hair and armours of NPCs.

Monster Hunter Wilds official image showing hunter and palico riding a mount

That's especially apparent in cutscenes. The first part of the demo focused on the story, as my character and a team of hunters aimed to assist a village ravaged by monsters. This led to a largely on-rails chase sequence across the sand, Seikrats outrunning a herd of rampaging sand worms whipping up dust. It was a visually impressive sequence but ultimately a shallow, flashy slice of action - it's clear Capcom is looking to entice a broader audience, but Monster Hunter remains at its best with agency in the hands of players.

For the most part, Monster Hunter Wilds strikes a balance between approachability and depth of combat. It offers a familiar thrill of the hunt, of player customisation (the new armours look awesome), and of extravagant combat, but with a fresh world ripe for a bit of co-op action - even with NPCs. Coupled with some of those smart tweaks to streamline the experience and put as much focus as possible on the action, rather than fiddly menus, and there's a good chance this one'll successfully lure in a new audience of hunters.

Monster Hunter Wilds' WILD new gameplay trailer reveals a range of new monsters

Brand new monsters make their grand debut for Monster Hunter Wilds and the return of NPC Support Hunter from Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak

Monster Hunter Wilds gameplay trailer screenshot

What you need to know

A new trailer for Monster Hunter Wilds, the next-gen successor to Capcom's best-selling title of all time, Monster Hunter World, has been revealed at Gamescom 2024.
This trailer showcases a tiny glimpse of the game's story and characters, a new locale, NPC followers, and two new brand monsters to fight.
Monster Hunter Wilds is set to release in 2025 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

The annual Gamescom 2024 convention is underway and brings with it a smorgasbord of announcements and trailers for a variety of games. One such game getting a new trailer during Gamecom's Opening Night Live ceremony is Monster Hunter Wilds , the next mainline entry in Capcom's Monster Hunter franchise.

Monster Hunter Wilds: 3rd Trailer | Lala Barina & Scarlet Forest Reveal - YouTube

• Best Xbox/PC headsets • Best Windows laptops • Best laptops w/ num pads • Best Xbox storage • Best sim racing PCs • Best ROG Ally accessories • Best gaming laptops

The trailer begins by showing us a glimpse of the game's story. In Monster Hunter Wilds, a band of hunters are traversing a treacherous realm known as the Forbidden Lands in search of a hunting expedition that went missing there.

During our heroes' journey in this trailer, they encounter two terrifying monsters that have never been seen before in a Monster Hunter game. The first of these creatures is the Lala Barina, a giant spider monster that resides in the Scarlet Forest and attacks its prey using paralyzing poison and deadly stingers.

The second is a monster that we've only seen brief glimpses of in Monster Hunter Wilds' Summer Game Fest trailer , but now we know what is it - the Rey Dau. This gigantic beast of a Flying Wyvern is the apex predator of the Windward Plains and attacks its prey whenever the region's sandstorms occur by zapping its opponents with lightning bolts shot from its head.

In addition to these beasts being added to Monster Hunter Wilds' list of monsters , this trailer reveals that this game will include NPC Support Hunters. This was a mechanic that debuted in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak that allowed solo players to bring NPC hunters along with them during hunts and now it's coming back for Monster Hunter Wilds.

On top of that, the Turf Wars mechanic introduced in Monster Hunter World will be returning for Monster Hunter Wilds also. Turf Wars are when two certain monsters make eye contact in the same area and initiate a cinematic battle where they deal massive damage to one another. Players can take advantage of this mechanic by luring monsters together so they can beat each other up, and weakening them so the player will be able to finish them off quickly.

🎒The best Back to School deals📝

🕹️Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (3-months) | $32.39 at CDKeys (Save $18!)
💻HP Victus 15.6 Laptop (RTX 4050) | $599 at Walmart (Save $380!)
📺Amazon Fire TV Xbox Game Pass bundle | $82.85 at Amazon (Save $37!)
💻Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon | $1,481.48 at Lenovo (Save $1,368!)
🎧Bose QuietComfort ANC Headphones| $249.00 at Best Buy (Save $100!)
💻HP OmniBook X 14 (X Elite) | $899.99 at Best Buy (Save $300!)
📺TCL Class Q6 4K QLED TV (55-inches) | $319.99 at Target (Save $130!)
🎮 Seagate Xbox Series X|S Card (2TB) | $249.99 at Best Buy (Save $110!)
🕹️Hi-Fi RUSH (PC, Steam) | $9.39 at CDKeys (Save $21!)
🖱️Razer Basilisk V3 Wired Mouse | $48.99 at Best Buy (Save $21!)
🖥️Lenovo ThinkStation P3 (Core i5 vPro) | $879.00 at Lenovo (Save $880!)

I can't wait to hunt these new monsters

- Monster Hunter Wilds Lance trailer - Monster Hunter Wilds Hammer trailer - Monster Hunter Wilds Weapons list - Monster Hunter Wilds Long Sword trailer - Monster Hunter Wilds Heavy Bowgun trailer

These new monsters coming to Monster Hunter Wilds look absolutely amazing. With Lala Barina, I'm happy to see a new large insect monster being added to the roster as giant monsters in most Monster Hunter games tend to have some most character designs and the weapons you get for killing them look stunning and offer useful status effects that can cripple monsters.

As for the Rey Dau, I am both awe-stricken over how cool it looks and terrified at how brutal its lightning attacks are. I have a feeling that this monstrosity is going to be the first major test of the player's skill and mastery of the Monster Hunter Wilds list of weapons and whether they have it takes to progress through the story.

However new players to the series won't have to worry too much about tackling these beasts as the NPC Support Hunters will be there to help them should they need it. The NPC Support Hunters were very competent and useful in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, so I have no doubt they will just be as helpful in Monster Hunter Wilds.

Either way, I'm extremely looking forward to challenging these monsters whether I'm fighting them solo, with NPCs, or with fellow players in online co-op when Monster Hunter Wilds launches next year for consoles and PC.

Monster Hunter Wilds, the next-gen successor to one of Capcom's best Xbox games and best PC games , Monster Hunter World, is scheduled to launch in 2025 for Xbox Series X|S , PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

Alexander Cope is a gaming veteran of 30-plus years, primarily covering PC and Xbox games here on Windows Central. Gaming since the 8-bit era, Alexander's expertise revolves around gaming guides and news, with a particular focus on Japanese titles from the likes of Elden Ring to Final Fantasy. Alexander is always on deck to help our readers conquer the industry's most difficult games — when he can pry himself away from Monster Hunter that is!

2 Xbox reveals a new accessibility-focused Adaptive Joystick — and players can now 3D print their own thumbstick toppers
3 Is Masters of Albion a Fable game? Peter Molyneux claims "Albion can't be copyrighted" to dodge Microsoft legal complications, says it's in the same universe
4 Black Myth: Wukong goes ape with well over 2 million players at launch, surpassing Palworld as the second most-played Steam game ever released
5 Microsoft confirms Windows Recall is still coming, announces new public testing date

SI SWIMSUIT
SI SPORTSBOOK

Monster Hunter Wilds trailer spotlights new monsters and more

Josh broadwell | aug 20, 2024.

Capcom showed up to Gamescom with a new Monster Hunter Wilds trailer, and the upcoming action game looks like an absolute blast. Unlike the tiny snippets Capcom’s dropped in the past week highlighting weapons, we actually got to see something new this time – monsters.

Big ones. Creepy ones. And a kind of pretty one that looks like a rose and a spider, which is horrifying and captivating at the same time. No Dune-inspired monsters , though. Some of the classic critters are back in their scaly, dragon-like glory, but it looks like Capcom is really going all out with monster designs this time, with a much broader variety of designs than we saw in Monster Hunter Rise and even Monster Hunter World.

The same is true for Wilds’, well, wilds as well. The horrifying spider monster lives in a gorgeous forest of willows with silk-thin fronds – that may or may not be soaked in blood – while the desert hides oases of calm and dangerous caverns filled with lightning-tipped dragons alike. The monsters inhabit the world to a greater degree than we saw in World, as Capcom promised, but it looks like the actual people do as well. The trailer gives a brief look of a group of people gathering water down by a pond, a rare calm spot in a world that tried very hard to kill you.

Whether this was for a quest or townsfolk play a bigger role in Monster Hunter Wilds is still a mystery, but hopefully, we won’t have to wait long to find out more. Monster Hunter Wilds is set for launch sometime in 2025 for PC , PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

JOSH BROADWELL

IMAGES

Monster Hunter (2020)
New Monster Hunter movie clip released ahead of June 18th debut
Monster Hunter 2: Will Milla Jovovich Return For Another Run? What Are The Chances?
Monster Hunter Movie Review
Movie Review
Monster Hunter Movie Teaser Trailer

COMMENTS

Monster Hunter
J.G. Entertaining enough. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 05/29/21 Full Review Lori We walked out 30 minutes into the movie. It was totally unrealistic and gory Rated 0.5/5 Stars ...
Monster Hunter movie review & film summary (2020)
A disappointing adaptation of the video game series, with a dull first hour and a nonsensical ending. The film features Milla Jovovich, Ron Perlman and Tony Jaa, but fails to deliver on the action and adventure promised by the title.
Monster Hunter Review
Monster Hunter runs just over an hour and a half but feels about twice that long thanks to its listless, meandering plot devoid of a central focus or any meaningful world-building. Obviously, with ...
Monster Hunter
Full Review | Original Score: 5/10 | May 2, 2021. Shockingly fun and self-aware, Monster Hunter is a goddamn blast. Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Apr 20, 2021. Monster Hunter relies to ...
Monster Hunter movie review: Shockingly faithful to the source
Writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson's Monster Hunter movie adaptation takes loving care to make sure every detail perfectly matches the Capcom game franchise. But it also has unforgettable action ...
'Monster Hunter' review: Milla Jovovich vs. dinosaur beasts
The big-screen video game adaptation "Monster Hunter," directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, stars the Milla Jovovich as a no-nonsense U.S. Army officer.
Monster Hunter (2020)
Monster Hunter: Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson. With Milla Jovovich, Tony Jaa, Ron Perlman, Tip 'T.I.' Harris. When Cpt. Artemis and her loyal soldiers are transported to a new world, they engage in a desperate battle for survival against enormous enemies with incredible powers. Feature film based on the video game by Capcom.
Monster Hunter
The movie is very well crafted in a way that it is easy to understand for someone who has never played this game "Monster Hunter" before. The movie does a phenomenal job at representing the game, Monster Hunter, and maintains the mood and suspense throughout the movie. ... Whether critics give this movie a ruthless or a wholesome review, it has ...
Monster Hunter: EW review
Monster Hunter is a CGI battlefest and nothing more: Review. There are fantasy films with intricate worlds — sagas of faraway lands with fleshed-out rules. There may not be any elves or demons ...
Monster Hunter
A portal transports Cpt Artemis (Milla Jovovich) and an elite unit of soldiers to a strange world where powerful monsters rule with deadly ferocity. Faced with relentless danger, the team ...
Monster Hunter Review: Paul W.S. Anderson's Action Bolsters Another
With giant swords and a pirate ship that sails the seven sands, this is the film we needed at the end of 2020. Monster Hunter punctuates a year full of sadness with a glimmer of joy—an explosive ...
'Monster Hunter' Review: Beasts of Boredom
Dec. 17, 2020. Monster Hunter. Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson. Action, Adventure, Fantasy. PG-13. 1h 39m. Find Tickets. When you purchase a ticket for an independently reviewed film through our ...
Monster Hunter (film)
Monster Hunter is a 2020 monster film written, directed, and produced by Paul W. S. Anderson, based on the video game series of the same name by Capcom.The film stars Milla Jovovich in her sixth outing together with Anderson. The other cast members include Tony Jaa, Tip Harris, Meagan Good, Diego Boneta, Josh Helman, Jin Au-Yeung, and Ron Perlman.The film follows Artemis (Jovovich) and her ...
Monster Hunter (2020) Movie Review
1.0. Monster Hunter is a science fiction action film directed by Paul W. S. Anderson. Based on the popular video game series, it stars Milla Jovovich as Captain Artemis, who, along with her team, is transported to a new world inhabited by powerful monsters. They must adapt and fight their way through to survive.
Monster Hunter Movie Review
Monster Hunter is an action movie based on the Monster Hunter: World video game. Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, the undisputed king of video game adaptations, the film stars Milla Jovovich as Capt. Artemis. She leads an Army Ranger squad that drives through a desert storm that's actually a portal to another world, where -- one by one -- they ...
Movie Review: Monster Hunter, Milla Jovovich and Tony Jaa
Movie Review: In the video-game adaptation 'Monster Hunter,' Paul W.S. Anderson directs Milla Jovovich and Tony Jaa in an action movie filled with giant scary monsters and awesome weapons.
Monster Hunter Movie Review
4:45. 5:14. Writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson's Monster Hunter reminds us how rare good video game movies are, creating a film breathtaking for all the ways it steps wrong. Behind our world ...
Monster Hunter (2020)
Filter by Rating: 4/10. The director of a million scene cuts. dacpcon 16 February 2021. Watching this movie it was obvious from the start its a poor game to movie adaption, but it's at least entertaining, until there is a fighting scene. Within a very few seconds of the first fighting scene I knew this movie had the same director as the last ...
Monster Hunter review roundup: here's what the critics are saying
The Monster Hunter reviews are in - and they're not all that positive. The movie stars Milla Jovovich as Artemis, Tony Jaa as the Hunter, Ron Perlman as Admiral, and T.I. as Link, and is ...
Monster Hunter
Chris Stuckmann reviews Monster Hunter, starring Milla Jovovich, Tony Jaa, Tip 'T.I.' Harris, Meagan Good, Diego Boneta, Josh Helman, Jin Au-Yeung, Ron Perlm...
Monster Hunter Early Reviews: A Dumb, Not-So-Fun Creature Feature
The Monster Hunter movie reviews arrive for the Milla Jovovich-starrer, teasing a film with plenty of action, but not enough character development. The Monster Hunter reviews are in for the adaptation of the popular role-playing game series.
Monster Hunter Movie Review: A Monstrous Miscalculation
Monster Hunter fans will be bored by the entire first act of the movie, but will enjoy the dozens of Easter eggs and nods Anderson sprinkled throughout, from the game-perfect campfire that Artemis ...
An Honest Review Of The Monster Hunter Movie From A Die-Hard Fan
An Honest Review Of The Monster Hunter Movie From A Die-Hard Fan. The Monster Hunter movie had all the makings of a total flop. From the husband-wife creative team behind the Resident Evil film series, Monster Hunter diverged from the video game in a pretty major way. While all of the games take place exclusively in a fantasy world filled with ...
Monster Hunter Wilds' "Gendered Armor" Eliminated by Capcom
Capcom has announced its removal of gendered armor in Monster Hunter Wilds.Every character can wear any equipment in the upcoming game, which debuts in 2025. Monster Hunter Wilds director Yuya Tokuda revealed during the game's Gamescom presentation that the highly requested change will finally arrive two decades after the franchise's debut. "In previous Monster Hunter games, you had male and ...
Monster Hunter Wilds cuts out the clunk
Hands on with Monster Hunter Wilds, which trims a load of awkward menu-wrangling, broadens the appeal, and still feels as deep as ever. ... Latest Reviews. Directive 8020 is a notable upgrade to ...
gamescom 2024: How to Watch, Schedule, and What to Expect From ...
All Reviews Editor's Choice Game Reviews Movie Reviews TV Show Reviews Tech Reviews. Discover. Videos. ... Monster Hunter Wilds, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, Marvel Rivals and more.
Monster Hunter Wilds' *WILD* new gameplay trailer reveals a range of
What you need to know. A new trailer for Monster Hunter Wilds, the next-gen successor to Capcom's best-selling title of all time, Monster Hunter World, has been revealed at Gamescom 2024.
Cuckoo (2024 film)
Cuckoo is a 2024 horror film written and directed by Tilman Singer, and starring Hunter Schafer, Jan Bluthardt, Marton Csokas, Jessica Henwick, and Dan Stevens.A co-production between Germany and the United States, the film follows a teenager (Schafer) who moves to the German Alps to live with her father (Csokas) but becomes disturbed by strange occurrences as her father's boss (Stevens ...
Monster Hunter Wilds trailer spotlights new monsters and more
Capcom showed up to Gamescom with a new Monster Hunter Wilds trailer, and the upcoming action game looks like an absolute blast. Unlike the tiny snippets Capcom's dropped in the past week highlighting weapons, we actually got to see something new this time - monsters. Big ones.
'Cuckoo' Review: Hunter Schafer's Mountaintop Mayhem
Madness abounds in writer-director Tilman Singer's Alpine horror tale, which stars Hunter Schafer as a teenager trying to survive a family stay at a mountain resort run by a sinister Dan Stevens.

Movie Reviews

Brian Tallerico

Now playing

Peyton Robinson

Good Bad Things

Strange Darling

Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger

Matt Zoller Seitz

Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In

Monster Hunter (2020)

Writer (video game series)

Cinematographer

Latest blog posts

Apple TV+'s Pachinko Expands Its Narrative Palate For An Emotional Season Two

Tina Mabry and Edward Kelsey Moore on the Joy and Uplift of The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat

The Adams Family Gets Goopy in Hell Hole

A Look Back at MUBI FEST CHICAGO

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Email not verified

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

Monster Hunter Reviews

Monster Hunter is shockingly, bombastically faithful to the games

Most Popular

Patch Notes

This is the title for the native ad

More in Movies

The Latest ⚡️

Review: A funky finish and Milla Jovovich can’t redeem ‘Monster Hunter’

More to Read

Review: ‘Borderlands’ is a game-to-screen misfire so thoroughly bad, it’s breathtaking

Move over, Barbie: Universal developing ‘Monster High’ film based on Mattel dolls

Jump scares? That’s yesterday’s stale gore. Two new horror films break the rules

More From the Los Angeles Times

Michael Madsen’s wife ‘broke into’ Malibu home, actor won’t be charged after arrest, lawyer says

Review: ‘The Killer’ brings a Hong Kong action genius back to the site of his own crimes

Review: A rabbi and an older student find reciprocity in the playful ‘Between the Temples’

Review: Weighed down by too much muck and not enough myth, a slackly remade ‘The Crow’ flops

Monster Hunter is a CGI battlefest and nothing more: Review

Related Articles

Monster Hunter Review

‘Monster Hunter’ Review: Beasts of Boredom

Or browse by category:

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

Common Sense Selections for Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

How to Help Kids Build Character Strengths with Quality Media

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

Common Sense Media Review

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 14+?

Any Positive Content?

Violence & Scariness

Products & Purchases

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Positive Messages

Positive Role Models

Where to Watch

Parent and Kid Reviews

Great Monster flick, but one TERRYING SCENE with Spiders make this not age appropriate for someone age 13 IMO.

Is It Any Good?

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Suggest an Update

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Monster Hunter Wilds' WILD new gameplay trailer reveals a range of new monsters