Live action Halo is finally here – but is it any good?
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A live action adaptation of the Halo game franchise has been in the works almost since the Xbox first launched.
Peter Jackson, Guillermo Del Toro and Neill Blomkamp are among the names to have attempted a feature film in the 2000s, while this Steven Spielberg-produced version was first announced in 2013.
The series finally arrives as part of the rollout for new streaming service Paramount+. It’s set in the 26th century and follows the UNSC, the military arm of the United Earth Government tasked with protecting their home from aliens known as the Covenant, while also battling rebellious colony planets.
After a Covenant invasion wipes out the small outpost of Madrigal, USNC super soldier Master Chief (Pablo Schreiber) begins to have visions that make him question his orders, leading him to go AWOL with the lone Madrigal survivor, Kwan (Yerin Ha).
If any of this sounds familiar, that’s because the show draws close and unfavourable comparisons with The Mandalorian. While the Star Wars show boiled an already familiar universe down to a simple dynamic, Halo has to cram in a lot of names and relationships, leading to episodes that feel bloated and overwrought.
On the plus side, every penny of the reported $200 million budget is evident, with action and visuals that do the source material proud.
It’s also cannily cast, with Natasha McElhorne simmering as obsessed scientist Dr Halsey, while Schreiber and Ha have good chemistry from their first scenes together.
Video game purists may want to steer clear, with various liberties taken in the adaptation, from the frequent removal of his helmet to a full on sex scene.
From a story-telling point of view, however, the bigger crime is bringing too little that’s new to the table.
The Halo mythology already borrows heavily from sci-fi classics and the writers lose momentum after playing their hand too early, meaning your interest may go AWOL earlier than Master Chief does.