HALO: THE FALL OF REACH

Director: Ian Kirby
Screenplay: Heath Corson
Starring: Jen Taylor, Steve Downes, Michelle Lukes,
Country: U.S.A
Running Time: 65 min
Year: 2015
BBFC Certificate: N/A

This is the point where I would love to say that I am not a fan-boy. Unfortunately that would be a massive lie. I have played all of the games with the exception of the newest one, read all the books and comics and one of my prized possessions is my series one Master Chief action figure with sniper rifle still in original box. There is something about the Halo franchise that gets people chomping at the bit when a new installment comes out. To best explain this film we first off need to explain why this is so.

I can only share my feelings and experiences on this so please bear with me.  My ultimate pet peeve as a gamer is the oversaturation these days of FPS (First Person Shooter) games where you just storm in, shoot the enemy and save the day. It was a formula that worked and everyone jumped on board. That said there was one such game that shone above the rest for its compelling storyline. It grew into a massive franchise that just kept growing, spawning a total of eight games, four movies and eighteen books, not including graphic novels. This is something wonderful based heavily on story that is so immersive that you find yourself connecting with the characters and this newest installment does that and more. That game was Halo. We follow a spartan soldier called Master Chief, a genetically enhanced warrior, as he fights the alien scourge called the Covenant who are trying to exterminate humanity. Simple. Not exactly. He has to fight parasitic beings who control their hosts, giant brutes and my favourite the grunts. Whilst  fighting the covenant he learns more about the Forerunners an ancient race who helped to mould the universe into what it is now.

That quick history lesson was crucial to understanding just a little bit of the Halo universe. This movie takes us back to the creation of the spartan program and the birth of Master Chief. We will witness the creation of the legend, from being kidnapped as a six year old boy to his defeat of a covenant cruiser as Spartan 117 and blue team. The story follows a young boy as he is trained into the ultimate weapon. He will learn that success relies on not just yourself but your team as well as the true meaning of war. This is a superb piece of cinematic mastery that is in my eyes almost flawless. The only problem I had was that it could have been longer. It left me wanting more which I hope was done on purpose and is infact a springboard for more of these animated marvels.

The animation is superb and truly show the talent of the artists that are employed by SEQUENCE, who are the studio responsible for the animations in the terminals of Halo 4. this really shows the quality that we expect from high fidelity animation not only in our movies but our games.  A personal massive thumbs up to you all at Sequence. Keep up the great work.

This film is based upon the wonderful novel written by Eric Nylund and shows how well not only a game can be transferred to the written page but also how well that written word can be made to a piece of pure art.

I am trying so hard not to give away spoilers so the best I can do is say go and buy this on DVD Blu-Ray or VOD as soon as you can. It makes the perfect present for a Halo fan or just to sit and watch yourself. But most of all enjoy.

Halo: The Fall of Reach is out now in the UK on iTunes and other major digital platforms, courtesy of Content Media.