After one more video game movie came out to mark the bitter end of 2020, there's no more denying it, video game movies are cursed. In fact, the number of decent video game movie titles can be counted with one hand. Sadly, Monster Hunter does not count, not with the backlash it faced and that is despite Milla Jovovich's star power.
5 Best Cinematics In Resident Evil (& 5 Everyone Skips)
Ever since she starred in the Resident Evil movie, she has been the face of the franchise in Hollywood and while those also don't count toward critically-accepted video game movies, they're still no doubt in-demand with how many sequels are available. Among Milla Jovovich's two video game franchise movies though, which one is better?
10 Why Resident Evil: She Fits In
One major complaint about the Monster Hunter movie was that the US Army was seemingly shoehorned in the film (like always). The reasoning for this was apparently so that the viewers, particularly non-Monster Hunter fans can easily do some self-inserts.
That didn't go so well and made the story feel cheap since a military officer Artemis (Milla Jovovich) just doesn't mix well in that world. Meanwhile, she's almost as natural as a key in a lock in the Resident Evil movies. The badass gun-toting super soldier role fits like a glove both for Milla and the Resident Evil movies.
9 Why Monster Hunter: Chemistry With Tony Jaa
That isn't to say there isn't anything in the Monster Hunter movie that complements Milla Jovovich. In fact, her relationship with Tony Jaa's character in the said film is interesting and makes some of the barren scenes and moments of the movie more tolerable.
Of course, many would just assume that it was Tony Jaa's character who's actually more interesting which is why his interactions with Milla's character are a treat for sore eyes. Still, their "friendship" appears more novel and even endearing compared to Artemis and her US Army comrades.
8 Why Resident Evil: More Movies
It's clear that one of the shortcomings of the Monster Hunter movie was that it lacked time to expand its lore and establish its world. Lots of mumbo-jumbo were being thrown around with more telling and less showing. While the Resident Evil movies also do this quite often, its world is richer.
That's mostly thanks to the plethora of Resident Evil sequels that kept expanding upon the movie lore of the previous films no matter how convoluted or outlandish they get. By comparison, the Monster Hunter movie looks like a bootleg Jurassic Park.
7 Why Monster Hunter: Change Of Scenery
Despite looking and borrowing a lot from more established monster movies, the Monster Hunter movie was a new take for Milla Jovovich. Sure, her stint as Alice in Resident Evil was more or less fruitful but it was getting tiring seeing her again and again as the main protagonist. There's practically nothing left for her to do in those films.
That's why the Monster Hunter movie was a breath of fresh air. Her role might have remained somewhat the same as a super-soldier of some sort, but the new and more unique environment is an unfamiliar wonder to behold explore through Capt. Artemis' eyes.
6 Why Resident Evil: Better Costumes
The armor in the Monster Hunter video games is a bit exaggerated but there are some fashionable and realistic ones too. How and why the Monster Hunter movie decided to go with the weakest and cheapest-looking armor in the game is rather baffling.
That's why Milla Jovovich's attire in the Resident Evil movies will always be more beautiful and will represent her better compared to her Monster Hunter movie armor.
5 Why Monster Hunter: Better CGI
Those who have seen all the Resident Evil movies ought to congratulate themselves for being hardcore masochists. It seems the philosophy for such a series is prioritizing quantity over quality. The result is that there are some glaring issues with the CGI among other aspects.
It might just be a case of newer technology or a bigger budget, but the Monster Hunter movie is undoubtedly more stunning and prettier in the CGI department. It certainly doesn't try to hide everything under an overapplied filter, plus the animations are smoother.
4 Why Resident Evil: She's More Powerful There
Fans of Milla Jovovich who love nothing more than for her to show her girl power will likely be disappointed at how bumbling and weaker she is in the Monster Hunter movie. As mentioned before, Alice is pretty much a super-soldier in Resident Evil.
She's someone who could take on an infected Jill Valentine and go toe-to-toe with Nemesis or even an infected Albert Wesker. Come the later films, Alice didn't even need to use guns to dispatch regular zombies. She simply more spectacular there compared to Artemis in Monster Hunter.
3 Why Monster Hunter: Better Characters
You could argue that Alice is too overplayed in the Resident Evil movies that any other character doesn't matter. It's easy to see it as her adventures where everything revolves around her and the staple characters of the video games are shoved to the sidelines.
The Monster Hunter movie, meanwhile, gives a better chance for other characters to shine from Tony Jaa's nameless hunter to even Ron Perlman's Admiral and Meowscular Chef. Milla Jovovich's character is the one that seems most normal here.
2 Why Resident Evil: It Wasn't As Controversial
As much as the critics disagree with how the Resident Evil movies were made, they're not exactly too far off from the games. Plus, they're also not that controversial and didn't manage to offend a whole race or general appearance of a group of people.
The Monster Hunter movie was immediately pulled out of Chinese cinemas and movie outlets because of a certain joke that got past the censorship and cultural sensitivity seminar. That makes the Resident Evil movies more available at the very least.
1 Why Monster Hunter: Her Character Is More Relatable
Seeing Alice in Resident Evil, you just can't help but wonder whether she's still human or what she's doing is within the realm of the possible for someone of her physical capacity. Alice is practically a superhero in the later sequels.
As it is, an invincible character is not relatable and that's even more problematic when she's made into a protagonist. Artemis in the Monster Hunter movie is more vulnerable and thus more relatable for the regular movie-goer since her mortality isn't as disregarded compared to a Mary Sue in leather tights who kills mutant zombies with her high heels.