Blu-ray Review: The Ridley Scott Produced HALO: NIGHTFALL Plays Like Aliens Meets Pitch Black
Having never played Halo, I can’t testify to how close this sticks to the game’s plot line, but I can say that Halo: Nightfall is a fun science fiction actioner. It’s like Pitch Black tinged with Aliens, a fun flick that embraces it’s sci-fi tendencies. The budget may be on the low side but this movie makes the most of its resources and its Belfast and Icelandic settings.
Halo: Nightfall was originally released as five online shorts but it feels like an organic feature, without ever coming across as episodic. Produced by Ridley Scott, this Microsoft feature follows a group of ONI (Office of Naval Intelligence) troops on a mission to the destroyed Halo ring following a terrorist attack. However, the team gets more than the bargained for when an energy loving alien life-form attacks and renders their technology useless.
A solid B-movie, Halo: Nightfall ticks all the boxes in what you want from a science fiction tale. It keeps the scope small, but doesn’t scrimp on the visuals. The opening sequence makes excellent use of Belfast’s Titanic Quarter, utilising the Titanic Museum’s modern architecture to good effect, while the ashy Icelandic landscapes make for an impressive Halo ring. These real locales keep the budget down and the production values high.
Director Sergio Mimica-Gezzan keeps the tension high and the plot low, engaging the audience with some CGI assisted action. The performances may not be outstanding but everyone hits their mark and gives their stock characters enough colour to stand out. This doesn’t give the sci-fi genre a new lease of life, but it does keep it alive by making sure all the tropes are present and correct.
Halo: Nightfall is an entertaining film that gives you exactly what you want from a science fiction movie. It’s not an earth shattering production but it’s a fun film for audiences who want to experience a thriller set within the world of Halo. It’ll also engage those who want to see a breezy sci-fi movie with decent thrills and strong production design.
Special Features
This blu-ray comes with a wonderful selection of behind the scenes bits and pieces. Learn how the film came together and see how it fits into the world of Halo. This is a great disc for a fun little science fiction movie and this is the type of thing that blu-ray was designed for.
