Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Blu-ray Review

Spartan-117, locked and loaded...

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown, December 5, 2012

Once upon a time, in November of 2001, a little game calledsingle handedly put the original Xbox on the map, ungodly "fatty" controller and all. Without, the distinct identity and unparalleled push it gave the fledgling Microsoft console, and the hugely successful series sequel that followed in 2004, it's quite possible the Xbox would have gone gently into the night. No Xbox 360, no, no, no, no. No midnight release parties, or late night killtaculars. No tie-in novels, comics, art books, T-shirts,shorts, Megablok sets or action figures. No expandeduniverse. No promise of a live-action movie, and no tantalizing glimpse at what a live-action movie could be. Which is exactly what 343 Industries $10 million Machinima Prime web series,, is. More than a looseprequel,plays like a 91-minute pitch reel, and a persuasive one at that. It also showcases the rich, character-driven outer rim of theuniverse, and makes a strong case that the series mythos -- not just the combat -- has evolved beyond one Spartan super soldier and his rampancy-afflicted AI construct.The more steeped inlore you are, the more you'll enjoy, particularly during its slowburn first hour. Newcomers and grunt fodder will be disappointed for the better part of the web series' five episodes, wondering -- perhaps aloud -- "where's Master Chief?" Aside from a brief appearance during the opening credits sequence, though, the Chief (Daniel Cudmore) doesn't stride into frame again until well into Part 4, and even then he's more of a running, gunning set piece than a fully realized hero. (Suffice it to say,'s cover art can be a bit misleading.) The Covenant are MIA for much of the movie too. Even when they finally descend on an unsuspecting UNSC military academy, they're largely cloaked in shadow, fog or, in the case of one particularly merciless plasma sword-wielding Elite, utterly convincing active camo. It's all fairly evocative, sure, and suits the story, which rewinds all the way to 2525, when much of humanity was unaware of the alien horde gathering against it. But it also feels a touch anticlimactic, even if the culprit is more likely the web series' relatively limited budget than creative short-sight. (It's a sad day when $10 million is a drop in the cinematic bucket.)There are other issues too, or at least there will be in the eyes of those who come tocritically, expecting something akin to a big-screenouting or a live-action revelation. The CG-born visual effects, green screen work, weapons fire and Covenant forces look fantastic, but the practical production values suffer. Military uniforms, training gear and Spartan armor are more high-end cosplay than seamless, lived-in costuming. Guns and firearms are hit or miss, and struck me as clunky and oversized in anything other than the Chief's hands. And the lone Warthog deployed in scene after scene after scene, masterfully constructed and believable as it is, actually makes the world feel smaller and more contained. (Especially when the Covenant's fleet of massive cruisers first descends through the clouds.) It doesn't help that director Stewart Hendler and writers Aaron and Todd Helbing hold back until the final two episodes, saving up the bulk of their cash for the inevitable clash of ground forces that is to come. Smart filmmaking, you might say, and I'd be pressed to agree. It does give the Helbings plenty of time to develop arcs for many of their recruits and officers, Lasky and love interest Chyler Silva (Anna Popplewell) first among them, and it establishes story, rather than action, as the priority. But it all grows a bit too slow. The training exercises aren't unique or riveting enough to justify so much attention, a few of the actors aren't strong enough to sustain their screentime (the demure Enisha Brewster leaps to mind), and the second episode feels a tad redundant.I'd suggest muscling through all that, though, setting up camp and digging in. Devoting the first three episodes to the bickering cadets eventually pays off; the performances, drama and action are by and large excellent; and longtimefans will relish the detail, subtle nods and franchise easter eggs the filmmakers have kneaded into every episode. (Lasky's struggle to steer the Warthog will send any gamer into fits of knowing laughter.) Not that it's all fan service. Plenty of memorable moments -- some brief, some grand -- lie in wait for anyone wise enough to go in as blind as possible, and plenty more makeone of the more satisfyingfaithful live-action videogame productions to date. Still not convinced? No worries. Watching Master Chief scurry up the back of a Hunter before taking the beast down with a grenade is worth the price of admission alone. As a web series,delivers far more often than it disappoints. As a prequel to, it works brilliantly. (Making the older, wiser, battle-hardened Lasky that much more interesting a character and ally to Master Chief.) As a pitch reel for the billion-dollar-box-officefilm that could be, it's promising. As a full-fledged film, it's imperfect but fairly gripping. And as a gift tofans, it's more than generous. More please; next time with a bigger budget, more familiar faces, more Chief vs. Covenant battles, and more scope and scale.