343’s Message to Hollywood:
If you’re not making Halo live-action, we’ll do it our-fucking-selves
(No Spoilers)
An unprecedented event in the video game medium, 343 Industries with Microsoft has produced a webseries to tie into the story of its next installment in the Halo franchise. With good acting, a healthy budget, and creativity, “Halo: Forward Unto Dawn” (2012) soars as an epic chapter in popular art.
The forerunners of Halo, Bungie, and the reclaimers of Halo, 343, have taking great effort and pride in their storytelling. With “Forward Unto Dawn,” 343 is making it clear it wants no stone left unturned. The story follows Cadet Thomas Lasky (played by Tom Green) of the United Nations Space Command (UNSC) through his time at the Corbulo Academy of Military Science amidst a war between the rebelling colonists known as the insurrectionists and the central government. The supplemental videos to the webseries establish that Lasky is morally conflicted, believing that the insurrectionists have a right to freedom as his military family including his revered Orbital Drop Shock Trooper (ODST) brother along with his classmates encourage him to join their counter-insurrectionist cause. His lack of zeal is reflected in his poor performance his freshman year and is the bane of his squad immediately. As Lasky gets provoked by his squad, it instigates determination and creativity on the part of Lasky -only on the edge of victory to learn of an allergy which may warrant a medical discharge should he choose to take it. On the eve of his decision and after sharing a kiss with squad member Chyler Silva (played by Anna Popplewell), the alien axis known as the Covenant surprise attacks the school and the planet, leaving horror and destruction in their wake. As Lasky and his surviving classmates run and hide, they are momentarily saved by Master Chief Spartan-117 and attempt to follow him to safety.
Like the boot camp portion of “Full Metal Jacket” (1987), the school pushes young soldiers to their limits while demeaning and challenging them, though less militaristic and more prestigious. Corbulo Academy establishes itself and a major theme of the earlier episodes with the story of Roman General Corbulo, who when asked to take his own life by messengers of Nero Caesar did not hesitate to loyally do so shouting “Axios!” (“I am worthy!”) and falling on his own sword. Unlike “Full Metal Jacket,” after all of the training portion of the series is over, it does not disappoint with continuing suspense and action. The invasion of the Covenant armada is as suspenseful as the best thrillers even though viewers that have been gamers of Halo for years know the enemy well. 343 makes good use of a strange, viscous enemy that has camouflage technology. The acting through the school episodes and the invasion carries the series well, developing empathy with every character involved without weakness. Acting is bolstered by good special effects with clear views of CG aliens with unparalleled quality in made-for-internet entertainment. Though brief, it cinematically provides enough to satisfy any Halo fan’s wish for live-action Covenant.
The supplemental episodes are a must for anyone who wants to get as much out of the story as they can. The music and direction are key supporters, while its only weaknesses are the structure of a webseries and having a not completely satisfying ending. The set design and style shows off an authentic Halo universe that shines an a example to Hollywood on how to make a Halo movie.
343 meets the challenge of Halo live-action well to not only promote Halo 4, but provide new fiction for the Halo universe. It develops the character of Thomas Lasky, who as industry officials already revealed will appear in Halo 4. It gives continued investment in the world outside Master Chief and leaves audiences wanting more. Undoubtedly, “Halo: Forward Unto Dawn” will be regarded as the greatest mini-webseries yet.
VERDICT: 4.5/5
Halo 4 comes out November 6th at midnight everywhere
Halo: Forward Unto Dawn comes out on Blu-ray December 4th, 2012, and is available for viewing on Halo Waypoint and Machinima Respawn on YouTube
Leather Wing Media 