The thing about web series or amateur films I really love is just that they have more creative freedom and simply aren't afraid to have fun.
This was made on a low budget but it was used well and right, it looks almost like a professional quality film which makes it great because it feels as though effort was made. I really like the use of locations and the effects are on par since most are practical, from the squibs to some blood effects, which aren't much but do the job, there is a bit of CGI in places but not much it used for the right reason.
This web series is pretty much a covert buddy cop actioneer but with video game characters which I think is a great idea. That's what I like from this company taking video game characters and just having fun with them which is something I feel most video game movie adaptations should do and hope that this company "Boogie Beat Down" does more films in the future.
The story is solid it's just a straight forward espionage plot of simply the good guys having to go, fight an evil organization, save the world. It's simple and that's the way I like it which is part of why this film works because it's setting itself to simply be what it wants to be fun.
The characters are fun and solid they are loosely (and I mean loosely) true to there counterparts.
Snake is a fun character. Not much to say for him, I like that he's made as sort of the loose one. He's still cool as usual but what make him stand out is how he's a bit of an exaggeration of his characteristic making him seem almost like he could be a character for a soap since he does talk a lot in this series, it's funny because it's true despite being a spy Snake in the game does seem to say a lot and nobody else seems to notice. Though at times he does come off as a bit of a buffoon at time which I'll admit is one misfire with the series because it feels a bit much.
My favorite character is Ghost, he's sort of the straight man of the bunch which is why I think he's funner because of how he react to most of what happens is what we might be thinking or saying is how we might react. Like seeing him lose his patience when Snake is just crawling really slowly to take a guard out, even though Snake doesn't really need to. I even like the fact that Ghost never takes his mask off which I feel just gives the character his mystique but most of all say's he's a man of action.
I really like the back and forth between both of them, much like with any buddy cop actioneer both are very much between the fence with one another. As we Snake from his slight fumbling or talking too much, we see gives Ghost grief and despite not seeing his face you know Ghost at that point is just rolling his eyes knowing the person he's partnered with is taking him on a road to Hell but goes with him for the sake of duty, despite gritting his teeth doing it.
But I also think the dynamic works because it's two different styles and schools of action in video games. With Snake he's sort of more comic book action since his methods are more unorthodox let alone wouldn't work in real life. Ghost it's simply realistic straight forward action which is what his character does and it always produces the most results, which is most of the time what first person shooters are simply more concerned about action and a little less on story.
Supporting characters are also good, I really like Naomi whom despite not having much or anything to do but is a nice presence let alone easy on the eyes, the actress that plays her is hot (on a side note the same actress that played Peach in "Mario Warfare" another film from the "Boogie Beat Down " group) her character practical has her shirt open and shows her cleavage for no apparent reason. It's sort of a little parody on some of the fan service or eroticism in most video games.
I really like how the film parodies on certain conventions and clichés in both games. Like after a fist fight the opponent beaten just dies for no reason which does happen in video games or even just Ghost pointing out that Snake is in a box, and the fact that it sometimes just appears out of nowhere. And also there is another video game character that appears in this film, I won't say who it is but it was just hilarious when this character appeared, I'll give you a hint the character never takes the helmet off.
But were in for the action and the action is great, it looks well choreographed and the actors have the physical and weapons training. From the fist fights which they have only one but this film is more about covert action so I can let that slide; all the same I really like the fisticuff battle both Ghost and Snake have with their opponents because it's two fights happening at once. The shootouts and covert action is also really solid, but I really like the battle with the mecha at the end which I'll admit isn't the greatest battle I've seen which is another misfire of this series, I do think a bit more could of been done but still it was satisfying all the same.
The show is geared up for your fun.
Rating: 3 and a half stars
