A damaged hero battling suicidal odds with the brightest, toughest, and deadliest allies the universe has to offer; that sounds like a bestselling idea, right? Fortunately, it is. When it comes down to it, my taste for the larger-than-life story is as big as they come. So, when I read that BioWare sold the rights to Legendary Pictures for a Mass Effect movie, I was excited and nervous all at once.
The reason being is that Mass Effect is an expansive game that takes you from one corner of the galaxy to the other. There are so many characters to interact with and so many instances where the main character gets to make his presence known for better or for worse. He establishes himself by helping people with their problems or creating new one, but it all culminates in him saving the galaxy; if only for a short time.
Legendary Pictures has a track record for being awesome with such titles as both of Christian Nolan's Batman movies, 300, Beerfest, Watchmen, The Hangover, Clash of the Titans, and Inception. Inception, being the last movie to be released, is a big hit from what I hear, and I hope that Mass Effect will be among those hits, but I'm still skeptical.
I have to assume that the movie adaptation will have to cut a lot of the fat away from the game in order to focus on the main story. I can only assume that it will have a lot of holes because there is a bit of a mystery that needs solving before Sheppard saves the day. And I most definitely assume that, after seeing The Last Airbender, it will be a mosh pit of plot points that need exposition via one character talking to another.
Another reason why I’m skeptical about a Mass Effect movie is that there is a handful of alien history and culture. I enjoyed listening to members of my team talk about their races, but the movie can’t have that. I guess I can live with that if the movie comes out to be three hours. At least then, there will be a chance to fit the main story of a 50+ hour game.
Mass Effect 2, however, is a different story entirely. I know that they’re probably going to try and incorporate elements of the second game into the first movie, but as a fan, I can’t see how it would work. I haven’t gotten a chance to see Prince of Persia, but I was a fan of the games. I saw a multitude of elements from each game stuffed into trailer.
Keep in mind that I realize that it’s just a interpretation, and that some people go nuts over interpretations because it’s not what they pictured. For example, I heard a lot of fan opinions about Heath Ledger’s take on the Joker, and many people were offended because that Joker didn’t properly represent the Joker from Batman: The Animated Series. So, yes, the Mass Effect movie will be an interpretation, but I can’t help but think about it in-depth.
Hollywood has a way of taking my favorite video games and television shows and turning them into rushed pieces of crap to make an extra buck. The Mass Effect movie is no exception, but I’m looking forward to it. Why? I’m excited to see how they will pull it off. I haven't found anything on when it will be released, but I'll keep you guys updated as I find information.
Still writing, still believing…
V
