I see a lot of potential in a Metroid movie. Here's what I visualize:
- I like the idea of not letting the audience know Samus is female. You guys are forgetting that we're talking the movie industry here, a miniscule percentage of people walking into the theatre have actually played Metroid. I imagine that'd he hard to hide though, they wouldn't be able to cast a lead actor and that could get suspicious.
- Have the beginning show Samus recieving a distress signal from a ship that is under attack from Metroids (yeah getting a little sci-fi cliche) and explain the powers of Metroids. Samus learns of the Space Pirates' intention to manipulate these creatures for their own evildoing. Samus gets overwhelmed in trying to save the ship and is taken prisoner by the Space Pirates. At some point Samus breaks free, then slowly pieces together some startling plans of the Space Pirates.
- There needs to be a special kind of bond with Samus and the computer aboard her ship. The ship is the only person who ever really talks to Samus in the games. They could go with the 2001: A Space Odyssey route and have the computer backstab on Samus. The computer helps Metroids onto Samus' ship, then as it looks like Samus is doomed, it realizes what it's doing and helps Samus escape. This is the finale. The Metroid infestation has become too great that the ship must self destruct and warns Samus to run. Dramatic escape blah blah blah and as Samus jumps out she looks back as the ship explodes. Then like in the end of Metroid Prime, she removes her helmet, which will be the first time the audience actually sees that she's female.
- Like all science fiction movies, it has to make you think, otherwise it loses its appeal. It's relationship with the computer will raise man and machine questions. Emphasizing that machines don't think and don't have feelings never fails. It'd be cool if they went Terminator, like had the space colonies follow what the Space Pirates were doing and attempt to raise Metroids for their own and eventually be run over by their own creations. The metroid itself is an interesting study, capable of conquering entire worlds through feeding on them. Raising mysteries about the main character's origin also never grows old. Samus is a mysterious character anyway.
- Incorporation of Metroid familiarity is key. Use of Mother Brain, Ridley, Kraid, etc. is not essential but it would shut up the Metroid fanboys. A variety of Samus' weapons should be used throughout the movie, Ice Beam, grappling hook, missles, that good stuff. Samus should not look like she's invincible though. Battles should be massive, an exhibit of Samus' abilities and fierceness of her foes.
There is good reason to be optimistic about a Metroid movie, the basic storylines found in the game already are in the mold of a science fiction movie. If executed correctly, we'll be forgetting about robots, dinosaurs, and aliens as the sci-fi mainstays. People will be thinking of more creative ideas after seeing the metroid, a creature which will drain the energy of it's victims, grow, multiply, and repeat. The vision of metroids sweeping through a world constantly multiplying and feeding, swarming over the people makes me shudder.
...If they actually do the gender hiding thing, I can't wait to see everybody's jaw dropping inside the theatre under the realization that they've been watching a beautiful blonde the whole time. |