Waiting for Metroid Prime 4 to roll around isn't easy (can you believe it was first announced almost four years ago now?) but here's a little something that should help to calm your cravings.
The talented team of filmmakers over on YouTube channel devinsupertramp has released a new, live-action short film starring none other than Metroid's Samus Aran. The film sees Samus, played by Ainsley Bircher, setting out on a journey to the ice planet SR422 to find the Chozo Temple and make some repairs to her suit. Unfortunately for her, a familiar baddie shows up to make things that bit tougher.
This isn't the first time we've seen a fan-made Metroid film – remember the 2015 effort starring Jessica Chobot? – and we've even seen one or two high profile names mention their desire to make a big budget movie over the past few years. Both Captain Marvel's Brie Larson and Metal Gear movie director Jordan Vogt-Roberts have spoken about making a Metroid film in the past, so who knows? As ever, the ball's in Nintendo's court.
Anyway, what did you think? Has this got you even more hyped for Metroid Prime 4? Would you like to see a full-length film arrive in cinemas one day? Let us know in the comments.
Thanks to Robbie for the heads up!
Comments 47
I love how there's been no Metroid for donkey's years and fans are still making this stuff. Go Metroid!
I liked it, but there are some questionable elements.
what if metroid was a girl?
Let us hope those 2D Metroid rumors are true?
Samus' gunship doesn't leave an exhaust trail. She's too élite for that. And the suit isn't quite right (those "ears" don't work). However...
... for a fan production, this wasn't bad.
Pretty damn good, enjoyed that, some good effects.
So that's how Metroid crawl... I totally get it now.
@RupeeClock I asked myself all of those questions too!
But this was really good for a fan made short film.
There's plenty to like here.
The focus on the environment is great.
I actually enjoyed the roll into a ball moment. Even more than the game I kinda bought it as a protected sort of escape tactic. That's one of the toughest bits to feel grounded so I liked that.
For lower budget fan-made it is very ambitious. Good on them.
Compared to what Metroid deserves, I mean, bouncy extended knee guards on the suit. No consideration for practical movement. Looks like Samus is walking around in a fragile costume, not in high-mobility armor. Modern movies solve this SO regularly it is hard to impress our jaded eyes. (And the xmas lights all over the suit just don't work in anything closer than a full shot)
I like the ambitious environment, but why is it so brightly lit like it's a tourist attraction? (Probably because that is what it is?)
Anyway, there's plenty more you could nitpick, and the biggest compliment is when people start comparing it to a full production, because it means it has crossed a threshold where people start expecting it to be more.
At the time I wanted Olivia Thirlby from Dredd to play Samus. 9 years later I want anyone but Brie Larson
@dkxcalibur
Oh yeah, despite the things that strike you as not right if you're knowledgeable about the series, it's still a pretty cool production!
Like, actually incorporating the morphing ball into shots must've been difficult!
@RupeeClock what do you want them to apologizes for not appearing to all the Canon lore while trying to make a cool short film
@Thelastjedi2007
Things like Metroids being weak to the cold is, you know. The basics.
Like how Pac-Man grabs a power pellet to chomp on the ghosts.
Two words: Love It!
@RupeeClock yea I under stand that but many they wanted an interesting location wouldn't you bend the rules just a little to make a cool little short film
@Thelastjedi2007
I guess that since it's a fan production, they had to work with whatever set was available, and throw in whatever recognisable elements they could whilst going for their own film-making vision.
It does go to highlight the creative differences between aspiring film-makers and video game producers though, doesn't it?
Samus is bad @ss. This video does not show it. Nice effort though and nice visual effects.
@RupeeClock I actually had some of those same questions. However, I will say that in Metroid Prime, the first Metroid you encounter is in Phendrana Drifts, the frozen part of Tallon IV.
I think it's not so much that they can't be in cold areas, it's just that cold is their weakness, so you are not as likely to find them there, but it's not outside the realm of possibility.
For being fanmade, that was really good, especially the music and special effects. The CGI work with Ridley and the bits with the morph ball were also really impressive.
It's gotta be hard to walk in that suit, though.
@RupeeClock You ever see the Mario Bros movie?
Considering how nimble and acrobatic Samus is, it’s interesting how her suit design gets in the way in this movie. Great production value for a fan movie.
@sleepinglion What is the beef with Brie Larson anyways? I have seen a number of people complain about her being Captain Marvel as well. I have seen some of her movies (including Captain Marvel) and as a person seems of the decent sort.
@RupeeClock Budget
Can't wait for the Metroid Prime 4 reveal, and Samus' face reveal, so we can all complain about looks of a fictional character again. It's been a while.
@SonOfVon No one would ever play that game, everyone knows real gamers only play games about mens.
This has 80's b-movie vibes. I think I'm all for it?
They costume certainly looks like it's awkward to walk in
@Darknilious I agree. I don't get the hate either. Hopefully farfetched opinions like there's is in the minority and gets ignored
Very uncomfortable to watch, particularly that suit movement.
I would have liked to see them design scenes for Metroid lore and then involve the suit, rather than the other way around.
This was great, but after watching both Metroid short films side by side, I have to say I like the one from 2015 better. Props to the 2021 film for going full on live action, but I think the computer animation with a pinch of live action made the 2015 film look much more realistic. The Samus suit in live action looked VERY awkward every time it moved.
Also, Jessica Chobot got a lot of hate for her portrayal of Samus in 2015, but I thought she actually did a really good job. Her performance really humanized Samus through her emotions, which I really enjoyed, and as a film, that made it much more grounded. If we were to see the things that Samus sees, we would also be terrified!!!! lol. We know we've all jumped at some creature or another in some Metroid game. Even the 2D games have a very creepy atmosphere!!!!
@Darknilious I think what has happened with Brie Larson is that a lot of people were really disappointed with Captain Marvel, and since Larson portrayed her, she ends up being the recipient of that disappointment, even though it really isn't her fault.
I myself don't care for the character of Captain Marvel for many reasons (overpowered, no real weakness, kind of bland), but I have no problem whatsoever with Brie Larson. You could put any other actress in that role, and if Captain Marvel remains the same as a character, I still wouldn't have cared for her that much. I don't like Captain Marvel that much, but I have no beef with Brie Larson.
Something about the suit and the way it moves didn't look right but knowing it's a fan-made movie...super impressive!
Cool for a fan film.
@sleepinglion cry cry cry
Really really impressive for a fan made short movie. Yes, I can, for 8 minutes, forget almost everything from the series and enjoy their awesome effort
The arm cannon was way too small but not bad, I guess.
@LUIGITORNADO ? Once upon a time we could criticize celebrities
@Darknilious It varies, but you asked a great question. I feel she doesn't have much acting range. She comes off rather cold. Which might actually be a plus for Samus Aran. Some pick on her for her feminist ideology, but I could care less what an actor thinks about things. At the end of the day, I feel there are better equipped folks, some of whom could score a breakout hit with something like Metroid. I'm not in the pitchfork crowd, I just find her incredibly average. I do like that she's a vocal Nintendo fan, but that alone shouldn't be enough to exclude better actresses from consideration.
I don't ever believe Metroids are just on a planet unless it's SR388, regardless if a Chozo establishment is present on a world. I believe that these Metroids were brought with Ridley for an ambush, which is why they are found swarming in a cold climate, and weaker as a result of being in such conditions as in Samus wouldn't need to freeze them first to eliminate them.
Samus running from a battle with Ridley makes sense since she was there to get her suit repaired. She has passed up battling with Ridley at least twice that I know of in Metroid Prime alone. Ridley's interaction with Samus is a little odd. If he was voiced I would imagine he would be mocking Samus once she's knocked down, but since he's not I'm not sure why Ridley wouldn't go for the kill.
Overall, enjoyable to watch and I'm glad shorts like these are being made in the absence of new games. This doesn't do anything for me with regard to Metroid Prime 4. Now if Sylux was in this short ambushing Samus, that would.
@Darknilious I like an actress with range. Can't speak for others, but she's overrated when more talented folks should be landing these roles
Isn’t this just a cosplay promo film?!
If anything, this made me realize how tall Samus actually is for her proportions to make sense.
Impressive for a fan project, though I agree with others about the pacing and lore issues. It feels like the main focus was on trying to show off the visuals they'd created, which were impressive for a fan project I won't deny but shouldn't come at the expense of pacing and story. Still, well done and best of luck for any future projects!
Never thought I'd see Samus just running away from Ridley like that, to the point of fleeing the planet. Usually when they fight it's Ridley who makes an escape after taking a significant amount of damage. Never pegged her for a coward.
@sleepinglion Thanks for the well thought replies! Glad to see that it's not something pitchforky. Have you seen the movie called Room that she is in from 2015? Its pretty much the opposite of Captain Marvel as far as acting range (and everything else).
@Darknilious Thanks for the suggestion, amigo, I'll give it a shot!
If Nintendo cared about fan projects...
Always thought it was pronounced "Zeebs"!
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