‘Halo’ Episode 1: ‘Contact’ Review
Image Source: IMDb
It has been several months since the release of the long-awaited, live-action adaptation of the Halo franchise. Its release book-ends a long history in development hell that goes as far back as 2013. Over a series of departures and changes in writing and directing, including a struggle to adapt the franchise, the series finally debuted in March 2022 on Paramount+.
The struggle to adapt the franchise to film, and a large source of the show’s criticism, comes from the nature of the game’s protagonist, the Spartan Master Chief Petty Officer John-117. In the game, Master Chief is a stoic, unemotional goliath of a super soldier. In the games, the story is not so much about Master Chief, but about the secrets surrounding the ringworld, or Halo, as the Covenant refers to it. Eventually, the story does come to focus more on Master Chief and his AI, Cortana.
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Thus the show was tasked with addressing these shortcomings. Their solution was to place Master Chief’s discovery of his humanity against the backdrop of the battle between the UNSC and the Covenant. The inciting incident? A strange artifact (which looks similar to the activation index from the games) was found on a planet after Master Chief (played by Pablo Schreiber) and his Silver Team comrades “saved” a colonial outpost of independents from an attack by Covenant Elites. When Spartan-117 touched the artifact, it activated, illuminating the chamber, and giving him visions of the childhood he knows nothing about. This also revealed that the show took place in a different universe from the games.
In the process, viewers were introduced to Yerin Ha’s character, Kwan Ha, daughter of the outpost’s leader, and the only survivor of the Covenant attack. Unfortunately, her introduction was one of the most glaring detractors of the show. Plot-wise, the manner in which she became involved, watching her father die by a random Elite that somehow survived the Spartans, came off as convenient and hollow. It was also revealed that Master Chief killed her mother. Again, a little too convenient. Then, when the UNSC command ordered him to kill her, he refused. All of these beats made Kwan more of a plot tool than someone worthy of screen time and attention in the show (and that is sadly reinforced later in the season).
Image Source: Halopedia
The manner in which Kwan’s involvement was handled marred what was otherwise a strong and solid attempt to create a story for a character based on the video game’s human robot. Master Chief’s activation of the forerunner artifact and its trigger of his memories was a far more compelling story to follow. It would not change the story much even if Kwan Ha was removed from the picture. Master Chief’s rapid descent into unknown territory for a super soldier played out nicely as, by the end of the episode, he seemed to be in full-on desertion from the UNSC. This prompted an exciting build-up of tension as the entire base on Reach confronted him. However, the artifact released an EMP that allowed him to escape. It was a solid setup for a story arc to discover his past.
Another interesting twist in the Halo story was the reveal of a human allied with the Covenant. More about her would be revealed later in the season, but it is an interesting departure from the xenophobic presentation of the Covenant in the games. Seeing this human speaking Sangheili and addressing a Prophet on top of that brought a new direction to the show that the games never explored.
Image Source: Polygon
Speaking of Reach, the show certainly looked good. It was great to see iconic Halo objects like Master Chief’s helmet and armor, UNSC Pelican ships, High Charity, Elite energy swords, and the Elites themselves in live-action. While the Elites looked a bit chunky, they bring all the warm nostalgia that a show based on the games should. Seeing Reach thriving was a treat as well, establishing two things outright about the show. For one, it again pointed out that the show is in a different universe from the games, and for another, the fall of Reach may be something the show explores in later seasons.
“Contact” was a solid start to a show that has a long history of uncertainty behind its development and a lot riding on it with regard to fan pressure. Halo has a large fan following, which brings expectations. That’s understandable, but bringing a story in one format from one medium to another is a difficult task, and film stories work differently. This is one of the reasons why most video game movies have failed. However, the Halo series starts out strong enough to warrant a full viewing and promises a solid season.
Rating: 7.5/10
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Source(s): Paramount+
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