mr_danny_cull
the story line was slow and boring, and then the cussing & the movie is supposed to be rated that a 7 year old could watch it, i personally would not want my child watching it. I'm not entertained but offended by the poor quality used in the making of the movie, i would highly recommend that movie makers use ethics, when i purchase a movie i like to be entertained not offended, the excessive use of profanity, and nudity, sexual content, and drug use or alcoholics. is offensive to me and not needed to make a movie. this will be the last halo movie i purchase due to the poor quality of film making, standards need to be set and followed. very disappointed with the movie and it's content.
Derek Childs (totalovrdose)
When attempting to watch Nightfall on the Halo Channel, which came equipped with The Master Chief Collection, I was unable to, the Channel experiencing, much like the game, one of many intolerable issues. Awaiting with much anticipation, I purchased Nightfall on BluRay, the question that is perhaps on reader's lips being: should I do the same? I won't respond to this, but after reading this review, maybe, dear reader, you will generate an answer of your own.Locke (Mike Colter - who is quite possibly the single most handsome man alive), alongside his team, is operating on Sedra, an isolated backwater on the fringes of space, though this is just a smokescreen. Much like Williams on Horizon in Mass-Effect 2, Locke, an ONI Lieutenant, is spreading his employer's technological influence.Tracking a smuggler across the planet, he and his team encounter a Covenant threat, one they are unable to suppress, a massive biological attack crippling the city. Investigating the alien technology which brought ruin upon them all, it's origins are uncovered: Alpha Halo, or, more aptly, a piece of the installation, destroyed by Master Chief. If Locke, his team, and members of the Sedran military want to stopper this threat, they are going to have to go to hell to do it - little do they realize, the real threat to their survival, has been with them all along.Similar, occasionally, to Prometheus, Aliens and Red Planet, most of Nightfall takes place on the desolated ruin of Alpha, which is far from attractive. Though the opening of the feature shows lush, fertile wilderness on Sedra, Alpha is a distinct, unappealing contrast. Ridley Scott's influence as executive producer is visible in the camera work, the atmosphere, and the creepy imagery associated with the Covenant threat the joint ONI-Sedran team encounter. The effects are amazing, despite never been as grand as massive Hollywood productions, though it would have been superb to experience more, especially in the scenes when the team is being savagely attacked, the uniqueness of the alien menace being riveting, and the decision to inhibit it in the background is quite insulting.Although Nightfall is designed to tell Locke's back-story, the series is narrated from the point-of-view of Aiken (Steven Waddington). We are, much like Aiken, on the outside looking in, and never do we truly comprehend the mystery that is Jameson Locke. Unlike Lasky in Forward Unto Dawn (FUD), whose family, friends and character were effectively delivered on screen, Locke remains very much an unknown quantity. Aiken too receives little depth, an issue that all characters in the series equally suffer. It's revealed that Aiken was once a Spartan, but it's never postulated why he left, though a visual representation plausibly hints an answer.Honor, respect, sacrifice and the Godlike power of taking life are major themes explored in the series, Aiken and Locke exhibiting a willingness to do what must be done. At the same time though, the series conveys how fear and hostility can tear through the bonds of even the most loyal comrades, as everything goes terribly wrong. Nightfall efficiently blends together contemporary issues, likening the story to the world dynamics of today. ONI is representative of America: a massively powerful, dominating influence upon everyone else. Sedrans are much like America's allies: they receive guidance and protection, but are never given the same respect as ONI gives to its own people. The smugglers, who are later encountered, are similar to Middle-Eastern extremists (and not just because of their ethnicity), with their lackluster technology and oppression faced at the hands of ONI.Although the opening of the series is positively brilliant, and easily captures the viewer's attention, the slower pace that begins to ensue, could be likened to a driver suddenly putting on the brakes for a majority of the feature, despite the well articulated suspense. A feeling of clichéd predictability begins to creep into the later portions of the series, while at the same time, action scenes are short lived, and many confrontations appear to be more verbal, than physical.Nightfall is a decent stand alone feature, however, much like Battlestar Galactica Blood & Chrome, the Halo universe could have kept on spinning without its induction.
siderite
The worst thing about the pilot is that it is not that sci-fi. It starts promising, detailing the threat and "the mission", it shows the characters, then they all go to an isolated place where technology works against them. So basically, an entire setup for a medieval like quest, only on an alien world.Other than that, the plot is predictable, but not terrible, the acting is good and it kept me watching it, even if I knew how it would end from the first half of the movie.As I have not played the game, I have no quarrels with that aspect of the movie, however it did seem that it had nothing to do with how a specialized fighting force would behave in the 26th century. Also, it didn't really say anything about the Halo universe. As a complete noob, I had no idea who MasterChef (he he!) was and what a Halo was.Bottom line: forgettable, but not that terrible. It did seem really low budget, though, and I have to ask myself what is the purpose of a low budget sci-fi series pilot which brings nothing in terms of story or characters? It only prepares an even less worked on series, right?Update: didn't realize that "the pilot" was the whole first season. Heh!
Nicolas Verhoeven
I have to say, I have been praying for years to everything I can think of to get a Halo film or Halo series started and now we have one - and it is a massive disappointment with minor bright spots.The Plot - The story to this series is pretty weak. I mean, it isn't terrible, but I find myself yawning and looking for other things to do when watching each episode (I haven't watched the latest one, I just can't be bothered). It is relatively predictable, and that isn't a bad thing necessarily, but here it makes it pretty boring to watch.The Presentation - (Mini-Spoiler) Okay, the show starts off with a bang; immediately throwing you in the midst of elites trying to sabotage a city. Sounds good, no? No. There is no easing into a pretty poor story, there is no character development of any sort, and because of these two points, you just can't seem to give a.. you get the point. The beauty of the Halo world is completely marginalized and presented shallow. Honestly, it is insulting. Acting - LOL. The acting or dialogue or directing given to the actors is on the cusp of bad and mediocre. It isn't engaging, but that could be because there is no background story, no character development, and you barely even feel you are watching Halo. If you tie all those points together, you could have Johnny Depp acting and it wouldn't make a difference. Overall, this series is insulting. Admittedly, they spent a good deal of time and money on the gear and the vehicles and all that jazz, which looks authentic and freakin' awesome, but apart from that bright spot which is always done correctly... this is not Halo. This is not the beauty of the Halo world as described in the books and games. Let me put it this way... if I had a friend who had never heard of Halo, I would steer clear of this series as it simply is not even in the same realm. Supremely disappointed. Whoever is in charge needs to take their time, spend money where money needs to be spent, consult correctly, get better actors (not A+++ actors, just better), and NEEDS to understand the beauty of the Halo world. Stop butchering this; it makes me, as a long time fan, irritated.
