James Loder

The first entry in the Halo franchise that feels like a true successor to the series' roots. A welcome return to the halcyon days of Halo's tenure as a true AAA juggernaut.

The pacing of the movie was awkward and at times dull. The story was a welcome addition to the franchise, but often times the fact that it was set in the midst of civil war hamstrung the ability of the film to leverage any suspense, given that its outcome is a foregone conclusion. Furthermore, questions are raised about why the events of this film, catastrophic as they were, are never touched upon in the many stories which have taken place further down the MCU timeline. The special effects were also less than what I've come to expect from a marvel film, often leaving me in the uncanny valley, where things look ALMOST real, but still cheesy enough that I'm left scratching my head. Lastly, the "family" motif of the film felt incredibly forced and contrived. Characters like the Red Guardian felt like a long-winded gag rather than a meaningful contribution to the story, and the relentless and heavy handed dialogue meant that by the end of the film I was saying "yes, we get it, FAMILY." Overall, watchable, but not re-watchable. And I can't say that about many other entries in the marvel library.