The most important disclaimer regarding this post on the CBS Home Entertainment releases (complete with seven collectible cards in all but the DVD set) of S1 of the ParamountPlus series "Halo" is that this member of the Atari, which still is in my basement, generation has never played the game franchise on which the series is based. Further, my knowledge of post-Atari videogames is minimal.
The good news is that coming to "Halo" not knowing a Spartan from a member of The Covenant has not hindered enjoying this theatrical-quality production that is as addictive as the game on which it is based. This includes an almost 3D look to to this live-action series that gives is an aptly strong CGI vibe.
A special feature that provides a primer on the Xbox legend helps us Gen Xers learn what Millennials and Gen Zers already know.
The broader appeal of "Halo" is that it takes the hilarious long-running "Red v. Blue" franchise to a wonderful new level by literally bringing the actual video-game characters in that series to life and giving them larger roles than being bickering and violent morons.
The Blu-ray version looks crisp and clear played using a BD player and watching on a mid-range HD set. Watching on a 4K player with a high-end Sony Bravia 4K set really brings out the aforementioned sense of CGI. This highly suggests that the 4K version looks phenomenal; buying the gamer in your life the 4K steelbook will earn you a BFF.
The following S1 official trailer perfectly reflects all of the above while expertly condensing the S1E1 and S1E2 exposition to a minute or so. These scenes additionally convey the "Dune" vibe as to harsh desert settings but do not include mention of the also relatable war for a critical natural resource.
This promo. further ends on a perfect note with the says-it-all quote "Find the halo, win the war." This line rivals "Save the cheerleader, save the world" as the best-ever scifi series catchphrase.
In true scifi fashion, our epic journey begins the events that set our heroes, villains, and those somewhere in the middle on our quests.
Our genetically enhanced main-man Master Chief Spartan-117 (a.k.a. John) beats the evil Covenant to discovering the central object of the franchise. This soon leads to realizing that John is The Chosen One but not why he effectively has the power to pull Excalibur from the stone. We also soon see the extent to which he will go to feel like a real-live boy.
The ensuing events lead to a newly more humanized and independent John freeing rebel princess Kwan and giving her what he believes will be a save haven. Of course, everyone who has dealt with teenagers knows that just leads to more trouble.
Dr. Halsey, who provides "Halo" with a Soong element, takes her genetic engineering to the next level by essentially sending in the clones to make John even more of a super soldier and to restore his more obedient nature. This includes creating the independent-minded AI hologram Cortana, who definitely has shades of The Doctor from "Star Trek: Voyager." It is very clear that "Mommy" and "Daddy" have no qualms about putting Cortana in the middle of their war of wills.
The past of John, which is highly intertangled with every aspect of the series, being integral to restoring order to the this part of the universe sets the stage for showing the fascinating wonder years of this hero of the Unsc. We see how an unfortunate series of events lead to his going from being a happy boy with a dog, to a child soldier/guinea pig, to the man that he is today. We also learn how he becomes the "cheerleader" of the series.
Of course, all of these leads to an epic season-ending battle that leads to S2,
The aforementioned special features go well beyond the primer on the game. The highly enthusiastic cast and crew discuss their roles and the importance of every aspect of the series to the lore of the franchise. These entertaining offerings allow us "old-timers" to catch up with the "kids."
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