When it comes to my Zeldies (which is how we fans of The Legend of Zelda series sometimes refer to the franchise), I’m a purist. I’ve played almost every game (Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks have somehow escaped me. The CD-i games don’t count), and I love the franchise.
With the recently leaked footage for the upcoming Zelda movie looking very Zelda-ish, you’d think I’d be happy, right? Well…I am! Sort of. Because even though it’s just a few images, it still looks exactly how I thought a Zelda movie would look…and I don’t know if I like that.
I know, we fans are the worst, right? Deviate too much, and we’ll hate it forever (like the “HORRIBLE” Dragonball Evolution movie), but stay too close, and we might just shrug it off. Well, if there’s any series that needs to swing for the fences, it’s Zelda. Here’s why.
Without All The Weird Stuff, The Legend Of Zelda Storyline Is Kind Of Bland
I don’t know if you know this or not, but The Legend of Zelda series is really weird. I mean, from the very first game where you walk into a cave and some old dude gives you a sword, to Tears of the Kingdom, the series is just super bizarre. I love it for that reason! Very much like the Mario series (which we’re also getting a new movie for), the Zelda series has a lot of strange things that people just accept since they’re video games.
That worked for the first The Super Mario Bros. Movie as well, as there were a lot of strange elements that we loved. But, when I say the first Mario movie, I mean the first ANIMATED movie. Not the first actual Mario movie, which I’ll defend to this very day. No, the first actual Mario movie was live-action, and it often gets lambasted for being too weird, which is an issue that I’m sure Nintendo is concerned about when it comes to this Zelda movie.
However, my concern is that in favor of not trying to be too weird, Nintendo is going to play it too safe. I don’t necessarily think that’s a great idea, because when distilled down to its purest elements, the Zelda series is kind of bland. It’s really just a generic fantasy story where there’s a hero who has to fight a big bad. This is typically fine for the games, as it acts as a template, and the gameplay is what matters most.
However, I don’t know if it works for a movie. If none of the things that make the Zelda series interesting are in the film, then the plot will likely be boring. Fans know what I mean. Speaking of which…
The Fans Are Going To Be Disappointed If This Doesn’t Include The Things That Make Zelda, Zelda
Ask any Zelda fan if they’ve ever just walked into somebody’s house and started breaking vases (or blowing up walls) in the games, and they’ll say, “Of course!” I mean, that’s as Zelda as it gets. You can also ask them what happens when you hold down the attack button, and they’ll tell you that it does a powerful spin attack!
These are just the basics when it comes to Zelda’s eccentricities. They’re unique, but also distinctly Zelda, and that’s more what I’m talking about when I mention “weird” things that I want to see in this film. I’m not talking about the REALLY weird stuff, such as Tingle, the creepy Majora’s Mask moon, or Link turning into a wolf. I mean, I can’t speak for every Zelda fan, but I’m pretty sure that most of us aren’t expecting anything that gets TOO game-specific with this movie. People have watched enough adaptations to know that the source material is used to a certain extent, but not usually adhered to religiously.
Even so, a Zelda movie (or at least one that the fans embrace) can’t just be costumes, weapons, and settings. Some of the stranger aspects about the universe should at least be acknowledged – like how it can feel like it’s in the past, but there can also be ancient technology that allows Link to ride a motorcycle, or the quirks of different Hyrulian inhabitants, like Link having to dress up as a woman to interact with the Gerudo people.
Things like these would go a long way with the fans. That said, it would also go a long way with creating new fans, which I’ll get into next.
If This Movie Is Going To Attract Newcomers, It Should Let Its Freak Flag Fly
I don’t know if there will ever be a Smash Bros.-esque/Avengers-style shared Nintendo universe, but I will say that it does seem like Nintendo wants to expand within the film industry. (To which I beg again, PLEASE give us a Metroid movie!) So, with that knowledge, the last thing I think Nintendo needs in order to create new Zelda fans is a bland Zelda movie.
This goes along with my last point, but the Zelda series is kind of boring without all of the stuff that makes it unique (makes sense, right?). For instance, there’s somewhat of a timeline that exists within the universe that fans have mostly created. That said, it’s ideas like split timelines that add to the lore. And, just ask anybody. People LOVE lore. I mean, jeez, my son (who is also a Zelda fan) will attach lore to pretty much anything, and Zelda is great for that. Because with so many games, there’s a lot of lore (most of it strange) to stick inside this movie.
I think it needs some of that strange lore to create fans out of people who aren’t necessarily already fans. For example, I mentioned the Gerudo race earlier, and you have no idea how many people I’ve seen cosplay as them when I go to events like Comic-Con. Guess what? People always turn their heads to look at them. Now, just imagine how awesome they would look in a movie, towering over Link. It’d be weird to see such a height difference (kind of like Hobbits, since Link is short), but cool, nonetheless.
This is why I think Nintendo should really let Zelda’s freak flag fly with this film. The last thing I want is for them to be reserved, which I fear they might be given these recent images. This leads me to my last point.
It Could Also Set The Tone For Not Only Future Zelda Movies, But Also Future Live-Action Nintendo Films
Will there be more animated Nintendo movies after The Super Mario Galaxy Movie? Probably, and it might just be a Donkey Kong film (which I couldn’t imagine being live-action, but who knows?). I think the first Mario movie set a good precedent for all future animated Nintendo films.
Likewise, this Zelda movie will be a similar tone-setter, but for future live-action Nintendo movies (Again, Metroid!). If that’s the case, then the last thing we want is a plain Jane adaptation. Just like future animated Nintendo movies have permission to have an Illumination vibe to them now, future live-action Nintendo movies will have this Zelda film as a template.
So, the company should make sure that this film is interesting enough to inspire other potential live-action Nintendo movies…such as a live-action F-Zero, or perhaps a live-action Mother movie (I know, I know. I won’t get my hopes up).
What do you think? Are you also a Zeldie fan? I’d love to hear your thoughts!