Today the 22nd of June is certainly an important date for the UK as the highly-anticipated streaming service Paramount+ finally lands on our shores and with it comes the first three episodes of the newest sci-fi epic and incarnation of 343 Industries and Xbox Game Studios Halo. Heavily based on the first-person shooter video-game series, Paramount + creates an adaptation that takes place in the universe that first came to be in 2001, dramatising an epic 26th-century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant. Halo will weave deeply drawn personal stories with action, adventure and a richly imagined vision of the future.

Before this review, I was lucky enough to see the first three episodes thanks to the Paramount+ team.

Review

War is brewing in the dusty landscape of the planet Madrigal In the year 2552. Halo trusts the audience into a rebellion as a bunch of resistance fighters are at loggerheads with the UNSC (United Nations Space Command) the militaristic branch of Earth’s government, It’s truly a nail-biting and suspenseful opening as the oppositions on Madrigal General Jin-Ha (Jeong-hwan Kong) and his daughter Kwan (Yerin Ha) are prepared to fight the UNSC’S band of marines or otherwise known as the Spartans, they’re manufactured super-soldiers created by Dr Halsey (Natascha McElhone). The UNSC are masters at shaping the public opinion with propaganda and Master Chief, John-177 is the face of it all. However, when the Covenant launches a deadly attack on the planet things get complicated and the Spartans and the people of Madrigal find themselves on the same side. This alien species storm the planet’s outpost and destroy their defences, its action-packed and bloody But when the Master Chief and his squad arrive to aid, they take no prisoners, the series’ first three episodes truly start off with a bang.

This series follows Master Chief (Pablo Schreiber) and survivor Kwan Ha on the run after they try and deal with the Covenant threat, whilst at the same time learning more about the strange object that comes into their possession. As the episode progresses Schreiber’s stoic performance shines as the Paramount+ series truly reinvents the character of the Master Chief, he’s a seven-foot super-soldier, cladded in green MJOLNIR armour, and equipped with a trigger finger. Throughout the first three episodes, viewers will get to know John as John also gets to know and discover more about himself, the transition from game to screen required the character to have a much more deeper personality. Aspects of the character have of course already been established through the multiple games and novels but the writers have captured The Spartans in the same vein, they’re used as a symbol for courage, bravery, and for effectiveness, as they’re tactile under extreme circumstances. The Series does tend to deviate from the games in certain ways but makes room for easter eggs and nods to major in-game events, we even get to see some live-action moments that are accurate to the source material. The Halo series ticks both boxes for balancing references to the games and creating some high-quality storytelling.

The Halo franchise also introduces a bunch of original characters including Ha’s Kwan and we get to experience her journey from being caught up in the war between the UNSC. Her character is experiencing all that’s happening for the first time, she acts as the eyes of the audience to this lore-heavy universe. More of the characters including the other Spartans, Riz-028 (Natasha Culzac), Vannak-134 (Bentley Kalu), and Kai-125 (Kate Kennedy) deepen our understanding of Master Chief.  It’s a fascinating relationship as John-117 discovers his humanity, which is an impactful theme throughout. Another favourite of the supporting cast is Dr Catherine Halsey (Natascha McElhone) who’s at the centre of the UNSC deviously working on Reach though what she’s got planned, we’ll just find out, as she begins a new project called Cortana, a new and advanced AI. 

Verdict

The TV series takes place in the so-called Silver Timeline which allows them to forge their own story and not collide with the canon. Paramount+’s Halo was developed by showrunners Kyle Killen and Steven Kane. Otto Bathurst, an Emmy winner for directing multiple episodes of Peaky Blinders, led the first two episodes. However, Kane wrote the entire series. 

I absolutely loved the Science-Fiction aspects as Halo is truly packed with adventure, action, aliens and an overall intergalactic narrative.