Monster Hunter 2020

In the unforgiving expanse of the New World, where behemoth creatures roam unchecked, a skilled Hunter (Tony Jaa), trained to vanquish these formidable beasts, finds himself irreparably severed from his comrades when their vessel, a ship that navigates the sandy dunes with the same fluidity as one might traverse water, is beset by the relentless onslaught of the Diablos - a malevolent subterranean monstrosity characterized by its pair of horns. The Admiral (Ron Perlman), a seasoned leader and chieftain of the Hunter’s organization, succeeds in salvaging the ship from the jaws of destruction, yet the ensuing chaos results in the Hunter becoming disoriented and lost in the shifting sands.

Meanwhile, on Earth, a highly trained United States Army Ranger Captain Natalie Artemis (Milla Jovovich), accompanied by her United Nations security team consisting of Marshall (Diego Boneta), Axe (Jin Au-Yeung), Steeler (Josh Helman), Lincoln (Tip “T.I.” Harris), and Dash (Meagan Good), embarks on a perilous mission to locate a missing team of soldiers in the scorching desert landscape. As they navigate through ancient structures adorned with cryptic markings, Lincoln uncovers the telltale signs of the missing team’s passage, only for their trail to mysteriously vanish without a trace.

A sudden tempest descends upon the rescue party, activating the mysterious markers that surround them and emitting an otherworldly energy. This phenomenon creates a portal, drawing the team into the New World, where they stumble upon the charred remains of their missing comrades and their vehicles. Captain Natalie struggles to determine her team’s position on any available map, as GPS signals are crippled, radio communication is reduced to static, and satellite transmissions remain inoperative. The bodies of the missing soldiers exhibit a peculiar characteristic - they have been incinerated beyond recognition by an unknown force, leaving behind a glass-like terrain.

Undeterred, the team repairs their vehicles and presses onward across the desert expanse. As they encounter skeletal remains that dwarf those of dinosaurs on their home planet, a sense of unease settles over them. The Hunter, who has been observing the group from the shadows, fires a warning signal as the Diablos - impervious to bullets and grenades - closes in for the kill. Two members of the squad fall prey to the beast’s ferocity, prompting Steeler to detonate a cluster of grenades directly into the face of the Diablos. Despite this desperate attempt, the creature’s thick hide absorbs the blast with minimal effect.

As the survivors of the Nerscylla attack huddle together in the dark recesses of a cave, they’re suddenly beset by an unholy horde of spider-like monstrosities. Artemis (character) finds herself injected with a paralyzing venom, her companions frantically trying to save her as the creatures swarm them. But just as all hope seems lost, she awakens in the lair of the Nerscyllas, only to find her team either dead or transformed into grotesque spawn. With no other choice, Artemis sets fire to the pursuing beasts using a flare and aerosol, escaping through a vent to emerge onto the scorching desert landscape.

As she surveys the desolate terrain, Artemis realizes that the Nerscyllas are repelled by the very thing that affords her some respite: sunlight. With no safe haven in sight, she’s forced to venture forth into the unforgiving expanse, only to stumble upon the enigmatic Hunter. After a tentative truce is formed through mutual survival and a shared struggle against the Nerscyllas, Artemis learns that the Hunter possesses unique bladed weapons and a wealth of knowledge about the treacherous landscape.

With her newfound ally by her side, Artemis sets out to uncover the secrets of the mysterious Sky Tower, a structure rumored to be the source of the portals connecting their world to Earth. However, their journey is fraught with peril, as they must first eliminate the formidable Diablos that roams the desert, its malevolent presence threatening their every step.

As Artemis and the Hunter devise a plan to take down the beast, she learns the art of combat using her new ally’s deadly arsenal. Together, they concoct a trap designed to exploit the Nerscylla venom, striking the final blow as the Diablos succumbs to its own poisonous bite. Though badly wounded, the Hunter is saved by Artemis’ quick thinking and medical expertise.

In their quest for safety and answers, the duo eventually stumbles upon an oasis teeming with tortoise-like creatures known as Apceros. However, their respite is short-lived, as a fire-breathing Wyvern, the Rathalos, swoops down, sending the Apceros into a panicked stampede. Artemis and the Hunter are rescued by a group led by the enigmatic Admiral, who speaks in perfect English. It becomes clear that many from Earth have traversed this world before, allowing him to master its language. With their bond forged through shared struggle and mutual respect, Artemis and the Hunter prepare to face whatever dangers lie ahead.

As the Admiral reveals the enigmatic history of the Sky Tower, a sense of gravity settles over the gathering. The ancient civilization that constructed this marvel of engineering, he explains, was one that had transcended the boundaries of worlds, employing fearsome creatures like Diablos and Rathalos as sentinels to guard their gateway to the cosmos. However, the Admiral’s words are tinged with a sense of regret, for it is clear that the passage of time has taken its toll on this once-great civilization, leaving behind only ruins and an open portal that now serves as a conduit for the constant flux of interdimensional travelers.

In this precarious context, Artemis agrees to aid the Hunters in their quest to eliminate the Rathalos, the most vulnerable of these monsters just prior to unleashing its fiery fury. As they approach the Sky Tower, an unstable portal at its base seems to mock their every move, foreshadowing the chaos that is to come.

The ensuing battle sees Artemis plummet through the portal, returning to her own world, but not before the Rathalos manages to slip through and wreak havoc on the rescue team that has arrived to retrieve her. With the Hunter’s timely intervention, the beast is eventually felled, its life force ebbing away as it succumbs to the fatal shot.

Yet Artemis’s decision to forgo her chance at escape and remain with the Hunters sets in motion a new trajectory for her story. As she surveys the devastation around her, she comes to realize that their primary objective must now be to find a way to topple the Sky Tower itself, lest its continued presence pose an ever-present threat to Earth’s safety.

In the midst of this uncertainty, a dark and ominous figure watches from the shadows as Palico (Aaron Beelner), the Admiral’s feline cook and confidant, arrives on the scene, ready to lend his skills in the battle against Gore Magala, the black dragon that now threatens to upset the fragile balance. As the cloaked figure observes from above, the stage is set for a new chapter in this epic struggle, one that will require unwavering courage and cunning to navigate the treacherous landscape of interdimensional politics.