Wait. There’s a Destiny movie coming out!?! No. Today’s post is inspired by my mutual love of Destiny, movies and the Summer blockbuster movie season in general. I know this might sound nuts but occasionally some of us entertain ourselves outside of Destiny so I decided that it might be fun to highlight a few movies that Guardians such as ourselves might enjoy. You’ve probably seen most of these at some point but maybe you’ll find something interesting to watch.
The following list is presented in no particular order.
Oblivion
Tom Cruise stars as Jack Harper, a technician who is tasked with repairing combat drones that defend generators that are essential for creating the fuel that the remnants of humanity desperately needs to flee Earth in the aftermath of a devastating alien conflict. Directed by Joseph Kosinski, this film frequently showcases dynamic visuals, interesting design and offers a fun twist.
But what makes it of interest to fans of Destiny?
I add it to the list because of its post-apocalyptic environments that bring exploration of Old Russia to mind. In addition to that, there’s a certain aesthetic to the design of weapons and vehicles that one might imagine early Guardians using. Also: there’s a giant thing in the sky that is ever present and may possibly humanity’s only hope for the future.
Pacific Rim
This movie makes the list almost entirely due to the idea that it is a near-perfect summer blockbuster. This movie isn’t interested in pondering complexities of the human endeavor. It wants to deliver giant robots fighting giant monsters. It does.
What makes this of interest to fans of Destiny?
This is a movie about a group of individuals banding together to save the world from an interdimensional threat. Led by Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba), a no non-sense commander with a booming voice and a penchant for inspirational speeches, I often think of Zavala and the Vanguard when watching this film
Battle: Los Angeles
Battle: Lost Angeles features Aaron Eckhart as aging Marine staff sergeant Michael Nantz. On the cusp of retirement, his platoon is called into action when alien invaders emerge from the ocean and launch an all-out assault on humanity. Not to be confused with a similar movie (Skyline), this film is a gritty war film that happens to feature aliens as the antagonists. It’s Starship Troopers meets Blackhawk Down and while most critics didn’t care for it and most audiences failed to find it, I found the movie to be surprisingly entertaining when it came out.
What makes this of interest to fans of Destiny?
This one is fairly obvious. Guns and aliens.
Live, Die, Repeat: Edge of Tomorrow
ANOTHER Tom Cruise movie? I know but hear me out. Like all of his movies, this one stars Tom Cruise as himself (just with a different name and skillset). This time he’s a military spokesperson that spends his time on cable news outlets trying to convince the public that the war effort against an invading alien force is effective. When he confronts a superior officer after being ordered to cover the next operation from the front lines, he finds himself arrested and assigned to a unit of misfits who are bound for the front line of the invasion.
Having little combat training Cruise, along with every other member of the invasion force, is killed when the operation fails spectacularly. But that isn’t the end of the movie. Upon death, Cruise finds himself awakening a day before the invasion and he’s the only one that can remember what happened. Now he finds himself in a cycle of death and life as he tries to find a way to save himself from his fate. What makes this of interest to fans of Destiny?
For starters, it’s an alien invasion film that features some interesting set pieces and a concept that is fairly unique. This movie plays like the crazy love child of Groundhog Day and Saving Private Ryan with Hive-like enemies thrown in for good measure. And as Bah777 was kind enough to point out, the resurrection mechanic is basically like waking up after being revived by your Ghost.
The 5th Element
This is hands down one of my favorite sci-fi films. Released ahead of its time, this movie blends humor, action and spectacle into a movie that’s hard to describe but I will try to anyway.
A force of pure evil has returned after a long slumber and the only thing that can stop it is the combination of five elements that create an ultimate weapon against evil. The problem being that four of the elements are being pursued by evil industrialist Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg (Gary Oldman) with only a cab driver (Bruce Willis), a priest (Ian Holm) and an amnesiac warrior (Mila Jovovich) standing in the way.
What makes this of interest to fans of Destiny?
If you’re a fan of the less serious elements of Destiny (random dancing, grabbing a selfie with a raid boss) then the fun nature of this movie might appeal to you. In addition to that, the Great Evil might remind you a little bit of the Darkness in that it is a nebulous threat that seems to rely on proxies to do is bidding…for now.
Sunshine
This film tells the story of the crew of the Icarus II, a spacecraft on a mission to re-ignite the sun after it begins to run out of fuel. Heavily influenced by movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey and Alien, the crew of the Icarus II struggles to overcome dangers that threaten to derail the mission and doom the human race.
What makes this of interest to fans of Destiny?
This movie is a bit of an odd duck on the list as the thematic tie-ins with Destiny aren’t quite as obvious as “guns” or “aliens”. This movie might take place in space but it is a very human story about a group of people that couldn’t be more different but working toward a common goal nevertheless. In a way, this isn’t altogether different than when we’re raiding. Different people, with different experiences all working together to achieve something.
So those are recommendations for summer movie viewing that might appeal to you as a Destiny fan. Have you seen them before? Are some of them new to you Do you have any favorites that should have made the list? Hit up Discord and discuss!