The Legend of Zeldawill be one of several examples of the difficulties in translating video games into movies. Though games may never earn the prestige of their cinematic counterparts, they are inherently more complex forms of art. Turning an interactive narrative into a passive one requires acknowledging the aspects of gameplay that don’t translate as well into exclusively visual storytelling. One such example might be Link’s selection of go-to puzzle-solving items and tools inThe Legend of Zelda.
Games and movies require drastically different shorthand indicators to communicate their intent. When a player guides their avatar into a room, the designers have ideally forced them to ask what they must do to navigate the situation. Thatimmersion is absent fromany standard cinematic experience. When a character in a film takes the same action, the filmmakers must engage the audience’s desire to know what they will do. The absence of personal agency necessitates a clearer form of communication. Since the viewer can’t find the answers for themselves, they need to see every aspect of the on-screen icon’s problem-solving process. Adding to the dilemma, it also has to be engaging to watch.
The Legend of Zeldamovie can ditch some of Link’s items
In almost everyLegend of Zeldagame,Link carries a selectionof key items that allow him to interact with various relevant things in the world. Boiling the very long list down to its bare essentials, Link almost always has his bombs, bow, and boomerang. Items like the hookshot, rings, books, potions, and various magical devices also join the usual inventory. In a standardZeldagame, Link gradually picks up items on his journey. These tools can serve multiple purposes with wildly varying levels of ingenuity. The worst examples hand Link tools that exclusively activate specific conditions, like a boomerang that’s useless in combat but required to turn on switches or open doors. They’re much more interesting when they serve multiple functions, like a bow that increases Link’s fighting ability while also allowing him to melt ice or shoot down hidden objects.GoodZeldagames weavecombat, storytelling, and exploration together into one enjoyable experience. However, the film’s lack of gameplay will change the impact of Link’s items.
How willThe Legend of Zeldamovie portray Link?
Link is a rather elastic hero. For a guy who would likely dominate most top-ten lists of gaming heroes, his traits are rarely consistent. He’s a cipher that the player is free to project onto, which is why many games don’t even insist on his name. However, a lot of the franchise adds a fewnotable details to Link as a man. He’s always brave, resourceful, noble, and kind. Sometimes, the early portion of a game will feature other characters commenting on his laziness, quiet disposition, or love of food. He’s a person, but every game is free to reinvent him. His big-screen debut gives the filmmakers another chance to characterize him for a new audience. This could be an opportunity to collate his features and try to create a Platonic idea of Link, but every iteration has the chance to stand on its own.
As a hero, Link’s greatest virtue is courage. If he’s looking for a minor on his heroism degree, it would probably be resourcefulness. He typically isn’t the kind of guy who can simply brute-force his way through situations. He’s extremely powerful as a warrior, but he’s also clever. Many of the challenges he faces require him to think through complex problems and use everything at his disposal. However, his stories almost always end with a test of pure physical might. He has to slayGanon’s latest giant monster form, and that tends to be a job for the Master Sword and Zelda’s Bow of Light. There are two great ways to depict Link on the big screen. Oddly enough, the most recentZeldagames capture both.
Breath of the Wildis a great blueprint for live-action Link
Thebackground details ofBreath of the Wildexplain that Link was as strong as a full-grown knight when he was four years old. He’s a super soldier who can overcome the majority of his problems with his overwhelming might. Though Link doesn’t technically have powers, at least until he gets the magical gifts of the Four Champions, he is immensely fast and strong. TheLegend of Zeldamovie could lean into this idea, letting Link rely on his strength and boldness rather than his skills as a puzzle-solver. Alternatively, they can maintain Link’s resourcefulness by allowing him to work with what he finds. Link has a massive selection of weapons, shields, and bows inBreath of the Wild, but they’re almost all temporary. This version of Link is a scavenger who steals from his enemies and finds his own bounty, working his way up byconstantly evolving his kit. Neither iteration of the character needs to rely on a handful of items contained in an infinite Bag of Holding.
The Legend of Zeldamovie will almost certainly take inspiration fromPrincess MononokeorThe Lord of the Rings. In both cases, the heroes of those works have a couple of items to their name. Send Link onto the big screen with a sword and a shield to his name. If the games have proven anything, they’ve shown that he can make anything work.
