The Legend of Zelda: The Hero of Time (2009) User Reviews

Fanfare at it's flawed finest.

[slicknixon · 5/10 · 29 January 2011]

The Hero of Time is a fan-made film based on The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. If your first assumption about a film like this is that you must be a fan of the Zelda games to enjoy/appreciate it, then you would be correct. But you must also be the type of viewer who has already had the bar set low from previous expectations. What I mean is that if you've never seen a movie that seems like it was put together by a bunch of art school students and drama class non-actors, you will think it's garbage.

With that being said, a TON of time and effort was clearly put into this thing. The special effects are good and the music is remarkable. George R. Powell spent over a year recording the 90+ min. score and it's truly amazing.

The locations used for filming present a surprisingly decent fantasy world setting for Hyrule albeit some nit-picky things like the inclusion of "Give us this day our daily bread" on the Church/Cathredral in almost every shot of the temple. But overall, the setting is very good.

The casting was a mixed bag and I'll get to the main problem in a little but first I'd like to award some praise to the guy who played Ganondorf. His facial structure was perfect for the part and his costuming (as well as the costumes for most of the other characters) were above average. Princess Zelda was pretty and not too shabby with the acting although some will/have disagreed on this. The tubby Asian guy as the Goron was just a terrible idea. As a matter of fact, this is one of quite a few things that really pull you out of the setting and into an art class screening of your friends who just made a movie. "LOL look at Harold, he's a big Goron with dirt on his face". The guy just doesn't care and it's obvious. They would have been better off just leaving the non human-like characters out of the movie.

Now to the biggest thing pulling the movie down.. Link! David Blane's acting is terrible. His lines are terrible. His hair looks stupid. And the fact that he is also the producer really makes it seem obvious that he gave himself the leading role when quite a few of his friends playing the other characters probably would have been better suited. He just overall sucks, and makes the movie seem like much less than what it should be. EVERYBODY I know who has seen this agrees that he is the worst thing about the movie and since he's the main character and the hero we all played as and came to love in the games, its a major blow to the film's reception and overall reputation. Not to mention that makeup!

Now for everything bad about this there is something surprisingly good and the overall plot and execution of the Ocarina of Time translation to live-action film is very admirable. More important to consider is the fact that so much went into this film and so little came out of it in the end, and I don't mean the movie itself. Not only was no money made, nobody really cared. This has been out for over a year and still has yet to receive 5 ratings on IMDb. Sure, the Zelda fan-sites reviewed it over the year's time, but even they were harshly critical. But the biggest kick in the teeth was from Nintendo themselves. They demanded that the film be taken off the internet completely despite the fact that is was being distributed for free and absolutely no profit was involved at all. I will have to admit that I lost quite a bit of respect for Nintendo because of this. Regardless, it's not hard to find if you look, and the people who really want to see it will probably find it if they search the internet good enough.

In the end, it's all about appreciation and while it's an easy target for (severe) criticism, the fact that it exists at all is one thing. But the fact that we got a genuine epic that is almost 2 hours long and sincerely dedicated to something Zelda fans have grown to love over the years makes this film something special that I suspect will draw more attention in time. Until then, it's another one of those "underground of underground" type things that makes it all the more cooler to those of us who know about it and think it's pretty damn awesome.

Flawed, but You Have to Appreciate the Effort

[TJ1380 · 5/10 · 14 July 2014]

Ever since I was a kid, I've wanted to see a movie based on "The Legend of Zelda," so you can probably imagine my surprise and delight when I stumbled across this film online. It looks like the movie I've wanted to see for years, but is it really any good? Well, yes and no.

The thing to keep in mind when watching this movie is that it is an independent film made by "Zelda" fans on a really low budget. The acting ranges from passable to awful, most of the special effects consist of obvious green screen effects and the editing and camera-work are often clumsy. The plot is fairly faithful to the fan-favorite "Ocarina of Time" game, but that means it eventually consists of the heroes running around and collecting things so they can kill the bad guy and save the world. The characters have little motivation beyond that, so they come off as kind of bland.

And yet, I can't bring myself to hate this movie. Everyone involved in this film put a lot of effort into it, and their love for the source material is evident. It is flawed, but I have to appreciate the fact that it exists at all.

"The Hero of Time" is definitely a movie for "Zelda" fans. I don't think I can recommend it to anyone else, but it's worth a look for fans of the games. It's easy to find online, so check it out.

Well, at least they tried.

[exxcplicit · 5/10 · 17 August 2013]

So, yeah, there is a movie about The legend of Zelda. Yep, that's right. It's a fan film created with almost no budget, so you gotta lower your expectations. I watched the whole movie, and i guess it was OK, but nothing more. The important thing is that they tried. The thing is - they struggle so hard just to follow the games storyline instead of taking the liberties to create their own story, which makes it boring and sometimes really annoying because the only thing Link seems to do is running around and doing what people tell him to do, like in the games. This is a sad fact, It could have been so much more. But it failed at the story, just because they tried so hard to stay true to the original game that the story just becomes lame and boring. And this is spoken by a true Zelda-fan, I know that it's hard to interpret the video game characters personalities (especially Link), the storyline etc but they could of at least twisted the story a little bit or make up their own story with elements from the game, like Sage of Darkness did. While it's not awful - it's not so good either. Awful camera angles (and the camera isn't of top notch quality either) that really annoyed me, average acting, they use way too much greenscreen and CGI effects which make the movie look fake and cheap, but the CGI is okay, since this is a budget fan film. I understand that Nintendo don't want to make a movie for a while, since so many awful Hollywood movies based on games are released more and more often. But god damnit, they did an average job. At least they tried, and i have full respect for that. So, is it worth watching? Well, if you got the time over and is a huge Zelda-fan, then it might be worth a watch. But if you're not really a hardcore zelda-fan i think you might want to skip this one, but hey, give it a try anyway. I would like to thank them for trying and for actually doing something instead of waiting on Nintendo releasing an actual movie. Do you remember last time Link spoke, in that god awful TV-series cartoon? You don't want anything like that to happen again, which i think is one of the main reasons Nintendo doesn't want to make a movie for now at least.

Final vote: 5/10.

Painfully Awkward and a complete mess.

[tomrwhite · 1/10 · 5 April 2023]

Hardcore Zelda fans might like it just because "Hey, it's Zelda" but aside from the novelty factor of getting to see your beloved series on the screen, there's really nothing to offer here. The plot is barely there and yet still unclear. Things just sort of happen. The hero does not have any emotional resonance to anything in the entire movie. We get only the most vague notion of what sort of world the characters inhabit or what's at stake. There's no weight to any of it. The only idea we have of who the villain is, what he wants, and what impact he has on the world is mostly done in one scene where he just explains his plan to a bland side character, or through vague pleadings to Link to save the world. Characters do things simply because they're things they do in the game. If you've never played Ocarina of Time, you'll have no idea what anyone is doing or why. And if you have played it, you'll still be baffled by how the storyline veers away from a simple retelling of the game and into fanfiction territory.

It's difficult to tell who this is supposed to appeal to because non-Zelda fans won't have the slightest idea what's happening and won't learn anything about the Zelda mythos, but it still contains "plot twists" that Zelda fans will see coming a mile away. Oh, Shiek was Zelda the whole time? Yeah, we know. And then when Zelda reveals herself, which is completely unprompted by anything, Link doesn't even react. Is he surprised? Did he know all along? The answer is: Shrug! Link reacts to this surprise reveal like a bean bag would react to a chemistry lecture.

I can acknowledge some talent went into this and it's sad that so much of it was wasted. The visual effects aren't Hollywood-worthy but for a small indie project, they aren't terrible. Maybe the actors are good in other productions, but the script and the direction is so bad they just don't have anything to work with.

Some of the scenes feel improvised and just don't work at all. There's one scene where Link enters a store and the shopkeeper launches into a whole... bit? The actor goes on for a while about nothing, and Link, like usual, does not react, so the entire tone of the scene is just confused. Are we supposed to find him funny? Not a single character has any defining traits so we don't know if this guy is comparatively wacky or silly. It's just a lot of words and gestures that mean nothing to us.

I do not recommend this movie to anyone other than the truly morbidly curious for case studies in what not to do in movie-making.

It's a rancid, atrocious film, but someone out there might like it.

[whittmarine · 1/10 · 10 July 2012]

'The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time' is one of the best told stories ever to cross the gaming screen, so it's a vast disappointment to see that this movie is the exact opposite. I can give a list of all the problems this film has, but it would not fit in this review, so I'll keep it relatively short. Before I start, however, I want to assure you that I understand that it is a fan film and that the standards are much lower than that of a Hollywood film, but only in terms of budget and expenses. If the movie's story is horrid and terribly written, then it is solely its creators.

The dilemma of this film can be summed up with three very generalized issues. The first being that the creators know 'what' elements make Zelda games work as well as they do, but they lack the understanding of 'why' these elements are there and 'how' they work. An example would be the Kokiri from the game. Link starts his journey from within the forbidden forest surrounded by kids to give him the sense of isolation. He has no fairy like the others, so he's not quite 'accepted', and he is the only one to question his existence, so none of them (save for Saria who is a sage) 'understand' him. In the movie, they keep the Kokiri, but they remove all sense of isolation. They attempt to make Link feel like he doesn't belong solely on the count that he isn't Kokiri, but since the Kokiri aren't all immature children, the attempt is boot. They all 'accept' and 'understand' him, and no attempt is made to show otherwise (like Mido in the game).

The second issue is that they tell the story in such a way that the only way it can work is if the characters--Link, Zelda and Ganondorf-- are stupid. Ganondorf has been reduced to a Saturday morning cartoon version of himself (only slightly better than his representation in the old Zelda cartoon show) with the addition of a minion. Ganondorf has to give all his exposition to him and have the minion do all the work for him, which undermines his level of threat. He's probably the least screwed up of the three.

Next is Zelda. Like in the game, her father, the king, does not believe her when she thinks that Ganondorf is evil. It's understandable why the king ignored her in the game since she was just a child and not very wise. It's NOT so understandable in the movie when she's an adult and already possesses the 'Triforce of Wisdom'. It also doesn't help that she hides from Ganondorf by staying right underneath his nose in the most conspicuous outfit imaginable (proven by the fact that she's caught by a guard the first time we see her after the time leap). It's worse that she fights quite decently on her own, a blatant attempt by the filmmakers to show that she is NOT a damsel-in-distress, only to have her captured in the end by a bunch of guards and turn her right back into one.

Then there's Link. He's just written stupid. Despite the fact that the filmmakers decide to force an unnecessary romance sub-plot between Link and Zelda, the hero can't recognize his beloved in a disguise that barely covers her face (not to mention that her most prominent feature, her eyes, are the one part that isn't covered at all. You'd think he'd remember that part at least). Going back to the Kokiri Forest, they may have attempted to give him motivation, but it's immediately disregarded once he leaves, so he has no personality as well.

The third and final issue is the overall flow of the film. Multiple problems sprout from this such as Link's swordsmanship swinging from 'I rule' to 'I suck' on a whim, the chaotic pacing, and most of all, the climax. To say that the climax is underwhelming is an understatement. What made the climaxes in the games work can be summed in one word: tension. Ocarina of Time showed great 'building' tension by having Link ascend the giant, windy staircase to meet with Ganondorf, 'character' tension by having these two characters confront each other multiple times in the past, and 'unknown' tension by having Ganondorf beat Link in the past so it's unknown whether or not Link is capable of succeeding in the end. This movie does not build, as Link immediately switches from fighting minions to Ganondorf in an instant, has no character, as Ganondorf has never met Link, and Link's only 'seen' Ganondorf once, and the unknown tension is given to a group of guards AFTER Ganondorf is defeated (the biggest treachery of all).

Admittedly, I was somehow satisfied when I saw this film for the first time. It has constantly degenerated with each repeated viewing, but it leaves me to believe that there is an audience out there for it who are able to ignore all of these problems. However, that group is a vast minority.

Garbage

[ScoreArtist · 1/10 · 29 May 2021]

As many fans have wanted a Zelda movie; some have tried to make their own. This is why the idea is conceptually bad on it's own. Seeing how a Lord of the Rings budget would just be the start to present something as grand as the Zelda franchise, you'd also need someone like Kevin Fiege as a producer. So that you can get that Avengers: End Game feel with a Zelda vibe and not this homemade trash. Some of the comments on here are pathetic and remind us why these types of movies fail... disillusioned morons and people trying to promote their own failed project. Not worth wasting your time.

Just appreciate the fact that someone tried to make a film out of this

[thomvic · 7/10 · 19 May 2011]

At first when I saw the trailer for this, I dismissed this immediately thinking that no one, in particular a fan made film could possibly make a decent film out of one the best game franchises ever made. But hey I saw it on youtube and I thought to myself 'well it is a fan made film. I'm not expecting a great film so I'll be open minded'. And I'm glad I did because the film wasn't actually that bad for what it is worth.

First of all, it is based on Ocarina of Time's plot but loosely. They made some changes which I didn't mind. The casting of the actors - David Blane as Link is so so and that wig doesn't help him. He seems to spit out his lines with not much feeling in it. Hannah Fierman as Zelda does an OK job as the princess, though she cries too much in the film and sometimes makes it more laughable than believable. But the chemistry between her and Link I felt was surprisingly there.

A lot of fans of the game will be quick to point out everything they did wrong in this film but for me, I looked more at what they did well. The look of the film was done quite well. The Kokiri Forest was captured very well and it was amazing to see how they managed to do all of it. Saria's casting I thought was done very well and I really liked the actress's performance.

The visual effects - hmmmm well some were very dodgy I will admit. The action scenes feel more like you're watching a school play performed rather than anything real.

Ganondorf - Adam Boyer as the main villain. The make up and costume department did a decent job on him, though often his acting felt a bit forced too much to my liking. Though he does a good job at the evil laugh, in particular in the climatic battle scene.

The music is a highlight. I loved the soundtrack and what they did with a lot of the tunes from the game and it really added to the film.

Essentially, this feels more like a TV movie than a real movie and that is what it is. So if you are open to the fact a game like Zelda would be very difficult to adapt to the screen and make it work, I am quite impressed with this adaptation. Come on - it is a fan made film after all and thus if you simply let yourself go with this film, you might enjoy yourself. It is far from perfect but I still admire the makers for their determination to bring Zelda to the screen.

My childhood dream, finally come true!

[crunk_juice19 · 10/10 · 17 April 2012]

I love original The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time video game and beat it when I was six years old. When I was that age, I wanted an LoZ movie so bad. I had dreams about it and everything!

I waited for this movie for 4-6 years, following it almost every step of the way, and it finally paid off. I saw this, and it was one of the happiest moments of my life!

And when Nintendo shut it down, I was ruined. That was a dark day :(

But, not to fear: it's back on YouTube, you can download it in all kinds of places, I have it on my MP3, everyone's happy.

I don't get why some people hated this movie. It's better than any crap by Uwe "Toilet" Boll! This is the best video game adapted movie of all time.

Now, you do have to approach this movie with an open mind: it's an independent movie. But think about it, the fact that a bunch of college kids in Atlanta, Georgia (with no money) got together, got all their buddies to be in it (with no money) and managed to make this awesome movie that's better than any video game movie out there (with no money), is pretty freaking cool. Yes, there are some pretty fake looking things (The Wig of Time) but if you use a little imagination, you too will realize the awesomeness.

Here's the summary (basically the same as Ocarina of Time, but with a few changes) - Link is a young boy being raised by the Kokiri. The Deku Tree's final dying message to Link is that he must fulfill his destiny: leave the Kokiri Forest, meet the Princess of Destiny (Zelda), defeat the Gerudo sorcerer Ganondorf, the Prince of Darkness, and save all of Hyrule. That's the most basic, Reader's Digest version of it.

So in conclusion, if you are a Legend of Zelda fan, and won't whine about every little detail from the game not being in the movie (non-pointy ears, a dress being a different color, etc.), and keep an open mind, The Hero of Time will fulfill every childhood fantasy and joy you had when you first played Ocarina of Time on the Nintendo 64 (gold cartridge for the win!!).

Very fun to watch

[GilMovieExpertNotGayOrPoor · 7/10 · 4 June 2020]

Its not good at all, the acting is bad the production is bad and the story is bad. BUT i had a great time watching this movie, its a very fun watch. So if you wanna see this movie don't expect it to be a piece of art, its fun though.

Wow....Just wow

[Payback1016 · 10/10 · 23 May 2011]

I seen this last night and I got to say, they did great. The atmosphere was terrific the filming you would expect on a great BBC Special, and the music? They had both great originality while they snuck in their homages to both the music substantial to the game and its comical background music when Link obtains his items. However there are a few flaws that I would like to point out. One was my biggest issue, Link talking. Now don't get me wrong the guy is a great actor, but I always pictured Link as a mute. A silent but noble warrior that expresses what he feels in his actions. The other was the way Sheik/Zelda treated Link before she started helping him. In the Games Sheik treated Link with Honor and respect and was well aware of what happened to him on the temple of time. While the movies Sheik was upset at him for leaving Zelda behind, following her instructions while he was at it. The Third was Saria, I just don't see her as a mother. Like before I played the games and thought Saria was more of a love interest to Link. Finally they should have extended the sage quest. I thought the sage of fire had a great personality and was wondering what the other sages were like. Other than that I give it 5 0ut of 10 but since its a Zelda movie it gets an extra 5.