Nintendo: From Video Game to Film, Part 4: Star Fox

The film starts with a test of a new weapon occurring in the space around Corneria. The weapon was developed by Dr. Andross and is being tested by Team Star Fox. General Pepper and Dr. Andross observe the test from an orbiting space station. The team testing the weapon is composed of James McCloud, Peppy Hare, and Pigma Dengar. Pigma is in charge of deploying the weapon upon General Pepper’s command. Dr. Andross has other plans.

Instead of waiting to fire the weapon at a retired satellite upon General Pepper’s command, Pigma follows Andross’s orders and fires the weapon at the planet. Panic ensues and all are at a loss for what to do. Dr. Andross bargains that he can deactivate the weapon before it reaches the planet if he is given control of the Cornerian government. This isn’t necessary. James McCloud acts quickly and stops the weapon by placing his Arwing in its path. James is killed, but the planet is saved. Andross and Pigma are tried for their crimes and are both banished from Corneria.

Many years pass and Corneria faces trouble from Andross once again. Now Emperor Andross of the planet Venom, the former doctor threatens to destroy the entire Lylat System. General Pepper, at the command of his superiors in the government, summons Peppy Hare to reform Team Star Fox. Peppy does this reluctantly, but he realizes the danger present if nothing is done. The first step is to find the only offspring of James McCloud and the best pilot to ever graduate from the Cornerian Flight Academy: Fox McCloud. After the death of his father, Fox became somewhat of a rebel and goes from place to place wasting his life away. Peppy is disappointed to find Fox in this condition and it is a hard sell to get him to join Team Star Fox. Fox agrees on one condition: when the moment comes, he gets to kill Andross. Fox was never happy with the light punishment Andross received, believing that more should have been done for killing his father.

The next recruit is suggested by Fox himself in the form of Slippy Toad. Slippy is an expert engineer and necessary to the team. Slippy is also a well-trained pilot, having gone to the academy at the same time as Fox. Slippy is more than willing to aid his friend and his planet. The last recruit to the team is an individual that Fox has come across multiple times in his drifting: Falco Lombardi. Falco is a Han Solo type that is in some questionable business, but is a tremendous pilot. Falco is the cockiest person Fox has ever met, but he knows that the ruffian is essential to the team. Falco decides that he will join the team only if Fox can beat him in a race through an asteroid field. Falco is winning this race to begin with, but Fox, being as clever as he is, tricks his opponent into making a bad move and he zooms past him to win. Nonetheless, Falco joins the team and they are all on their way.

The team encounters a great deal of trouble as they fight to find Andross, but eventually they come to the climatic battle with the emperor’s fleet. After destroying all of Andross’s fighters, led by Pigma Dengar, the team boards the emperor’s flagship, seeking him out. Fox is the first to reach Andross, but when he gets to him the emperor has done something to mutate himself. With Andross growing at an incredible rate, the team must evacuate the ship. Andross eventually grows so large that he destroys his ship. As a giant floating in space, Andross begins to fire incredible beams of energy from his mouth at the heroic pilots.

Fox makes a brave move and flies straight into Andross’s mouth. Firing all that he can into the emperor’s gullet, Fox causes the giant, monstrous form of Andross to begin to explode. Fox turns his Arwing around, but Andross explodes before the pilot can escape. His teammates look on with sadness as the explosion engulfs the space before them. However, Fox’s Arwing triumphantly emerges from the flames and they all holler with joy. The team returns to Corneria and they are rewarded for their heroism.

What else is there to say? I’m not too much of an expert on Star Fox, as I’ve never actually played the game. However, I’ve done a great deal of research to come up with something that I believe will please fans of the games, as well as Sci-Fi fans in general. One could very well compare Star Fox to Star Wars but with anthropomorphic animals. The film shouldn’t be CGI, at least not fully. The film should use motion capture provided by human actors that will then be used to animate the characters.

Cast:

Fox McCloud- Sam Rockwell