New “The Legend of Zelda” Fan Film Admirably Depicts the Game Series in Live Action

It is no surprise that fans of The Legend of Zelda have craved a live-action adaptation of this long-running series. In fact, many have picked up a video camera or smart phone and had a go themselves with mixed results. But, as far as fan projects go, the new film by director Josh Mason is a pretty amazing effort.

After months of teases and trailers, The Legend of Zelda by Mason Studios was finally released this week. I do appreciate and respect all members of the team and cast that must have worked their socks off to produce something like this. The hours put in — not only for editing, sound, special effects, and of course filming — must have been a true labor of love, with all the challenges that a project of this scope entails. A lot of thought has gone into the different settings, costumes, and the crew has achieved a lot with capturing the right atmosphere.

At times, I was drawn into the story only to be taken out again by a stab at comedy. One example is when Link refers to Ganondorf as Gandalf when he loses his thread! This did make me question whether the film was fighting a battle against itself, unsure whether to be a comedy parody or going for something more serious. However, when you set the scene in such a way and then break the spell again and again, it can become very jarring.

Mason Studios is a Tennessee-based independent film studio that specializes in fan films, cosplay, and music videos. But the declaration at the beginning of the film stresses that this a non-profit fan film, made by fans for fans.

So, what do you think of the film? Did you find the ears distracting, or are they part of the comedy? Is this fan film close to the sort of Zelda film you would like to see? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.