Legendary Pictures: Putting the “Legend” in “The Legend of Zelda”
Posted on February 26 2020 by Doug Kwiecinski
Stop me if you heard this before: the world is idyllic and peaceful, but a darkness brews. An ancient evil seeks to purge the light from this world. A beautiful princess, captured. It’s up to a young, forest-dwelling boy, clad in a green tunic, to rescue her and save the world. Sound familiar? Come back with me to 1986, but not for The Legend of Zelda. Just a few months after we were introduced to Hyrule, Tom Cruise held the fate of the world in his hands in Legend.
What strikes me with Legend is the influence I feel within the Zelda series. While the idea of video game movies ignites feelings of nostalgia, execution has rarely been on point. Look no further than the likes of Super Mario Bros., Warcraft, or Street Fighter. The major difference with Legend is its concurrent release with the Zelda franchise. Though separate, I see a great deal of influence the movie had on several Zelda games, particularly A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, and Twilight Princess.
From the outset, Legend gave me a feeling of traveling through places like Kokiri Forest or The Lost Woods. We are introduced to Princess Lili and Jack as they travel together through the woods. Life is peaceful, and they share a bond of young love. All is not well, however, as a band of goblins are also in the woods, hunting unicorns at the command of their master, Darkness. The light and peace we see in the forest is guarded and protected in the souls of unicorns. Only in the event of their death can The Darkness rule once again.
It’s here that the movie takes on a feel reminiscent of A Link to the Past. One of the two remaining unicorns is slain by goblins, and the world starts to plunge into darkness. Princess Lili, having witnessed the attack on the unicorn, runs terrified through the forest. Torrential rain turns to snow as the goblins descend on the village deep in the woods. All around, the world becomes cold, dark, and threatening, resembling A Link to the Past‘s Dark World of Hyrule.
The influences on Ocarina of Time become immediately apparent in the middle of the film. As Jack prepares for his descent into the underworld, he gains a band of friends. Among these are a few forest dwellers, but most notable is his fairy, Oona. Fairies, of course, are central and recurring characters in the Zelda series. However, it wasn’t until Ocarina of Time that Link had one as a companion. Armed with his fairy, as well as his legendary sword, shield, and armor, Jack confronts The Darkness.
Even the final battle between Jack and The Darkness feels like it had been taken from the mind of Miyamoto himself. Much like in the rubble of Ganon’s Tower in Ocarina of Time, Jack finds himself pitted against an immense being of pure evil. The Darkness throws Jack around the chamber, imposing his size and strength upon the small man. Through a combination of teamwork, courage, and the light of day, he drives off The Darkness. Sword in hand, Jack sends The Darkness hurtling into the infinite abyss of space.
Toward the end of the film, I felt a strong Twilight Princess vibe. At first, there is a bit of a disconnect between the Princess characters, Lili and Zelda. Where Lili feels timid and frightened, Zelda is often as involved in the battle of good vs. evil as Link. That said, there’s a moment where Lili finds herself in the lair of The Darkness. Enthralled by the purity of her soul, The Darkness attempts to seduce the princess. For a moment, it appears to work. While initially warding off his advances, Lili offers to stay with The Darkness if she is allowed to kill the final unicorn. This gave me a distinct “Possessed Zelda” feel, serving as one of the last major hurdles before the final, ultimate battle.
Some would call me a late bloomer in regards to movies. I had always known of Legend, but it took the writing of this article for me to actually watch it. In this case, I’m glad it took so long. As a child, I might have actually thought this was intended as a Zelda movie. Whether I would have enjoyed it or not, that initial bias would exist. The two would no longer be similar, they would’ve, in my childlike worldview, been the same. With a more discerning eye, I can now discover and appreciate the influence Legend clearly had upon the Zelda franchise.
Legend offers an example of what a “video game” movie can be. True, it is not a video game movie, nor does it aim to be. What I do see are the influences it had over the Zelda series. From plot points to side characters, each new game borrows a little bit more. Dedicated video game films can learn from this approach. Rather than being pure fan service, perhaps the genre would work better if it borrowed what works from successful films. Give the audience a well-written, emotional story. Have characters that connect with each other and the audience. Make reference to source material without blatantly ripping it off. Finally, at the end of it, give it a reason to exist that goes beyond, “because there are successful games.”
I hope this has given you a reason to watch (or rewatch) Legend. For fans of the movie, what are your thoughts on how it relates to the Zelda franchise? What are some things you noticed that I may have overlooked? Let me know in the comments!
Doug is an editor for Zelda Dungeon. When he’s not writing, he’s busy as a professional coffee roaster and a Twitch streamer. He has also lost countless hours in A Link to the Past Randomizer. You can follow him on Twitter.
