If you’re going to make a great monster movie, you’d better have a great monster.

There are external monsters, such as “Godzilla,” starting with the original 1954 movie, and internal monsters, such as “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” notably the 1931 movie starring Frederic March, for which he received an actor Oscar.

There are monsters from the deep (“Yongary, Monster From The Deep,” 1967) and monsters from the deep inside, the id, such as “Forbidden Planet” (1956).

“Monster Hunter” has a great monster. It’s dinosaur-like in the tradition of Godzilla and Megalon (“Godzilla vs. Megalon,” 1973).

It presents gooey aspects of the monster in “Alien” (1979). It’s CGI like the monster in “Pacific Rim” (2015).

There are also spider-like monsters in “Monster Hunter,” which recall “Tarantula!” 1955. There are even herds of monsters, which recall scenes in “Jurassic Park” (1993). If you have arachnophobia (a fear of spiders and arachnids), “Monster Hunter” is not for you.

“Monster Hunter” is in the cinematic genre of kaiju, translated as “strange beast,” a Japanese genre of movies with giant monsters. The term kaiju is derived from the Chinese book, “Classic of Mountains and Seas.”

The best creature features evoke empathy not only for victims of the monster, but for the monster itself. The big ape in “King Kong” (1933) was transported from its native Skull Island to New York City for fun and profit. “Frankenstein” (1931), starring Boris Karloff, only wanted to pick the daisies.

The best thing, or worst thing if you don’t like being frightened, about a monster movie is when scenes make you jump in your movie theater seat. “Monster Hunter” pegged the Jump Cut Meter several times.

The movie is based on “Monsuta Hanta,” an action-fantasy video game (2004), said to have sold 66 million units worldwide as of 2020, and Capcom’s second best-selling series after “Resident Evil.”

The problem with “Monster Hunter” is its premise, which has to do with a portal, that of a parallel universe, which is true to the video game. The movie never really explains or displays the portal satisfactorily.

In “Monster Hunter,” Captain Natalie Artemis (Milla Jovovich), a United States Army Ranger who heads a United Nations joint operations task force, and her military patrol unit fall into or through a portal. The distinction is labeled briefly and awkwardly with titles on the screen as “The New World” and “Our World.”

She meets The Hunter (Tony Jaa), who fights monsters using a powerful bow and arrow. For Artemis and The Hunter, it’s fight at first sight. The martial arts scenes between them, though impressive, are filmed in frustratingly low light.

Artemis and The Hunter bond and set out to reach The Tower, through which the portal operates. The Admiral (Ron Perlman), leader of the Hunters, agrees to help Artemis return home.

“Monster Hunter” Director Paul W.S. Anderson (director, “Resident Evil” movie series, 2002, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2016; director, “Mortal Kombat,” 1995), working from a screenplay he wrote based on the video game characters of Kaname Fujioka, keeps the action flowing.

What’s lacking are key character development scenes between Artemis and The Hunter, especially in terms of dialogue, the latter because Artemis and The Hunter don’t share a language. Although their nonverbal interplay creates some cute and humorous scenes, it’s not enough to involve the movie-goer in the characters’ personalities.

“Monster Hunter” has impressive landscapes and vistas of vast stretches of sand and rock outcroppings. The Computer Generated Imagery of the monsters is similarly noteworthy.

Jovovich (“Resident Evil” movies) is a great action hero, right up there with Charlize Theron. Her crisp face has the certitude of decision-making. Her physique has jack-knife precision.

Tony Jaa (“Omg Bak,” 2003, 2008, 2010) is a great martial arts actor in the tradition of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan.

Ron Perlman (TV’s “Sons Of Anarchy,” 2008-2013; “Hellboy,” 2004, 2008) is memorable in an what is an expanded cameo role.

There’s a fun sidekick of The Admiral, Meowscular Chef, which recalls Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper) in “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014, 2017).

“Monster Hunter” should be of great interest to players of the video game and fans of action-fantasy films.

“Monster Hunter,”

MPAA Rated PG-12 (Parents Strongly Cautioned Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. Parents are urged to be cautious. Some material may be inappropriate for pre-teenagers.) for sequences of creature action and violence throughout; Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy; Run time: 1 hr., 39 min. Distributed by Screen Gems-Sony.

Credit Readers Anonymous:

There’s a scene during the beginning of the “Monster Hunter” end credits that indicates a sequel to the movie may be in the offing. “Monster Hunter” was filmed in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.

At The Movies:

“Monster Hunter” was seen at AMC Center Valley 16, The Promenade Shops at the Saucon Valley, Upper Saucon Township. COVID-19 protocol of online ticketing, face masks, social distancing seating and hand sanitizers and sanitizer wipes was in place.

Movie Box Office,

Feb, 12-14: “The Croods: A New Age” moved up one place to No.1, with $2.04 million, on 1,890 screens, $48.3 million, 12 weeks, edging out “Judas And the Black Messiah,” based on the story of Black Panther Party chairman Fred Hampton, opening at No. 2 with $2 million on 1,888 screens, and ending the two-week No. 1 run of “The Little Things,” dropping two places to No. 3 with $1.8 million, on 2,090 screens; $9.6 million, three weeks.

4. “Wonder Woman 1984” stayed in place, $1.3 million, on 1,681 screens, $41.8 million, eight weeks. 5. “The Marksman” dropped two places, $1.1 million, on 1,825 screens, $10.4 million, five weeks. 6. “Land,” $940,000, on 1,231 screens, opening. 7. “Monster Hunter” dropped two places, $650,000, on 1,366 screens; $12.6 million, nine weeks. 8. “News Of The World” dropped two places, $385,000, on 1,243 screens; $11.3 million, eight weeks. 9. “Promising Young Woman” dropped two places, $182,000, on 733 screens; $4.9 million, eight weeks. 10. “The War With Grandpa,” starring Allentown’s Oakes Fegley, stayed in place, $180,287, on 525 screens; $20 million, 19 weeks. 13. “Come Play,” starring Allentown’s Winslow Fegley, stayed in place, $86,000, on 148 screens, $10.2 million, 16 weeks.

Box office figures are from Box Office Mojo as of Feb. 14 and are subject to change.

Unreel,

Feb. 19

“Nomadland,”

R: Chloé Zhao directs Frances McDormand and David Strathairn in the Drama. A woman sets out on her own in a van in the United States during the 2008 Great Recession.

“The Mauritanian,”

R: Kevin Macdonald directs Shailene Woodley, Jodie Foster, Benedict Cumberbatch and Tahar Rahim in the Drama Thriller. An imprisoned man fights for his freedom.

“Blithe Spirit,”

PG-13: Edward Hall directs Dan Stevens, Isla Fisher, Aimee-Ffion Edwards and Michele Dotrice in the Comedy Fantasy Romance based on the play by Noël Coward. A writer is bedeviled by the spirit of his deceased wife much to the chagrin of his wife.

“Silk Road,”

R: Tiller Russell directs Nick Robinson, Jennifer Yun, Jimmi Simpson and Jason Clarke in the Crime Drama Thriller. A DEA agent tries to bring down a dark net website.

“Body Brokers,”

R: John Swab directs Frank Grillo, Michael Kenneth Williams, Jessica Rothe and Melissa Leo in the Crime Thriller. A drug addict goes to rehab.

Opening date information is from Internet Movie Database.

Two Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes