Fan-Made Film Fallout: Nuka Break Dazzles, Dehydrates

Most of the time when I hear that one of my favorite video game properties is being turned into a film, I have the mindset of hunting down and stopping everyone involved in the production. If the video game movies I review are any indication, movie adaptations of games are at best passable, at worst an affront to the original titles.

That mindset tends to change when I hear about fan-made adaptations. Knowing that a group of dedicated fans have spent years making these movies a reality means that I know a lot of heart and soul was poured into these productions. These guys are out to make great films, not pander to some demographic for a few measly dollars.

Needless to say, I was excited yesterday when I found out about Fallout: Nuka Break, a fan-made film set in the Fallout universe. The short film tells the tale of three wasteland survivors attempting to prolong their existence, all while one member seeks out a few Nuka Colas.

The film takes a break from the usually harsh reality of the Wasteland and shows a somewhat comical side of a nuclear-ravaged desert inhabited with murderous thugs. Former Vault 10 dweller Twig comes from a strange world. As the thinnest member of his Vault, Twig was a bit of an outcast. Luckily, he found friends in the Wasteland in Scarlet, a former slave, and Ben, a radiation-ravaged Ghoul.

Calling this brilliant is a bit of an understatement. Everything in this film is pitch-perfect. Sound effects from the game are used liberally and to great effect. Relics from the games are brought into reality like never before. Plus, as an added bonus, we’re treated to the lore of a new Vault (which happens to be my favorite part of the Fallout universe).

If Hollywood knew how to consistently adapt good games into good movies, they would all look like Fallout: Nuka Break. The attention to detail alone is impressive; the quality writing and acting is a bonus. Like the recently-released Beyond Black Mesa, I’m constantly impressed by what gamers can do with a camera and a passion for a particular game.