40K: New Guardsman Short Film Brings Live Action To 40K
There’s a new short film entitled Guardsman which shows off a fateful moment in the life of a member of the Astra Militarum, but for the Angels of Vengeance…it was Tuesday.
Taking the world of 40K into any kind of live action cinema is no easy task–but the filmmakers behind the new Guardsman fan film have taken it. Directed by Richard Boylan, whom you might recognize as the force behind the Helsreach animations, Guardsman shows off a member of the Militarum, waking up after a battle with the opportunity to martyr himself in the name of the Emperor.
Exactly what any good Guardsperson should strive for. When his prayer to the Emperor is answered by one of the defenders of humanity, a member of the Angels of Vengeance from the look of his power armor, things take a dramatic turn for Guardsman Raines.
The costuming in this film is spectacular. You can see they’ve put a lo of effort into getting little details right. From the heraldry on the armor to the details of the Militarum uniform…
…this movie looks like it could have been taken straight from the pages of a Codex. It’s exciting to see the world brought to life with such vivid detail. When confronted by an opportunity for martyrdom, Guardsman Raines even reaches for his trusty bayonet–though sadly he doesn’t have the chance to affix it.
At only 4ish minutes, the film is decidedly short, but it’s a great look into how the world of 40K translates over to Live Action. There is a fantastic fight scene that I won’t spoil here, but it proves: it can be done. But should it? 40K and movies have historically gone together like arsenic and limburger, but maybe this is a new path that could bring some of the epic storytelling of 40K to screens around the world.
What do you think of the movie? Is there any chance that Raines and the unknown Astartes make it out alive? How cool was that power fist? Let us know in the comments.
