Monster Hunter BTS clip shows how they made those ridiculously big weapons

In Capcom's Monster Hunter franchise, everything is big and ridiculous, from the gargantuan beasts to the weapons used to slay them. That same logic was on display in the film adaptation released late last year, and SYFY WIRE's exclusive behind-the-scenes clip below goes into the creation of these fearsome weapons. 

As a fan of the franchise himself, director Paul W.S. Anderson knew how important it was to not just get the weapons right, but also set the expectations correctly for the actors. When it came to the iconic Bone Great Sword wielded by Tony Jaa's The Hunter, it appropriately wound up being taller than the 5-foot-8-inch Jaa. (For reference, a Great Sword from 2018's Monster Hunter World is 7 feet tall.)

Being a seasoned action veteran, Jaa took to the Great Sword immediately and started swinging it around with no problem...and then Anderson had to remind Jaa he'd have to carry both that and the even larger Great Bow. 

Check out the monstrous weapons below:

Following the creation of the weapons, the stunt performers took over, showing the actors what they would do in a given fight scene. And from there, the actual actors stepped in, swinging away at CG beasts to their heart's content. It helps that Capcom collaborated with Anderson heavily on the project, right down to costumes and monster toenails. 

Like the games, Monster Hunter the film sports a variety of weapons that Milla Jovovich's Artemis and the Hunter use. All of them come from various titles in the franchise, such as the enormous Switch Axe from Monster Hunter Tri, and World's projectile-shooting Slinger.

Jovovich was perhaps the most prepared, as her character Artemis in the film is based on her own custom character in the game. Artemis rocks the Dual Blades of Monster Hunter G, which can build up electrical energy before bursting into flames to deliver more damage. She may be an avatar for the audience, but Jovovich is plenty familiar with the franchise. 

If you missed out on Monster Hunter when it was in theaters, you're in luck. It'll be available Feb. 16 on digital, and Mar. 2 on Blu-ray.