Machinima has been a favorite form of online entertainment for years, but rarely does anyone in Hollywood take notice or even get behind the wheel and create something of their own. That changed when Rockstar Games decided to make a short film to promote their latest release, “Red Dead Redemption.” Rather than create a live-action short, they decided to hand over their engine to John Hillcoat, director of The Road and The Proposition. What he did was use all the characters in the game to create a movie within the game world itself.

The machinima short starts out differently from the game, but you’re introduced to John Marston, an ex-gang member sent to kill the men he once called friends. He teams up with Armadillo’s sheriff and a few others to find John’s old gang. The entire experience plays out like a game of cat and mouse with bullets and gunpowder. Towards the end, John and company end up using the Trojan horse technique to gain access to a fort where an old gang is settling in (in which they storm the fort armed with a Gatling gun).

When it comes to machinima, this short film was beautifully crafted. Character actions were in sync, and some of the dialogue was re-recorded to complete certain segments. Some language was edited due to the fact that FOX was chosen to broadcast the film on their network. Although it wasn’t created in the same way as many videos posted on YouTube, John Hillcoat used nothing more than what was in the game to make a 30-minute movie that was worthy of being broadcast on TV.

As for the story of this machinima short, there were a few pieces of information missing that may have confused or alienated some people who never played Red Dead Redemption. Also, without giving away details, the ending was a bit cliche, but good enough to make you interested in buying the game and finishing the story. In general, the plot was simple and to the point. Also, the action sequences captured the gameplay very well and gave you a good idea of ​​what to expect if you plan on buying the game. Each of the characters had their own personalities that make you interested in life and the world these people live in.

You can watch the Red Dead Redemption short film online on various gamer websites and also on YouTube. If you want the game, you can buy it for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 for $60. You can find it cheaper if you don’t mind buying a used copy from Gamestop or Amazon.com. Hillcoat’s machinima short is just one example of what could be done if you let Hollywood use a technique created by gamers. This can even make filmmakers rethink what a video game movie should be.