Film / Metal Gear Solid: Philanthropy

Metal Gear Solid: Philanthropy is a live-action Fan Film based on the Metal Gear series that was produced by a team of fans in Italy.

Directed by Giacomo Talamini, Philanthropy was four years and one start-over in the making. Trailers released around 2006 generated some buzz, even in gaming magazines, for the film's apparent level of quality. The film suffered a year and a half delay from its original intended release in 2008, largely due to an important location being, unbeknownst to the production crew, demolished before principal photography could be completed. The first film, The Overnight Nation, was released on September 27, 2009, and is available on the project's official website.

A second movie, The Land Where Truth Was Born, was supposed to be released on October 21, 2014, but the team was told that Konami wanted them to stop it due to complicated legal matters. A trailer/scene showing What Could Have Been can be seen here.

The plot follows the eponymous organization, Philanthropy, and their mission to end the threat Metal Gear REX knockoffs around the world pose to the balance of Mutual Assured Destruction.

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This film provides examples of:

• Arc Words: "Jubal" in all its variations; as a battle cry, as the one who invented music in the story of the three brothers, "In the name of Jubal," the Sons of Jubal, and "<JUBAL> V.4.5.10.1".
• Alternate Universe: While the film borrows some elements from the entire series, most notably, Philanthropy itself, the production team considers the film an alternate Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. It could, conceivably, take place just before the Tanker Incident if one assumes Harrison Bishop is making an incorrect assumption about how close Philanthropy is to reaching their goals. One of the trailers mentions the Patriots, and the trailer for the cancelled second part confirms they exist in this version.
• Cliffhanger: The Overnight Nation ends with a lot of unanswered questions and a "To Be Continued..." card.
• Continuity Nod:
  • The opening scene is the end of Metal Gear from the perspective of two soldiers fleeing Outer Heaven.
  • Bishop's Codec frequency is 140.85, the frequency of all Solid Snake's commanding officers.
  • Pierre calls Snake "Big Chief," likely referencing Big Boss.
• Establishing Character Moment: Pierre would rather play his Nintendo DS than link up with the undercover agent (Snake) he's supposed to contact.
• Exploding Barrel: Pierre shoots one during the group's escape from the enemy compound.
• Flat "What": Snake's reaction to Pierre's aforementioned Establishing Character Moment.
• Friendly Sniper: Pierre. Snake is expecting him to be a Cold Sniper based on his service records, but he turns out to be the opposite. See Establishing Character Moment above.
• Gag Dub: After the credits, parts of the film are redubbed by the voice actors for humor:
  Snake: (Original movie line) *tosses tourniquet* That's war.
  Snake: (redubbed) *tosses tourniquet* That's porn.
  Soldier: Wait a sec... This is guy-on-guy! NOOOOOOOOOO!
  Snake: invoked (singsong) That's pooooorn, that's poooorn.
• Heroic BSoD: Pierre either comes close to having one of these or has a very, very minor one; it's obvious that he's bothered deeply by what's going on on the battlefield, but he never actually loses it. He may just not be used to the kind of weirdness Snake is usually involved in.
• I Just Shot Marvin in the Face: At one point, Snake is talking to the rest of his team rather passionately during the stealth operation, including hand gestures. With his gun still pointed at the enemy base. With his finger still on the trigger.
• Leaning on the Fourth Wall:
  Pierre: Okay, what's your favorite strategy for invading... giant enemy towers?
  Snake: *Pointing at "Sewage System" sign* Like in the movies.
  • Another one, earlier:
    Pierre: Damn, man, you are cool, aren't ya? Seriously! With your dark attitude, the wild beard, the bandanna... You'd make a good video game character.
• Mind Rape: Heavily implied to be how the Overnight Nation/Sons of Jubal create their footsoldiers.
• Mind Screw: For what seems like a normal combat area on the surface, some pretty weird things are happening in the Daskasan war zone. The characters realize it as well.
• Parrot Exposition: Out of respect for its source material.
• War Is Hell:
  • The opening shows two soldiers, father and son, on the run through a forest from their doomed base, Outer Heaven. The son is shot non-fatally, so the shooter can sneak up and knife the father while he's distracted. The shooter turns out to be Snake. Afterward, Snake lampshades this as he tosses the son a tourniquet.
  • The fight between the Overnight Nation and the ArmsTech troopers isn't pretty, especially at the end when one side's finally been overwhelmed by the other.
• Zombie Apocalypse: The Overnight Nation troops behave like they're causing one, though they show much more intelligence than true zombies. They also have Mind-Control Eyes.