Video Game Movies

[Lee]

As this can go in either video Games or Movies feel free to shift it to the Movie section if needs be.

With the release of Max Payne last week, it got me thinking about movies based on video games and how they generally suck in comparison to playing the game. That I can think off the top of my head we've had;

Super Mario bros, Double Dragon, Final Fantasy, Resident Evil, Tomb Raider, Street fighter, Mortal Kombat, Wing commander, Silent Hill, Doom, Alone in the Dark, Hitman, Far Cry, Pokemon

With upcoming;

Tekken, Metal Gear Solid, Pribnce of Persia, Bioshock, Gears of war and for some strange reason...Spyro.

None of these are deemed to be classics. Is there a reason for this? I think it's down to two reasons;

1) Fan boyos

The plot of a video game is either something very basic (save the princess) or something very complex (see a final fantasy plot!), with every sequel that follows building on the last one improving it somewhat. What is generally the case with video games movies is take a character name and that is it, they don't have them as their characters, just names and appearance. This we can see quite evidently in the Super Mario Bros. movie.

2) Games and films are different media

You go into a film, you watch someone save the day, hurrah.

You play a game, you make the character save the day, what you think, what you do, YOU'RE saving the day. it's different playing a game to watching a game is it not?

What does everyone think about video game movies? Do you enjoy them? Do you think they suck? Would you like to see a game made into a movie?

 

[Monkey_Mania]

I enjoy the shit out of Video Game movies. The geek in me just loves them. Like you said they are not meant to be classics. They are to be catered to fans of the game. Some live up to the game, some don't. But I enjoy all of them.

I did NOT know that they are making a Prince Of Persia movie. That has me highly geeked up. I've loved every game thats came out, this includes the old DOS games for ancient computers. LOL. I've also heard rumblings of a God Of War movie. That would b epic as shit. I loved the games and could care less how good or bad they are. Kratos is a badass and seeing a live action movie based on him would be enough to send my fanboy ways over the edge into happiness.

 

[drwow]

Has the metal gear solid movie been confirmed yet?
I heard David Hayter is playing Snake, that would be awesome.

Anywho, These movies were made for the kids who played the crap outa the game the movie was based on. I mean, if you think about it, they always put in something that doesn't make sense to the game itself, just so the kids in the audience would notice it, and could then later point it out to his friends, and thus spreads word of mouth, I really think that most of these movies are made bad on purpose because of that very reason.

God I hope Bioshock will be good, Jack had better not talk.

 

[X]

Video games provide such a wealth of material to choose from, behind comic books I'd say they're the hottest source of Hollywood movies these days.

Unfortunately, they're almost always guaranteed to suck huge, giant balls.

Let's see here...

Super Mario Brothers - Godawful. Good to watch when incredibly intoxicated and to laugh at the fact that John fucking Leguizamo is Luigi. Dennis Hopper is hilariously awesome as Koopa though. But I could watch Dennis Hopper shit in a trashcan and be pleased.

Tomb Raider Films - Extremely godawful. Whereas SMB was atleast enjoyable on a campy level, the Tomb Raider movies are the prime example of how not to make a movie. Literally everything about those two films makes me angry. It's not like they had to really do much to satisfy the game's fans; hot women kicks ass with two pistols in her hands. Somehow they managed to fuck that up. God knows how.

Doom - So incredibly awful. I'm pretty sure that they had dozens of copies of this movie on hand at Guantanamo Bay. If it had been made in 1942, the Allies would've found copies of the DVD clutched into the hands of tortured Jews. Watching this movie is like having a long, thin glass tube inserted into your urethra. And then smashed.

Silent Hill - Mediocre at absolute best. One of the few video games to frighten me when I was younger, this movie atleast had a few redeeming moments. But overall it was just a giant mess of terrible CGI, lackluster acting, and a script slower then a turtle covered in molasses.

Resident Evil Trilogy - The first film is enjoyable on a cheesy level. It's not a great film or anything, but it's fun to watch; a good popcorn flick. The 2nd movie was awful. I mean, really really awful. The only highlight of that film was Milla Jovovich in more skimpy clothing. And the third film...good god. I honestly think that may be the worst horror movie of all time. Only 2 movies have made me fall asleep in my life (not counting the time I passed out drunk at a screening of the original Lord of the Rings) and that was the third Resident Evil and the Da Vinci Code (could that movie have been any slower and tedious if they tried? As a fan of the book, I find that movie appalling; what the fuck was Ron Howard smoking?).

See where I'm going with this?

The problem is that video games don't translate to the screen well, if at all. A video game doesn't need to have strong characters or a clever plot; all it needs to be is fun. And alot of times that fun doesn't translate to the big screen; case in point being the movie Doom. How they turned one of the funnest games of all time into one of the worst pieces of shit ever created is beyond me.
'
I'm holding out hope still that the Halo movie (whenever it's made; it's not an if, but a when) will kick ass. I don't think Peter Jackson is attached to it anymore though.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

I actually enjoyed the original Mortal Kombat flick. Taking it out of the tournament context and giving the characters alliances and motivations was pretty cool. And the fight scenes were not bad, with the exception of Cage vs Sub-Zero, which was shit. Even the Sonia character was enjoyable, because the chick was hot and she almost falls out of her tank top when she does the handstand to figure four Kano's head before snapping his neck. Making him an Aussie was bad ass too.

Overall, the film was humorous, campy, and fun. Christopher Lambert as Raiden was a nice touch, too.

What about movies that became video games? Any interest in that topic? Because when I was 9 years old, the Friday the 13th video game used to scare the bejesus outta me!!!

 

[Lee]

What about movies that became video games? Any interest in that topic? Because when I was 9 years old, the Friday the 13th video game used to scare the bejesus outta me!!!

Ah yes video games based on movies...like that classic ET the extra terrestrial.

​

A game widely regarded the worst ever made, in fact it's been claimed that the title screen has been described as being the "best part of the game." Including the urban myth of the great video games burial. If you don't know about it, google it, it's quite amusing.

 

[JackAttack]

Most video game movies are garbage, and the reason why is simple. A video game can take anywere form 5 to 99 hours to beat, so they have to cut alot of content out when translating it into a move.

Also, in a video games, the story is based around the gameplay. Look at MGS. It has one of the best video game stories of all time, but if you just watch cutscenes and leave out the gameplay, you're left with little more than a mediocre experience. Yet, despite the often mediocre writing that is seen in video games, they have the ability to touch us like no other entertainment medium can.

You see, video game stories have the ability to touch us more than movies because you work your ass off for the sole intention of seeing how the game ends. Its not just passive entertainment like in a movie, instead you actually interact with the characters. You share their triumphs and victories, as well as their sorrows and defeats. You become immersed in the character whom you're playing as, because you are that character in a way. Its your story just as much as it is the character in the games.

Video game movies will never be able to capture the same amount of emotion and awe that the actual games do, but its really not a bad thing. There called "games" for a reason. They don't need to be made into movies, there a unique art form in themselves. Instead, we need to simply focus on making great games with great stoylines, and not worry about how the movie does.

In terms of quality though, Mortal Kombat is the best video game movie. Not much of an argument there.