Game-based movies

[LiquidR]

All I can say is two words: Uwe Boll.

ARGH!!! Don't mention is his name. He is the most annoying director ever existed. That guy ruined a lot of videogame-lovers their lives. Basically because his vision was totally different on making a movie from a videogame.

His resume (don't know is it's correctly spelled) exists of Postal, BloodRayne (all installments), Alone In The Dark (all installments) and House of the Dead. All in my opinion crappy films.

 

[Cherrim]

The issue with video game movies is you have to pick two:

- good movie
- related to the game
- actually gets released/exposure/makes money


:/ The ones that are picked up and turned into good movies with box office presence are the ones that are mostly just inspired by the original games--so huge fans of the games feel alienated by the new franchise and the regular movie-goers don't even notice. But if a movie too-closely follows a game, it tends to either suck (trying to cram too much of the game into too little time) and then the masses will dislike the franchise, or else nobody notices, the movie doesn't perform well (financially) and nothing like it is ever made again. :(

I think the issue with video game movies is that people expect them to be as good as or better than the original games when that doesn't really... make sense. Just like how books are usually superior to their movie counterparts, it's gonna be the same way with games. What is a good game (40 hours) cannot easily be crammed into a movie (2 hours). So sacrifices have to be made and quite often, the end result is really muddled.

There are some good movies. I really liked Advent Children Complete (original was just eye candy but the extra scenes in the director's cut made it an actual movie with plot) but it wasn't an adaptation, it was a sequel. Same with Tales of Vesperia's movie--it was a prequel, so it wasn't as bound by the plot of the 60-hour game it drew from. To my knowledge, the successful Resident Evil series is sort of the same way--it draws elements from the games but isn't a straight adaptation in any way. And it's been pretty big at the box office.

idk, any straight adaptations of games are pretty awful. Sequels/prequels are okay (but generally aren't that good, even as games, anyway). And inspired-by or series reboots are hit-and-miss. :( There's rarely a win-win situation with games → movies.

 

[liza2010]

What do you think of games being adapted into movies? Do you like this idea? List some of the game-based movies you liked, and the ones you hated. (not much, eh?)

Well its not a bad idea, if it is good. but every time it not in our favour.....

 

[Redstar]

I'm a big fan of the Super Mario Bros. movie, despite all its flaws. I actually work for a site that's had unique perspective into the movie's production as we've interviewed many of the actors, makeup artists, special effects workers, and scripters. We know the scope of the movie and what was planned so we can appreciate what came to film.

I enjoyed the first Resident Evil movie but everything after it was terrible. A change in genre and really just no plot to speak of.

Haven't seen the DOOM movie but I think I'd like it, despite the removal of Hell and demons.

I also hear the first Mortal Kombat was well-received by most fans but that the sequel was immensely terrible. A lot of the fans are getting on Rebirth, though.

Future video game adaptations could work. It all depends on the source material and how much the production company respects it. Most the time we haven't had a lot of respect or the adapted game was just unadaptable.

 

[PKFL_531]

I've never seen a movie based on a videogame, normally because of its terrible ratings... Except for Resident Evil, but I'm not really a fan of that genre of videogames, so yeah...

If there was going to be a movie based on a videogame I like, I would want to see a Studio Ghibli adaption of Mother 3. They just kinda fit together..

 

[Haza]

Resident Evil is the best game-based movie series ever. Seriously, it always has that vibe of one or another of the games. I love these movies even though they kinda got rid of my favorite character with no explanation in the plot... Jill, the actress had another gig and she was expected back in the current movie but she wasn't in it. :(

Most game-based movies are incredibly stupid though. One game that I think would make a phenomenal series as movies is Halo. There is so much there that it can't be ruined, and it has a soundtrack meant for the theatre.

 

[A Pixy]

Whenever I see a movie based off of a TV show, it's one of two things:

A. Just an episode of the show on a grander scale with a bigger budget, i.e. The Simpsons Movie
B. Some form of climax on a grander scale and a bigger budget. i.e. The Spongebob Movie (Stephen Hillenburg wanted this to be the end, Nickelodeon didn't.)
C. Splits off and creates a whole other universe using the basic characters and story elements. i.e. TMNT

Whenever I see movies based off of video games, they're one of one thing:

A. The basic characters and plot, usually In Name Only, with a completely original plot that would most likely mess with canon than make it better. i.e. EVERY SINGLE VIDEO GAME MOVIE EVER MADE

But this can work, as long as, if you remove all references to the product and make it completely original it can work and bring in a pretty penny, then it usually is watchable.

Though, the only one I enjoyed was that Sonic Movie/OVA Thing. n_n

 

[Ayselipera]

Well off the top of my head I can only think of two games that were first games before becoming movies. That would be Mario and Silent Hill. I'm not 100% positive if Silent Hill was definitely a game before the movie, but I'm pretty sure.

Anyways the Mario movie just seemed like it was made for fun. I don't think they were going for a serious note to begin with. Either way I enjoyed it. Silent Hill wasn't an amazing movie either, but once again I liked it. The ending was sort of surprising/interesting.