Don't Judge a Game by it's Movie
I have a gaming friend who has said, "I will never watch a movie that is based on a game, and I will never play a game that is based on a movie." While that statement may be a tad extreme, there does seem to be a disconnect when movies are made based on a popular game, or vice versa. In a rush to take advantage of fleeting popularity, movie studios create feature films that lack the creativity that launched the game in the first place. Studios also commission game developers to create games as part of movie merchandising blitzes.
Movies based on video games are a relatively recent phenomenon, based on the fact that video gaming is a young industry. Wikipedia states that, "Films based on video games tend to carry with them a reputation of being lower budgeted b-movies and rarely receive the appreciation of either critics or the fans of the games on which they are based." One only needs to recall the movies based on the games Street Fighter and Wing Commander to realize that more often than not, this statement is true.
Why is it that games translate so badly into the big screen?
The worst offenders are live-action movies. At least with animated features, the movie can represent the game much more closely. A good example of this is Pokemon, which has achieved success both on TV and in film. But live-action films seem so far disconnected from their source. Fans of the game will notice any deviation in the universe development or plot points, and it's nearly impossible to provide video game effects in a live-action environment.
Live-action movies based on games rely in many cases on cartoony representations of the characters to lessen the shock between game and movie. The first major movie based on a video game was Super Mario Brothers in 1993, and despite casting well known stars in the major roles, it was a complete flop. In 1994 the movie based on the game Street Fighter was released, and while it had some moderate box office success, it is often considered one of the worst game-based movies of all time.
Not all movies based on video games have tanked. More recent films, such as the Tomb Raider series, have enjoyed significant box office success, due to stronger plots and larger budgets, and casting actress Angelina Jolie as the title role didn't hurt. The survival horror game Resident Evil has spawned a trilogy of mildly successful films starring Milla Jovovich as the protagonist Alice. The 2007 film Silent Hill gained some positive reviews, particularly for the performance of the young actress Jodelle Ferland.
Despite moderate box office successes, movies based on games generally get panned by the critics. The most recent game adaptation to hit the big screen, Hitman, was considered a critical flop, despite making about $30 million in its first two weeks of release.
Hollywood is seemingly making progress on developing more quality films based on video game stories. However, the majority of these films still fall flat, and with movie ticket prices as high as they are, gamers are better off saving their money for the next big game.
By S. Kristoff | VEESH Writer | APR.24.08