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VIDEO GAME MOVIES

Slugwriter

Slugwriter

What video game movie did you like the most? Which one did you like the least? Why?

What videogame do you think would make a good movie and why?

Which ones do you think they should remake? I believe they should remake the resident evil franchise. They messed up big time. The story in the video game is incredible, with twists and turns suitable for hollywood. But they instead made a shitty series. I guess it's entertaining, but that's it. Everything else sucks. I have a great idea for a resident evil screenplay. Just an idea. Have already to many projects to make this one, but once in a while I like to sit down and think about it.

So tell me what you think.... And if you played resident evil, the first one, tell me how the movie should be if you did it.
 
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Thought I don't know how many will agree with me, but I really enjoyed the first "Mortal Kombat" movie To me they did pretty good for a fighting game and still wopnder how the movie would have been if Michael Jai White would have been able to do Jax.

My least favorite is probably "House of the Dead". I was going to say the Lara Croft ones, but never really played the games.

Hm.. For a video game adaptation I am not to sure actually. I would say, going with a typical answer (sorry), Halo. I doubt it would be good, but I must be honest and say I do enjoy seeing characters or games I enjoy brought to life. Good or bad.

I would have to agree with you on remaking the "Resident Evil" series for pretty much the same reasons you said.
 
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There has not been one movie based on a video game that has really done well with me. I always find something wrong with them, even movies based on games I really enjoyed, like Doom. That movie was horrible, IMO. The Resident Evil series is halfway entertaining (to a point), but no where near commercially successful like many of those movies based on comic books (Spider Man, Iron Man, X-Men et. al.). Why? Because I don't feel the writing is up to par. But, then, I really don't think the writing is up to par on the Transformers movies, either, but those aren't video game movies so I digress.

The latest was Prince of Persia. And it could have been better, although I am not disappointed that I paid the premium to see it on the big screen like I was with Doom. Studios put these films out there thinking there's a built-in revenue stream because of the video game fans, but the problem is many of the the game fans (including me) don't want to "watch" the action; they want to "be" the action.

Just my humble opinion for what it's worth.
 
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I enjoyed Resident Evil and also the first Mortal Kombat. Nothing is really the end all be all when it comes to video game movies. As far as least, anything directed by Uwe Boll. That guy is awful and some how people keep giving him money. I think Bioshock would be the best adaptation in the right hands.
 
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Video game movies are terrible. As a rule. It seems as though they are explicitly designed to be irredeemably kitschy and/or mindless action romps. Take the Marios Bros. movie for example. How could anyone genuinely think that movie was a good idea?

I disagree that the problem is writing necessarily. I haven't read the scripts, and most of us should know that just because a movie is awful doesn't mean the script was awful. I'm more inclined to believe studios are just cashing in on existing franchises, and for whatever reason video games aren't taken as seriously as comic books.

Or the problem could be that video games don't translate well into movies. They're already incredibly similar media, with the main difference being interactivity in a game. You actually lose an element.
 
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Wombat said:
Video game movies are terrible. As a rule. It seems as though they are explicitly designed to be irredeemably kitschy and/or mindless action romps. Take the Marios Bros. movie for example. How could anyone genuinely think that movie was a good idea?

I disagree that the problem is writing necessarily. I haven't read the scripts, and most of us should know that just because a movie is awful doesn't mean the script was awful. I'm more inclined to believe studios are just cashing in on existing franchises, and for whatever reason video games aren't taken as seriously as comic books.

Or the problem could be that video games don't translate well into movies. They're already incredibly similar media, with the main difference being interactivity in a game. You actually lose an element.
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Interesting. You can disagree about the writing, but you haven't seen the writing? :weird:

If it ain't on the page, it ain't on the stage. All of it, and I mean ALL of it, gets written down. It's not like they're add-libbing these films and making stuff up as they go along.
 
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VPTurner said:
Interesting. You can disagree about the writing, but you haven't seen the writing? :weird:
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No, my problem isn't the writing necessarily. Obviously it could be the writing, I just don't think anyone should jump to the conclusion that it's the writing without having read the script, is all. When discussing video game movies, the discussion inevitably focuses on 'bad writing' and I'm of the opinion that writers catch too much hate.

If it ain't on the page, it ain't on the stage. All of it, and I mean ALL of it, gets written down. It's not like they're add-libbing these films and making stuff up as they go along.
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Sort of. Directors change scenes, actors ad-lib small chunks of dialog, practical realities circumvent certain scenes from working as written... things happen. It's just too easy to blame it all on bad writing, but the reality is that very few scripts are adapted to screen directly as written.

Oh, and nice home made boom mic, by the way. I'll be making one based heavily on your design, only with some padded grip on it to compliment the shock.
 
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I'm writing a Halo script for fun and as a learning expieriance. It will be challenging to adapt something such as a video game into a screenplay and it actually be good. I'm confident though. This will help me evolve my skills as I go. Then I can go back to my present Project that has me so frustrated that maybe it's good I put it on the shelf for a few months. I am researching for 4 movies. A Superhero Comedy, A Zombie Love story, A Cultural Martial Arts Script, and A video game script. Halo comes first, then the Zombies, then the heros. And the martial arts comes last when I have fully evolved enough for me to satisfied.
 
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I wrote an article about the conversion of games to films and vice-versa a while ago - I found very few successful translations across the media gap.

I think what Wombat says is probably true - they are so similar that you lose the interactivity of the game character and the placement of 'self' when it's translated into the film character.

I did think Silent Hill was good (despite the 'let's explain everything at once because we're unable to reveal subtle plot hints throughout' writing), but other than that, I've been disappointed. The Tomb Raider and Resident Evil films have been the best of the bunch, but still really unpleasant watches for me. I think writing is important, but the director will ultimately make or break it.

MAKE - Someone like Christopher Nolan, perhaps
BREAK - Uwe Boll
 
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They could -- Oh, I dunno -- stop making movies out of video games, tv shows and toys from the seventies and like, maybe....come up with an original thought.



.....I'm just sayin'......

Slugwriter:
How about: Halo Zombies: A Chop-Socky Love Story? Original, huh? Huh? :D

-- spinner :cool:
 
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What kind of idiot would make a movie based on an amusement park ride? A genius idiot, that's who. The name is recognizable, and there's no pre-existing story that you must conform to. "Haunted Mansion" was kinda lame, but way better than any video game movie that's ever been made. "Pirates", well, we know how that turned out.

The problem with video game movies is that you have to conform, at least a little bit, to the premise and "story" of the game. But games aren't designed for watching; they're designed for button-mashing. So, these studios keep churning out these movies with built-in fan-bases, KNOWING they will make at least a little bit of money. But there is NO STORY!!!

There might someday be a video game movie worth watching, if and when the people behind it decide to carry NOTHING with them but the name. The entire story needs to be original, free from the constraints of the game.
 
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Maybe the video game creators ought to get into the movie business. We all know how big Japanese anime is. Considering the incredible production quality of games like Prince of Persia and so on, why not expand into animation that doesn't involve bugs or toys.

I went to see 'Nine' when it came out. The end kind of fell apart, but the idea of anime that's aimed at adults does seem to have some promise. I know that 'Rain' video game looked interesting to me and I don't even play video games.

-- spinner :cool:
 
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Cracker Funk said:
But games aren't designed for watching; they're designed for button-mashing.
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I beg to differ. Old-school arcade and a large amount of games made for consoles are indeed button-mashing games. But the games that have been converted into films (despite their awfulness) have had a lot more depth and have been storyline-driven. Plot is becoming much more important in games today and certain genres of games are very much about watching (sometimes to the detriment of the gameplay).

As an aside, certain game developers have explicitly stated that they don't want their game to be converted to film because the story is so strong within the game structure and are concerned it would be 'Boll-ized'. (I can't find a source for this - it was in EDGE magazine a few years back).

One of the most popular (and strong storyline-driven) game series, Half-Life, has had rumours for years about movie rights being obtained. The developer, Gabe Newell has this at number 4 on his FAQ:

Recalling the old rumor that Quentin Tarantino was interested in making a Half-Life movie, would you sign-off on a Half-Life movie? If so, would you attempt to convince Quentin Tarantino to direct it?

The first step isn't a director, it's having a script that is worth directing.
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Zensteve, you're not a gamer!

Game "stories" are typically something like this:

Go over there and get that. Good job. Now, go over to that other place, and get that other thing. Wait -- things are getting really hairy -- we're going to need you to go all the way over to that crazy place and get that crazy thing. And, blow up a bunch of zombie, while you're at it.

Man, somebody should make a movie about that. As long as they cast a hot chick, and hire a music video director, it should be awesome.
 
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Zensteve said:
Source, please. :rolleyes:
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Your picture. Gamers grew up with video games. I don't comment on your age as an insult. But dude, you were playing pong in high school.

I'm not trying to hate on you. I see the posts you leave on this forum, and I think you're a solid dude, with some good advice.

But you ain't no gamer.

Just in case you haven't already googled my completely meaningless pop-culture reference: http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/154111
 
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