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Why Can't Hollywood Make a Good Video Game Movie?

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Re: Why Can't Hollywood Make a Good Video Game Movie?

#111

Post by jakebasile »

ebbv wrote: post #24
jakebasile wrote: post #13

There have been good video game movies, but the number is vanishingly small. Many are "so bad it's good" such as anything Uwe Boll makes, but there are a couple that seem to be created by directors who genuinely love the source material and take it in interesting directions (e.g. the first Silent Hill film, the first Resident Evil film, arguably Final Fantasy: The Sprits Within). Also, Mortal Kombat (1995) is a good…

Kinda cheating to call the Spirits Within a video game movie. It was titled Final Fantasy but was a wholly unique story and new characters and everything.

I did say "arguably". I know it's not a direct translation but to be fair many video game movies don't directly translate the source game either.

For another example, see Final Fantasy: Advent Children which is a sequel to Final Fantasy 7. It's pretty enjoyable.

Re: Why Can't Hollywood Make a Good Video Game Movie?

#112

Post by badloginagain »

lostgame wrote: post #98
badlucklottery wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. MK Annihilation is amazingly bad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA5nDyJ8sA0

Oh, wow, thank you for sharing this. I have some kind of kink for shitty movies, and this truly, really fulfills that for me. Holy crap, this is bad. 3% on Rotten Tomatoes...

You might enjoy the podcast 'How did this get made'. Three comedians rip on the best of the worst. They have great chemistry and Jason Manzoukous is probably the funniest person on the planet.

Re: Why Can't Hollywood Make a Good Video Game Movie?

#113

Post by jakebasile »

avar wrote: post #20
jakebasile wrote: post #13

There have been good video game movies, but the number is vanishingly small. Many are "so bad it's good" such as anything Uwe Boll makes, but there are a couple that seem to be created by directors who genuinely love the source material and take it in interesting directions (e.g. the first Silent Hill film, the first Resident Evil film, arguably Final Fantasy: The Sprits Within). Also, Mortal Kombat (1995) is a good…

> Many are "so bad it's good" such as > anything Uwe Boll makes[...] I tried finding this again, but I think it was when Postal came out that I downloaded a version of it with a director's commentary, and it was Uwe Boll railing against his detractors non-stop, claiming he was a true artist and idiot critics just didn't understand him. It made it even more hilarious.

Uwe Boll is just an enjoyable character. He challenges many of his critics to boxing matches, and the dying breath of his character in Postal was "I hate video games".

Re: Why Can't Hollywood Make a Good Video Game Movie?

#115

Post by badloginagain »

probably_wrong wrote: post #110

They did make a good video game movie: it's called "Pirates of the Caribbean", and it's an adaptation of Monkey Island. I know, I know, it's the other way around. But it should be proof that a good videogame movie is at least possible - you would have to change surprisingly little.

Actually its an adaptation of the Pirates of the Caribbean disney ride. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCkl1eGmxTM

Re: Why Can't Hollywood Make a Good Video Game Movie?

#116

Post by wtetzner »

sirmarksalot wrote: post #44

So many video game movie projects are missing the simple question, "why?" So many of these games are inspired by movies in the first place, and their stories are mostly just cliches based on their source material. It's fine in the context of the game, because the player is doing something, but when you put that into a non-interactive medium, the flaws become obvious. If you take Indiana Jones, turn it into a game wit…

> So many video game movie projects are missing the simple question, "why?"

I'm pretty sure it's just because they want to tap into the large existing fanbase of those games.

Re: Why Can't Hollywood Make a Good Video Game Movie?

#117

Post by wtetzner »

dfxm12 wrote: post #26

Mostly because videogame plot lines aren't as good as we give them credit for. Videogames are great at being interactive diversions, but their stories leave a lot to be desired and are really just thin background dressing for the real reason we play videogames: for the gameplay. The most successful videogame movies tend towards genre films like Mortal Kombat (the film) and Resident Evil (the series). Of course, let's…

> Mostly because videogame plot lines aren't as good as we give them credit for.

I would phrase this differently. The interesting parts of the game stories emerge from actions and choices made by the player, not the parts of the story that are actually written. I don't mean that the writers on games aren't doing a good job. Just the opposite, actually: they know how to write the right bits to keep the game interesting, and to help the player work with the game to create interesting stories.

Re: Why Can't Hollywood Make a Good Video Game Movie?

#118

Post by jmgao »

squozzer wrote: post #36

The only thing worse than a video game based on a movie is a movie based on a video game. Maybe if someone makes a movie based on Zork - basically 3 hours of Star Wars "crawl"?

There's at least one example of something that's even worse. Street Fighter: The Game: The Movie: The Game is as horrible as it sounds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4UdQVYkCZg

Re: Why Can't Hollywood Make a Good Video Game Movie?

#119

Post by VikingCoder »

fmj wrote: post #94
chvid wrote: post #29

Wreck-it Ralph is a good movie. And so was the first Resident Evil movie.

I think calling Wreck-It Ralph a video game movie (at least in the context of this discussion) is a bit of a stretch.

I don't think it's a stretch.

They even made an actual arcade game for the movie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cvErIWbwZI

And the way it shows other characters, especially Q-Bert and Zangief, was hilarious.

Re: Why Can't Hollywood Make a Good Video Game Movie?

#120

Post by egypturnash »

jandrese wrote: post #46
ebbv wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I loved the Mass Effect games but I disagree it’s an automatic home run. The characters are all very thin and the main character, like most main characters is a vessel for the player to project themselves into and not a compelling protagonist.

You don't think Garrus, Tali, Wrex, or Mordin have enough depth for a 90 minute movie? Shepard will of course require the screenwriter to flesh him or her out because of the nature of the game--I'm guessing a Hollywood screenwriter wouldn't have the balls for a renegade Shep though.

Every scene has a different actor playing Shepard.
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