Movies based on video games
Video games are experiencing a new golden age. There are already games with a release date such as Cyberpunk 2077, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Resident Evil 3 Remake, The Last of Us Part 2 or Ghost of Tsushima to enter the next generation consoles. Meanwhile, the film industry is once again keeping its eye on big productions such as Uncharted, Monster Hunter or The Last of Us that have been confirmed as series on HBO.
Perhaps it is better in this format than other adaptations such as Assassin’s Creed, which are not so successful. In many cases, movies do not capture the essence of the video game and are left unfinished to capture the story that fits the shooting time. Super Mario Bros. deserves special mention. But this negative trend seems to be changing, at least in recent months.
Although Sonic The Hedgehog and Detective Pikachu are said to have a few things in common, both have given us a different perspective on upcoming releases like Monster Hunter. Especially if Milla Jovovich is involved. Next up, we’ll remember the best (or least bad) video game movies you’ll ever see, and it’s been tough to choose because there are so few movies that are just good.
It’s becoming more and more common for cinema to focus on video games to adapt them for the big screen. While these are movies that do justice to the games they represent, Resident Evil has distorted the initial concept with each new movie, giving it a more futuristic twist. Interestingly, the best adaptations feature animated characters like Sonic or Pikachu, whose movies are very entertaining. On the other hand, there were several versions of Lara Croft, but one version remained, played by Alicia Vikander and based on the reebot from Tomb Raider.
Tomb Raider (2018)
It’s obviously not the best video game movie, but it’s good enough to make it into this list. First, because it completely distorted the figure of its counterparts Lara Croft and was portrayed by Angelina Jolie. Second, because she’s much more loyal to the mature heroine who reimagined Tomb Raider and turned Croft into a more fragile and humane young woman. It won’t be the most remembered movie, but the plot was pretty accurate.
Silent Hill (2006)
Assuming it’s hard to evoke the same vibes as a video game, Silent Hill created an incredibly spooky and gripping atmosphere. It received many positive reviews for its visuals, as a great production in terms of its effects. In no case did the film try to repeat the same plot, and in many cases this is crucial for the better outcome. You know, comparisons are hateful. Instead, he got lost in explanations to understand himself, resulting in a very long product for everyone.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)
Another good take on adaptation that didn’t get much attention, but could be proud of it based on many other failed attempts. Because the result was a fun product that preceded Pirates of the Caribbean and helped him a lot in the collection. However, it will go down in history as just an ordinary action movie that quickly falls into the repetition of ideas.
Sonic: The Hedgehog (2020)
This movie received better-than-expected acclaim. Mainly because it has no greater pretense than entertaining. Nor can it be said that it is an adaptation that fully respects the video game, as they have to introduce the hedgehog to the real world with a shoehorn. Of course, the dialogue is far from overly simplistic and has a somewhat childish humour, best of which is the role of Jim Carrey.
Warcraft (2016)
Without being perfect, it managed to become the highest-grossing video game movie in history, followed by Detective Pikachu. And he had a tough challenge ahead because it’s not easy to fit the knowledge of World of Warcraft into two hours of film. Again, he made quick remarks as all the action was taking place, which is no small feat. For this reason, it is a film designed for gamers, where they will value every blink and decision of the director. It’s obviously not for everyone, but it does the entertainment business.
Detective Pikachu (2019)
Nothing like Detective Pikachu when it comes to animated characters. The Pokémon Company’s biggest fear is that the Pokémon look disgusting, unattractive, and therefore almost leave Mr. Mime out. Regardless, there’s still one funny movie left, starring Pikachu and very faithful to the Nintendo 3DS game. How will Pikachu speak? Fans of the series wondered, thinking this adaptation would be a disaster. Not only that, but they dared to introduce many Pokémon to make them feel like they’re part of the franchise.
Resident Evil (2002)
With all the horrific adaptations that followed, the Resident Evil movie franchise is now seen through another prism. To say enough, they took advantage of the type of virus mutation, but there is little to blame. It changed the original story of the game, but carried that idea and the name Umbrella Corporation. Each user has a favorite section that discusses which video game is the best. And so there’s a special interest in this first episode, where Milla Jovovich is empowered to become Resident Evil’s best-known facet away from consoles.
These are some of the best movies ever made about video games. Any gamer would love to see other fascinating stories like Horizon Zero Dawn or Detroit Become Human on the screen. Would you like them to make a movie of your favorite game? The answers to this question are undoubtedly quite divided, as the balance has yet to be found to make video games an unforgettable experience in cinema. There’s also a lot of controversy over casting, which is a sensitive issue for the most demanding players.