Movies and computer games are becoming increasingly interconnected. Since they share a lot of their consumers the demand for movies based on video games or video games based on movies is becoming more common and more importantly normalized. Movies based on computer games were often disregarded in the past because of how new this concept was. But as the times have passed and more people have realized that actually this leads to really good quality content and can help the audiences grow in both industries the general attitudes have shifted. Nowadays we even have slot games based on the most popular movies and movie characters. Even though it might seem like an easy task to create a movie based on a video game in reality sometimes these launches turn out to face the harshest of critics who hold these characters very close to the heart and have high standards when it comes to storytelling and the depiction of character development on screen. In theory, these two are a perfect match for each other since the games follow the same framework of the man character’s journey through challenges, but in reality, it takes a lot of effort to do it right. To further prove a point of how closely connected these two are we’ve combined 7 of the best films that were made based on very popular computer games.
The Resident Evil Series
The Movie Adoption of Resident evil stands out with its success of building the whole separate world and making it believable. Paul W.S Anderson is the director of the Resident Evil series, while Milla Jovovich has become an icon in her own right for portraying the lead in the series for so long. This might not be a perfect example of computer game adoption for movies because it actually takes a lot of liberties when it comes to plot and a lot of fans were disappointed that the movie didn’t stay as authentic to the game as it could’ve been. But nonetheless, these series are enjoyable to watch and contributed to removing the stigma against game-based movies.
Tomb Raider
The movie industry has been after this one for quite some now. While Angelina Jolie’s portrayal of Tomb Raider wasn’t all that well-received by the fans of the game and the general public alike, it still left its mark on the contemporary culture. But the fans of the game were disappointed and thought that they would never see the proper adaptation of the game. That changed just recently with Alicia Vikander’s portrayal in the 2018 version of the movie. This time the movie received much better reviews and portrayed a more realistic experience, while also capturing the cinematic side of the game.
Assassin’s Creed
This one may not have been the box office favorite but this particular adoption is the perfect example of the movie that understands its audience and the little important details that make the game adoption great. But there’s a very specific reason behind it. Ubisoft, the game studio was in charge of the creative development of the film and they decided to go with Michael Fassbender as their lead, which gave the movie some of its best qualities and brought his A-game to the franchise. Assassin’s creed highlights how important it is to understand the concept and the fan-base in order to deliver a good result which is something that the first Tomb Raider failed to understand or consider.
Warcraft
Next on our list is one of the most beloved games ever – The World of Warcraft. It has one of the most loyal fanbases ever with some of the players who have been fans for decades. When this movie idea came to life it was Duncan Jones, a huge fan of the game himself who took the lead. The Warcraft was not without its flaws but the knowledge of the game and all of its important aspects really showed throughout the movie and made it a very special experience, especially for those who love the game and appreciate those minor elements in the movie that pay homage to the original game.
Final Fantasy: Advent Children
Just like World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy also has a very loyal following. It is definitely its own subculture. This movie is different from all the other ones on our list because it actually not live-action and came out about 15 years ago. As with all the things that have big fan bases the pressure is way higher so this might have been a controversial move but the result was loved by most of the fans and the film did a great job at capturing the essence of the Square Enix series while at blurring the lines between computer games and films.
Detective Pikachu
This is one of the most recent movies on our list and when the trailer first became public most of the people were very skeptical about it, even ridiculing the concept. Pokemon has been a huge part of pop culture for decades and to create a live-action movie and center it around Detective Pikachu seemed a bit ridiculous. When the movie actually came out, it was a complete surprise. It turned out to be a very well thought plot with interesting characters and their stories. Detective Pikachu dives into what it means to be a Pokemon Trainer and ended up gaining a lot of new fans. It is definitely an example of the game adaptation done right.
Mortal Kombat
We’re going to end with the cult classic that first set the standard for the movies of this genre. Filmed in 1995 it is still referred to as the most satisfying video game movie ever. It encapsulates the spirit of the 90’s while also being futuristic and true to the game. The Mortal Kombat managed to capture the essence of the gaming franchises and is considered to be a classic of its kind. Even today most game-based movies fail to reach the standard, even when using advanced design and technologies that weren’t available in the 90’s because the most important thing for most fans and viewers is still the essence of characters and the true meaning of the game plot. This is why even after more than 20 years it still remains a fan favorite.
What other game to film adaptations do you think we should have talked about? Any real terrible ones, or good ones, that should have made the list? Let us know in the comment section below.
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