Since Tron’s release in 1982, video game movies have earned themselves an unfortunate reputation of being poorly made movies about video games. Recently however, with films like Detective Pikachu and Sonic the Hedgehog becoming successful hits.
Even film shoots have been heavily influenced by video games. Action sequences often resemble video game action sequences with characters moving through two-dimensional space without any change on the „Z” axis that signifies depth.
1. Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor bombing on December 7, 1941 has inspired several movies which attempt to recreate its moment, horror and the subsequent resilience of Americans who united together during an incomprehensible tragedy. Unfortunately, most fail miserably; most particularly this big dumb movie directed by Michael Bay (Armageddon, The Rock) and written by Randall Wallace (Braveheart) that prioritizes visual effects over any sense of drama or intrigue. It’s war without substance!
Ben Affleck and Kate Beckinsale make an amiable pair as two characters playing pilots who seek to prove themselves and Navy nurses who fall for them, but the film quickly becomes repetitive and tiresome. Bay and Wallace endeavor to inject personal dimensions into historic events, yet the resultant dialogue and performers who speak too many 80s phrases tests your patience.
Kirk Douglas and Martin Sheen do their best to deliver an entertaining take on an intriguing high school history debate (what if a nuclear aircraft carrier with modern supersonic firepower was sent back through time to intercept Japanese forces on the eve of Pearl Harbor?) Kirk Douglas plays his part admirably while Martin Sheen impresses as usual with impressive flight-deck take-off and landing action filmed aboard USS Nimitz. The production design is fantastic too – there’s lots of takeoff and landing action shot onboard this ship that shows both actors off perfectly.
The video transfer of The Last Dragonslayer is of professional grade quality, boasting vibrant colours and strong contrast on the widescreen version I watched. Although grain is occasionally thicker than desired – that was done intentionally – digital clean-up would only serve to diminish its artistic merits further. Audio quality was excellent too – with full, rich soundtrack which could still be heard clearly even during battle scenes.
If you want an in-depth account of Pearl Harbor and the attacks it depicted, consider renting From Here to Eternity or Tora! Tora! Tora! instead. For something purely entertaining yet still historical related, pick Up in the Air or Black Hawk Down as alternatives; these films also contain amazing attack sequences which look better than anything found in Hollywood blockbusters!
2. Assassin’s Creed
Video game movies tend to be poorly received, and Assassin’s Creed (opens in new tab) unfortunately adds to this trend. Despite its stellar cast and production values, Rotten Tomatoes scored it an 18% and failed to recoup its budget despite all efforts at advertising the film as the premiere title in 2010. But this doesn’t necessarily indicate it as the worst ever video game movie produced; numerous factors could work in its favor.
Michael Fassbender is one of the finest actors currently working, and delivers one of the finest performances ever seen in any videogame-inspired movie. He makes both Callum Lynch and Aguilar engaging characters despite a limited script providing few opportunities.
Justin Kurzel may seem like an unusual choice to direct Assassin’s Creed, but his credentials speak for themselves. Snowtown marked his directorial debut and another key work was an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
As video game movies strive to break from the „video game movie formula”, it is crucial that they maintain their core features to avoid becoming the next „Video Game Movie Formula.” Films must appeal both to hardcore gamers and non-gamers, proving they are serious entertainment options. Games such as Assassin’s Creed feature deep plotlines which could easily translate to film; other titles, such as Street Fighter or Metal Gear Solid don’t provide as much depth, thus leading to disastrous adaptations on film.
Ubisoft’s two more Assassin’s Creed movies should go further to disprove that stigma. Red, set in Japan, and Neo/Hexed (set in Renaissance Italy) could demonstrate Ubisoft’s abilities at making video game movies; hopefully these two will begin a trend for video game cinematic releases that doesn’t involve formulaic nonsense like Warcraft; maybe then we could finally see an actual Prince of Persia sequel some day?
3. The Last of Us
The Last of Us stands as one of the greatest video game adaptations ever seen on film, setting an astounding standard for future video game to film adaptations. While its creators took some liberties in order to fit a TV schedule, they didn’t stray too far away from capturing the essence of its narrative. As such, The Last of Us set an incredible bar that only future efforts may hope to match – we hope they do!
To fit television schedule, the primary change that had to be made was dropping some gameplay elements. While this might seem counter-productive at first, it actually turned out to be hugely beneficial; since characters no longer had to frantically run through levels killing human and infected characters in order to progress the story, they could instead spend more time developing relationships within the post-apocalyptic setting and exploring its vast environment.
As a result, the show can tell a more personal narrative about Joel and Ellie’s journey across a broken America. Additionally, more meaningful moments occur between Joel and Ellie as well as between other survivors – those moments also feel more honest and authentic than some of the more dramatic apocalyptic action featured in games, which often tried too hard to impress its viewers with how „epic” their tale was.
Changes were also implemented, such as making the show live-action rather than CGI. This decision proved beneficial because human performances tend to be much more natural and engaging than computerized ones in games; additionally, this helps avoid falling into uncanny valley territory and disengaging viewers.
The Last of Us is an outstandingly entertaining and emotionally charged film that stands apart from anything we’ve seen on the big screen before. With an outstanding cast that excels in their roles and outstanding production values, The Last of Us showcases how video game to film adaptations have finally entered their golden age; The Last of Us being one such example.
4. The Witcher
Though The Witcher TV series only recently premiered on Netflix, it is already one of their top shows. Though reviews for it have been mixed, Netflix claims tens of millions have tuned in to watch Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia battle monsters and navigate court intrigues.
And that is an extraordinary achievement given how little the series offers in terms of compelling entertainment value. Based on Andrzej Sapkowski’s fantasy novels that have been adapted into film, television series and card game spinoffs with poorer representation than their literary sources; often considered weak adaptations due to long episodes featuring banal narrative arcs similar to what you might find on Saturday morning cartoons; this show often garners criticism as boring and plodding, often featuring long episodes which drag out for too long before ending abruptly with predictable resolution.
However, this show finds ways to engage its viewers in its dour world. With sword-and-horses action and naked bodies being shown off freely splattering blood; plus regular injections of humor delivered by Joey Batey (Jaskier) or top British character actors such as Kevin Doyle (Downton Abbey) and Graham McTavish (Outlander).
Vladimir Furdik (of Skyfall and Thor: The Dark World stunt fame) choreographed The Witcher’s intense hand-to-hand combat sequences which show people being cut up like human tartare – something sure to please fans who spent hours cutting up virtual enemies in its games; plus it makes for compelling watching even for those who never played them themselves!
The Witcher may not be the first video game movie ever to hit theaters, but its faithful adaptation stands as testament to its genre. As video game movies begin to take their place as legitimate cinematic offerings, here’s hoping we see many more successes like The Witcher in future releases!
These shows, from political dramas to monster battles, make great binge-watching material while you wait for Season 2 of The Witcher on Netflix.