Video game movies have a reputation for being terrible, watered-down versions of their source material. The first movie based on an existing video game was Super Mario bros, which was released back in 1993. Since then, Hollywood and other major film entities have turned a large number into blockbusters, receiving mixed to great reviews from critics and moviegoers alike. Gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide and one of the most popular pastimes the globe over. A research team at Essex University in the UK found that people around the world spend an average of three billion hours a year playing video games. Gaming is popular because it allows people to act as different characters, overcome evil and save the world even if only on a virtual level and ‘zone out’ by escaping into an alternate virtual universe. Hollywood is realizing the popularity of video games around the world and in an attempt at meeting fan demand for high quality productions that mirror the virtual universe that many people love to escape into, has produced and will continue to release exciting blockbuster movies to cater to fans’ tastes. The following are some great movies based on video games that are as good as or almost as good as the real thing:
- Silent Hill (2006)
Silent Hill is a 2006 film adaptation of the popular survival horror video game series created for play station by Hideo Kojima and produced by Kojima productions. Silent Hill features a protagonist, Harry Mason, who must rescue his missing daughter from the monster-filled, cult controlled fictional town of Silent Hill, where he must use his wits and firepower in order to ensure that he and his daughter make it out alive. The movie follows the same premise and includes elements from all four series of the video game. The protagonist in the movie is a woman named Rose, who loses her daughter Sharon after a car accident in the town of Silent Hill. Rose must battle monsters and other elements of Silent Hill’s dark side in order to rescue her daughter.
- The Resident Evil Film Series: (2002-2012)
This is a series of Sci-fi action and horror movies that are based loosely on the 1996 video game of the same name. The film series consists of four installments spanning 10 years from 2002 to 2012. The films pit former employees of the Umbrella Corporation, a producer of bio-weapons, against their employer. The main protagonist, Alice and her fellow employees must escape from a top secret genetic facility named The Hive after the Artificial Intelligence Unit that runs the Hive releases the bio-weapon T-virus into the facility, turning the human subjects into zombies and the animals into mutants. In all the series, Alice must battle monsters, and hide from other Umbrella loyalists even as they try to prevent the T-virus from spreading into the world and turning people into monsters.
- Ace Attorney (2012)
This comedic Japanese courtroom drama was released in 2012 and is based on the video game Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney. Phoenix Wright, a novice lawyer, is involved in a race against time to prove his client innocent after the corrupt justice system introduces the Bench Trial system which gives both the prosecution and defense teams only three days to present and argue out their cases before the judge can deliver a verdict. This film is considered one of the best video game movies ever made and is widely praised for keeping as close to the source material as possible.
- Lara Croft – Tomb Raider (2001)
This movie is based on the 1996 video game developed by Core Design and follows the protagonist, Lara Croft, as she attempts to steal artifacts from exotic places. In this film, Lara and her high-tech team must find an ancient relic that holds power over time and death, while at the same time staying out of the clutches of the Illuminati, who are also trying to get their hands on the artifact.
- Prince of Persia
The Prince of Persia is based on the 1989 video game of the same name that was created by Jordan Mechner. It is currently produced by Ubisoft. Prince Dastan, a prince in 6th century Persia must stop a nefarious nobleman from finding and using the Sands of Time, a legendary gift from the gods that is capable of turning back time. Whoever owns the Sands of Time will have the power to control the world and Prince Dastan and his lovely love interest Princess Tamina must stop it from falling into the wrong hands.
Hollywood will continue to churn out video game-based movies to meet the demand from people who would like to see their favorite game turned into a film. Hopefully, they will be able to keep close to the source materials and produce films that exactly mirror video game hot lines.
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