Gears of War Movie

[Brak]

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/774/774549p1.html

All i can say is UHG! why cant hollywood come up with some original ideas?? 

Look at all of the other video game based movies that they have created. Most if not all of them have been flops (we'll have to wait and see what TMNT turns out to be but that was a comic first so maybe scratch that) We dont know what Halo is going to be like. But still this tends to get a little bit annoying.  Anyone else feel the same way i do?

[Pak-Man]

Gotta crawl before you can run. The more failed video game movies they crank out, the closer we get to getting a really good video game movie. And that'd make me happy inside. :^)

[stirrell]

Well, I feel like they are gearing (no pun intended) the movies to what they consider the target audience to be - male teens. This probably leads to most of the lackluster movie adaptations we have seen. I am certainly no expert - just an opinion off the top of my head. Probably the same reason comic book movies are usually not that great (yes, there are exceptions). Having Uwe Boll direct many adaptations is probably going to guarantee some bombs too.

That said, there is no reason that there couldn't be a great movie adaptation of a video game. I would argue that the first Tomb Raider was an enjoyable popcorn film. I also think Silent Hill came very close to being a very good movie (the atmosphere was great, ending not so much). Just because a great translation hasn't been done doesn't mean I would like them to stop trying. I still go to them, after all.

I think there should be a good mix of movies out there. I wouldn't want to see a genre dropped just because of a poor track record. Of course, if the reason for these adaptations is that there is a calculation and the movie studios says ("Hrmmm... the game sold x units and if  x% of those people will see the movie regardless of the quality of the film and we'll make a little money...") , that is a bad thing. I'm sure there will be a genuinely good movie based on a game to come out someday.

[Blueguy]

I agree with the hate on Hollywood for not being able to come up with an original idea, but I don't falt them for going after videogames that have a potential to be good movies.

[ChrisHanel]

Dear Hollywood:

STOP IT. STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT.

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD STOP IT.

Why Video Game Movies Fail

[J-Proof]

Have there /been/ any /really/ good video game movies?

Tomb Raider and Resident Evil were alright. Advent Children kicked ass.

But for live-action video game movies, I'd say we're few and far between any really outstanding ones (with the exception of Advent Children which was stunningly good)

They needa look at non-action games, man.... like make a Frogger movie or something

[stirrell]

Dear Hollywood:

STOP IT. STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT.

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD STOP IT.

Why Video Game Movies Fail

Interesting read, Chris, but I would disagree with a couple points.

1. Tomb Raider is very much like a female Indiana Jones... I think that makes it a pretty good starting point for a screenplay/movie.
2. When you choose a game like Mortal Kombat as an example... well, of course it isn't a deep game played for the storyline. It was a coin-up fighting game. It is kinda like saying Tetris would be a terrible movie.
3. Finally, pointing out Uwe Boll's ineptness doesn't really speak to the merits of the genre... it just shows that he is a terrible director who happens to get the rights to games.

Just my humble opinion.

[Brak]

I mean i guess we can wait and see what the outcome is going to be of this, but still they need to work a little harder me thinks.  Im still waiting to see if perhaps Halo is going to be the one to break this mold of terrible adaptations of video games.  But we can only find that out once its released.  Still its just frustrating the heck out of me sometimes.

[stirrell]

They needa look at non-action games, man.... like make a Frogger movie or something

Frogger could be turned into a cute little animated movie... let's call up Pixar :-).

[the long undertow]

I wasn't particularly impressed with Gears of War, especially story-wise.  Looks like we have another generic sci-fi/horror/action movie heading our way.

[ChrisHanel]

Interesting read, Chris, but I would disagree with a couple points.

1. Tomb Raider is very much like a female Indiana Jones... I think that makes it a pretty good starting point for a screenplay/movie.
2. When you choose a game like Mortal Kombat as an example... well, of course it isn't a deep game played for the storyline. It was a coin-up fighting game. It is kinda like saying Tetris would be a terrible movie.
3. Finally, pointing out Uwe Boll's ineptness doesn't really speak to the merits of the genre... it just shows that he is a terrible director who happens to get the rights to games.

Just my humble opinion.

I would disagree with your disagreements.

1. That doesn't really contradict with what i wrote. I said there "wasn't much" that really translates over.... except the concept itself. There's no real plot or storyline from the game that could be made into a script. Instead, they need to hand it over to a gifted writer. Instead, it was given to an inept committee. My complaint is more with the hands at the wheel, not that it was given to them.

2. Again, what are you contradicting here? Video games don't make good films because the filmmakers don't bother trying to make them into anything worthy of a movie. Lazy studios go "just take that and make it that, bam, MONEY!" I don't *WANT* to see a coin-op on a screen. If you're going to take the property and adapt it for the film, then actually bother to adapt it. If Mortal Kombat had been any worse, they could have just played video screengrabs from the game and said *it* was the film.

3. Uwe Boll's ineptness speaks directly to the merits of the genre, because this is who studios allow to helm these movies. The power is in their hands to go "Hey, if we put a bit more thought into this and let someone with talent make the film, then we'd probably make more profit! Get Uwe on the phone so I can tell him where to stick Alone in the Dark 2!"

This is not a case of different isolated incidents adding up to a false problem. This is the movie industry holding gamers in a low regard and catering to the lowest common denominator.

I'd say the best thing to do is to stop going to these films until they realize they're losing money, but sadly, the international market is propping up these stinkburgers and keeping them in the black.

[stirrell]

Interesting read, Chris, but I would disagree with a couple points.

1. Tomb Raider is very much like a female Indiana Jones... I think that makes it a pretty good starting point for a screenplay/movie.
2. When you choose a game like Mortal Kombat as an example... well, of course it isn't a deep game played for the storyline. It was a coin-up fighting game. It is kinda like saying Tetris would be a terrible movie.
3. Finally, pointing out Uwe Boll's ineptness doesn't really speak to the merits of the genre... it just shows that he is a terrible director who happens to get the rights to games.

Just my humble opinion.

I would disagree with your disagreements.

1. That doesn't really contradict with what i wrote. I said there "wasn't much" that really translates over.... except the concept itself. There's no real plot or storyline from the game that could be made into a script. Instead, they need to hand it over to a gifted writer. Instead, it was given to an inept committee. My complaint is more with the hands at the wheel, not that it was given to them.

2. Again, what are you contradicting here? Video games don't make good films because the filmmakers don't bother trying to make them into anything worthy of a movie. Lazy studios go "just take that and make it that, bam, MONEY!" I don't *WANT* to see a coin-op on a screen. If you're going to take the property and adapt it for the film, then actually bother to adapt it. If Mortal Kombat had been any worse, they could have just played video screengrabs from the game and said *it* was the film.

3. Uwe Boll's ineptness speaks directly to the merits of the genre, because this is who studios allow to helm these movies. The power is in their hands to go "Hey, if we put a bit more thought into this and let someone with talent make the film, then we'd probably make more profit! Get Uwe on the phone so I can tell him where to stick Alone in the Dark 2!"

This is not a case of different isolated incidents adding up to a false problem. This is the movie industry holding gamers in a low regard and catering to the lowest common denominator.

I'd say the best thing to do is to stop going to these films until they realize they're losing money, but sadly, the international market is propping up these stinkburgers and keeping them in the black.

Good points... I think we are looking at the issue differently. I am separating what I perceive the potential of the genre is from the decisions made at the studio as to who makes the film. I think of the genre as the creative well that is available to tap into. I think there are many games that could make great movies. From a practical standpoint, obviously, studios not caring or being inept limits the genre's product but I don't think it speaks to the worthiness of the source material.

I would say that studios will not learn from movies doing poorly, though. We'd like to think so but their conclusion would probably just be that video game movies don't play well, period. Not that they need to make them better.

[Pak-Man]

Oh yeah! Before I forget: Double Dragon needs to be riffed. I'd have to do some checking, but I think it started this whole nonsense with video game movies. (Unless you count Tron, which is in a category of its own. :^))

[sarcasm_made_Easy]

if pakky can spam about his dream riff so can i.

street fighter needs to be riffed.

ps uwe boll should be removed from this discussion.  he clearly has different objectives than making a decent movie. 

[mrbakasan]

Have there /been/ any /really/ good video game movies?

I loved the Silent Hill movie.  I've played all the games and felt that the movie was a great adaptation of them.  Although, I'm fully aware that many fans and critics disagree with me.