The five worst video game movie adaptations (not named Borderlands)

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As someone who’s spent countless hours immersed in both video games and movies, I can’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment whenever these two worlds collide poorly. It’s like watching a beloved book get adapted into a subpar film – it’s just not the same magic.

Video games and films share a common purpose: they both serve as captivating storytelling mediums, transporting audiences into immersive worlds filled with memorable characters. While video games allow players to assume control over their beloved heroes, films bring these characters to vibrant life on the big or small screen. Regrettably, the collaboration between these two industries often falls short, much like the hurdles faced by comic book adaptations for many years. Transforming video games into movies seems problematic, and this is typically the case when the opposite occurs as well.

As a gamer, I’ve been eagerly waiting for the release of the Borderlands movie, which drops on August 9th. However, early reviews have dealt this film quite a blow, with it currently holding a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. That’s not something we want to hear! With such a dismal start, there’s been talk that it might snatch the top spot among the worst video game adaptations ever made. The competition is stiff in this category, but it seems like we’re in for a tough fight.

Street Fighter (1994)

The Street Fighter video game series is highly cherished. Despite some rough patches over time, the games are generally well-received, particularly with the release of Street Fighter 6 that has revitalized the franchise. However, in 1994, Capcom tried to transition this popular game into a movie, which was creatively misguided. Although the film raked in money, nearly tripling its budget, it failed to live up to the captivating narrative that fans had come to expect from the video game series.

In this adaptation, Brussels-born action hero Jean-Claude Van Damme portrayed the character of American soldier Guile, while Raul Julia took on the role of M. Bison in his final performance. However, none of the actors managed to truly embody the video game character as intended. Some portrayals were so far from accurate that they bordered on comical. Contrary to popular belief, this film is not about a tournament; instead, it revolves around Guile’s mission to unite a group and eliminate Bison’s Shadoloo organization.

Doom (2005)

Dwayne Johnson, also known as “The Rock,” transitioned from professional wrestling to acting and has built an impressive career in movies. He’s widely regarded as one of the most financially successful actors, but his films have received mixed reviews from critics. Some of his movies, like Doom, have been poorly received despite being based on popular video games. In this case, Doom is considered a terrible film.

The Doom video game franchise, well-known and revered, has seen a revival among more recent generations. Contrary to popular belief in 2005, it wasn’t as widely acclaimed then, but Universal Pictures still released a movie based on it – unfortunately, it was terribly made. Despite barely recouping its production costs, the film is infamous for its poorly structured narrative and over-the-top action scenes.

The Super Mario Brothers (1993)

“Super Mario Brothers is likely to be remembered as one of the most influential video game series ever made, laying the groundwork for gaming in numerous lives. However, its impact hasn’t been effectively captured on either small or large screens. In 1993, Super Mario Brothers was the first live-action film adapted from a video game, which merits some level of respect just by that alone.”

Was the movie enjoyable? Not really, as it often happens with movies based on video games, the narrative didn’t convey the game’s charm effectively. Instead, it evolved into something quite different that didn’t sit well with the fans. However, if you’re interested in catching one of John Leguizamo’s early acting performances, this could be a fantastic opportunity for you.

Dead or Alive (2006)

Do you recall the Dead or Alive movie? If not, consider yourself among the unlucky ones. The film was initially released overseas in 2006 and made its way to the U.S. a year later in 2007. In comparison to popular gaming franchises such as Tekken, Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Dead or Alive is often regarded as a cult classic that never quite reached their level of recognition. The fact that it was being made into a movie around two decades ago might have been surprising, but unfortunately, the surprise didn’t lead to success or widespread interest.

As someone who has been involved in filmmaking for quite some years now, I have to say that “Dead or Alive” was a real disappointment. With its shoestring plot and poor acting, it felt like a missed opportunity from the get-go. To put things into perspective, this movie brought in only 7 million dollars at the box office on a 30 million dollar budget. In my experience, a film with such flaws is destined to fail, and this one was no exception. It’s always disheartening when a project doesn’t live up to its potential, but I guess that’s the nature of our business.

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001)

As a devoted fan, I’d say that Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children wasn’t mind-blowing, but it wasn’t a total flop either. It’s like the movie version of that one game we all love, but with its own unique flavor. On the other hand, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within… well, this film seems to have divided fans into two camps: those who adore it and those who can’t stand it. One could argue that if it weren’t part of the legendary Final Fantasy series, it might have been more warmly received. However, slapping the Final Fantasy label on it didn’t do this movie any favors because the story is almost unrelated to the sprawling narrative that has defined the franchise for decades.

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2024-08-21 16:28