Thankfully the 90’s brought about a series of unfortunate motion pictures called Mortal Kombat (that was one styrofoam prop away from Power rangers) that really showed us how awful video game based movies could be. In technology’s defense the early era was not equipped to recreate video game’s biggest names on the big screen, case in point; Mario Brothers. However, lets not blame all failed attempts on technology or lack there of.
In the past decade alone we unfortunate viewers have had to withstand the Tomb Raider monstrosities and more Resident Evil movies than clever lines in “Street Fighter”, “Max Payne” and “Hitman” combined. In a recent fabricated and entirely assumed study, gamers and movie buffs alike see what technology can bring us (Transformers, Avatar, Avengers), so get crackin on these Top 5: Video Games that Would Make Good Movies.
1. Assassin’s Creed
Ubisoft confirms an Assassin’s Creed film is in the making as we speak. Set to release in June of 2015, originally written by Michael Lesslie the movie is set to cast “300”, “Inglorious Bastard” and “Prometheus” star Michael Fassbender. Recently the 20th Century Fox film is being re-written by Scott Frank well known writer of “Minority Report” and “Wolverine”. “The Bourne” series Frank Marshall is also taking interest in the movie that is said to ” not be directly tied to a game” but obviously based on the games content and premise. Julien Cunny, brand manager of content for the Assassin’s Creed franchise, says the film will not be set to mirror on of the existing games or its time period. The only cause for public concern is that Fassbender better hunt and kill enemies whilst “parkouring” through city streets with video game control and big screen gore.
2. Skyrim
Bethesda game gods provided gamers a Grand Theft Auto type interactive world with an innovative Dungeons and Dragons premise that had consumers skipping school and work never happier to result to welfare as long as it provided Mountain Dew and potato chips. A never ending adventure staring the Dragonborn, part human, part hero and all great warrior equipped with mystical enchantments and “Dragon Shouts” to defeat the realm’s most evil foes. It’s a Viking meets Mid-evil time period fully stocked with Dragons, demons, vampires, werewolves, wizards and endless undead. As long as Denis Quaid and Sean Connery don’t reunite for a human/dragon partnership (Dragon Heart), the concept and content is fool proof.
3. Dead Space
Remove the health bar and auto-save icons and Visceral Games has already written the perfect interactive movie. Playing off the already famous movie premise of the “evil undead”, Dead Space is a galactic spin integrating a futuristic kill or be killed theme. Main character Isaac Clarke trudges through a run away mining star ship with the simple task of re-engineering the ships system, simple that is… until he encounters the evil that has taken over the ship. The entire crew slaughtered and bionically reanimated into “Necromorphic” creatures. A full arsenal of weaponry ranges from your basic fully automatic assault rifles to reinvented mining tools creating the plasma cutter, flamethrower, contact beam and pulse cannon. Dismembering enemies in a “Saw” like fashion is the only way to defeat the undead/nonhuman scourge that ensues and constantly keeps players on the edge of their seat. Throw in some popcorn and overpriced candy and you got yourself a box office hit.
4. BioShock
If “Silent Hill” were filmed under water and the protagonist was given powers and weapons, it would be BioShock. Set in the 1960’s, the games playable character Jack, survives his airplane crashing into the ocean by seeking refuge in a nearby bathysphere terminus leading to his discovery of hidden city Rapture. With intentions of being a hidden underwater paradise for its inhabitants turned to apocalypse once the discovery of superhuman powers was made and implemented by “plasmids”. In a constant run-for-your-life mindset, Jack is determined to escape the sunken city but is met with a formidable array of the superhuman natives that lurk around every corner to stifle an easy exit. Now on its third game, BioShock Infinite, the duo of Irrational Games and 2K Games possess the creativity and obscurity to have already made Jack a very mortal, vulnerable character that would easily transition to the theater. The BioShock game legacy has accrued nearly every major gamer award and with proper casting and budget could perfectly parlay into a chart topping thriller.
5. Gears of War
If Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (not “Tooth Fairy” Rock…”Fast and Furious” Rock) hasn’t entered your mind to cast as one of the two massive, rugged, smart mouthed characters playable in the Gears of War, then your missing the point of this entire article. Troops Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago formerly of the Delta Squad, are ultimately the last men standing in the way of complete world domination against the alien hoard known as the “Locust”. Dominic and Marcus shoot and slice their way through heavy Locust forces to hopefully activate the Lightmass Bomb that when detonated at the heart of the Locust Horde will eliminate them entirely. Obviously, with three games following the original, total annihilation was futile. Expanding your standard everyday assault rifle with a chainsaw bayonet known as the “Lancer”, both soldiers balance strategy and brutality on their quest to save humanity. The Gears of War Franchise has earned major awards along with major clout in the gaming industry leading to its possible big screen debut. New Line Cinema had tried to launch a film adaptation in 2009 with director Len Wiseman and a $100 million dollar budget. Developmental complications has the project frozen in its inception and as of 2010 is director-less and budget-less.
Possibly Leaving Your Console and Coming to a Theater Near You:
God of War
Resident Evil 4, 5, 6
Need for Speed
Ratchet and Clank
Warcraft
Angry Birds
Metal Gear Solid
Devil May Cry
Uncharted
Deus Ex
Gran Turismo