Through the years, movie adaptations of video games have been notorious for not living up to the expectations of fans. Of course, there are exceptions few and far between, like Detective Pikachu. However, in the eyes of gamers, fans, and critics, movies based on video games usually are not good. Be that as it may, films based on video games helped studios and the industry realize that they do have a potential market. Here is a list of movies that derived inspiration from their video game counterparts. Strap in and grab some popcorn because we have quite a lot to talk about. Here are 35 movies based on video games that you can enjoy today!
Movies Based on Video Games: What Is a Video Game Adaptation?
Movies can either have original concepts or elements borrowed or are inspired by video games. Video game adaptations are either direct adaptations of video game titles or borrow characters and concepts. We can compare two movies based on video games, Mortal Kombat from the 90s and the recent version. The original Mortal Kombat movie followed the majority of elements found from the source material — the battle between Earthrealm and Outworld and the Mortal Kombat tournament itself. Some liberties were also taken, but the movie was still faithful to the source.
Fast forward to almost three decades later, the newest Mortal Kombat movie falls into the latter category. This title is one of those movies based on a video game that took elements from the source but took a lot of liberties. This was showcased by the introduction of a new lead character and the Arcana system for powers.
Fans are usually split with these two kinds of movies based on video games. Half of them prefer a faithful adaptation of the source, while others prefer a more loose approach.
What’s kind of sad is how the majority of movies based on video games either do not do well financially or they become the but of jokes due to how bad they are. However, there are exceptions that people generally love watching.
35 Movies Based on Video Games
You might not be a lover of movies or video games, but there are a lot of movies based on video games. Some are fun and of great quality. However, a lot of them are yours to judge and see if they fancy your liking. Anyway, here are 35 movies based on video games that you can enjoy today via a physical copy or through your favorite streaming services!
1. Doom (2005)
Plot
The plot revolves around a group of marines called the Rapid Response Tactical Squad and how they try to escape or survive a research facility. The facility is contaminated with Alien DNA. Sarge leads the charge to fight against the abominations to secure him and his small team an escape route towards home.
Video Game Source/Elements
The Doom movie primarily pulls inspiration from the third game in the series. Compared to the hellish landscapes of rock and lava of the previous games, Doom 3 surrounds the player with an ominous environment. Not as hellish but darker and a tad more psychological horror
This movie based on a video game does its best to honor and capture the spirit of player tactics brilliantly realized in the games. Essentially speaking, the spirit of the Doom games is to survive by pushing forward and keeping momentum where you can so as not to be overwhelmed by the monsters coming at you.
2. Resident Evil (2002)
Plot
This movie based on a video game of the same title revolves around Alice and how she and her team try to overtake the powerful Umbrella Corporation. This nefarious corporation is in charge of a genetics research facility that experiences a mishap. This leads to the spread of a virus that resurrects dead people, turning them into monstrous entities. With only three minutes left until the disaster, Alice and her friends try to shut down the supercomputer and close the facility before the virus gets outside.
Video Game Source/Elements
Milla Jovovich plays Alice who is a protagonist that does not exist in the games. This fact alone already segregates the audience into those who played the games and those who knew nothing.
Objectively speaking, the closest the movies ever got to portraying the source material would be the first three movies. Seeing the movie translations of the HIVE Complex, the Mansion, and even Raccoon City was impressive but that is where the praises end.
Many fans of the Resident Evil games were disconnected seeing their heroes like Chris and Jill play second fiddle to the new protagonist. For fans, Alice was as unrealistic and unrelatable as it gets.
3. Warcraft (2016)
Plot
The movie starts with the Frostwolf Clan which is a clan of orcs led by the powerful Durotan. Seeing their homeland shattered and in ruins, the clan now decides to move forward to colonize new lands and make their home elsewhere.
With the help of the warlock Gul’dan, the orcs open a portal to the peaceful world of the Azaroth. Confirming that the conditions of colonization can be easily met, the orc chieftain then sends out the command to wage war and subjugate the inferior humans.
When King Llane Wrynn receives reports of the incident in his kingdom, he sends his knight, Anduin Lothar, to investigate and quell the subjugation. He then teams up with Khadgar and Medivh, two powerful mages, and Garona who is a former orc prisoner to resist the ongoing colonization of the bloodthirsty orcs.
Video Game Source/Elements
In actuality, the biggest problem with Warcraft was not how it handled the characters and their respective storylines. The biggest problem in the making of the film was its source material. For studios to do justice to the entire lore of the game, there would have had to be intense world-building and extensive character background efforts that may indeed please fans but would have made an unwatchable behemoth of production for many people who are not aware of the games.
The film as it stands is a confused mess of events and characters that aim to condense a story meant to go for more than four hours into a mere one and a half. The world often gets too big too fast without letting the watcher figure out and digest what’s currently happening. Additionally, the film also made great big cuts from the original storyline which only served to aggravate the fans even more.
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4. Silent Hill (2006)
Plot
The movie begins with a family whose child is suffering from recurring nightmares about a ghost town called Silent Hill. Sharon Da Silva, the child, often sleepwalks while repeating “Silent Hill” when suffering from said nightmares. Worried and wanting to get to the root of the problem, the mother, Rose, makes an effort to journey to the place in her daughter’s nightmares.
On the way to Silent Hill, the mother and daughter tandem is halted by a police officer named Sybil. Not having the time nor patience to deal with an interrogation, the two speed off and while driving in the heat of the moment, sees a girl in the middle of the road.
Sharon swerves to avoid the apparition, only for her and her daughter to suffer a crash. Rose eventually wakes up and begins the journey onwards to Silent Hill to get her missing daughter back and go back home.
Video Game Source/Elements
In both the game and the movie, the mothers drive their daughters to the source of their nightmares. Both mothers see a girl in the middle of the road while speeding then swerve and eventually crash the car. They wake up and eventually find themselves in the middle of the ghost town that is Silent Hill.
They may have similarities, but there are also many big changes between the movie and the game. For example, in the game, the main antagonist is Dahlia Gillespie, who is Alessa’s mother and is also the leader of a cult. However, the movie gives this role to Christabella, Alessa’s sister. Meanwhile, Dahlia becomes an innocent bystander to her daughter’s immolation.
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5. Mortal Kombat (2021)
Plot
The plot of the movie starts with Cole Young, an MMA fighter who is not new to getting beat up for some cash. Living in blissful ignorance, he is unaware of his heritage or why the Emperor of the Outworld, Shang Tsung, sent a mercenary cryomancer to hunt him down. He seeks help from a comrade bearing the same dragon marking found on his own body.
Fearing what’s to come, the pair eventually ends up in the temple of the Lord Raiden, an Elder God who is known as the protector of the Earthrealm. Here, Cole learns of his heritage and trains to participate in a high-stakes battle for the Earth and the universe.
Video Game Source/Elements
The most obvious change to the movie would be the addition of Cole Young, who is meant to be a stand-in for the audience new to the franchise. Despite many theories about his background or identity, it turns out that Cole is an original character, albeit having ties to Scorpion. His filling into the role of the fresh newbie to the lore of MK is pretty effective, and Cole’s addition to the entire story is pretty well-written. This title is considered to be one of the most fun movies based on video games released recently.
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6. Super Mario Bros. (1993)
Plot
The plot of the movie revolves around two ordinary plumbers in Manhattan. Brothers Mario and Luigi suddenly find themselves in Dinohattan. This place is a version of Manhattan in a parallel universe ruled by dinosaurs. The two brothers are tasked with saving the ruling princess and stopping the nefarious schemes of King Koopa to take over the planet.
Video Game Source/Elements
Considering how big the Super Mario games were at the time (and even presently), the film adaptation could have pulled the storyline from any one game and used that as source material to make the film. For better or for worse, it seems that the studio decided to pull various elements from various games making a kaleidoscope of references to the Super Mario Bros. movie.
7. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time (2010)
Plot
The movie begins by showing us the Holy City of Alamut, the place that is meant to safeguard the Sands of Time, an artifact that gives mortals the power to return to the past. Dastan, the adopted son of the King of Persia, leads an attack on the city and, afterward, secures the legendary artifact.
His return to his homeland was unfortunately not met with warm and joyous cheers of the people but instead with an accusation of being the assassin that killed the king. Fearing for his safety, he goes on the run with the Alamut princess, Tamina, and uses the dagger to return to the past to unmask his father’s killer.
Video Game Source/Elements
Fans of the original storyline would quickly be able to point out the major difference between the story introduced in the movie and the story of the main game. For one, the prince in the game is a bloodborne royal and not an orphan brought into the king’s court. The prince also has never had a name or siblings and does not have an arranged marriage with any princess.
In the game, the king does not die by assassination. Instead, the young prince is tricked by the vizier after the king had looted the holy city and taken home the Sands of Time. Confused and under the trickery of the vizier, the prince releases the sand inside the artifact, which then contaminates the people of the kingdom, turning them into sand monsters.
The game revolves around the adventures of the prince to gather enough sand particles to get the artifact working once more, travel back to the past, and stop himself from releasing the sand from the artifact.
8. Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)
Plot
Sonic the movie begins with our protagonist being hunted by a tribe of echidnas for supersonic powers. To help Sonic escape peril, Longclaw the Owl hands Sonic a bag of special rings. These rings can create portals to different worlds. As the echidnas gain on the pair, Longclaw unleashes the power of the rings. This flings Sonic through time and space out of the reach of their hunters. No longer fearing the threat of his hunters, Sonic manages to grow up on Earth.
Video Game Source/Elements
The source material or inspiration for the movie would be Sega’s iconic platform game, Sonic the Hedgehog. One key difference the games have in the movie, however, is how linear the story in the movie is. The games gave much more complex stories to tell since there are also more avenues of expression with the various games of the Sonic franchise. One of the best movies based on video games, Sonic is set to go on a new adventure as a sequel is official.
9. The Angry Birds Movie 2 (2019)
Plot
The plot of the movie stars the trio of protagonists the audience has grown to love since the previous movie. The spicy addition to this cast would be that this time around, the piggies are no longer enemies but comrades in arms against a common enemy. This curious tandem then works to figure out how to stop the nefarious schemes of aggressive birds from a frozen island that aim to destroy their way of life.
Video Game Source/Elements
This movie is the second iteration of the original Angry Birds movie which is loosely based on the game. Fans use the term “loosely” with generosity since any fan of the game can tell you that there was never a story while playing the original game, let alone birds with a personality. You had birds at your disposal, and your goal was to eliminate the piggies on the other side of the map by flinging your birds into their base. It can be argued that many people see the movie as a way for the Angry Birds franchise to try and expand the lore (and sell more merchandise) of their prized avians by introducing a compelling albeit comedic storyline.
10. The King of Fighters (2010)
Plot
The plot for this movie begins with a scene where a shady man steals three prized relics from a museum: the Kagura Mirror, the Yagami Necklace, and the Kusanagi Sword. These three relics are the keys to summoning a powerful, otherworldly entity known as the Orochi, a being who grants limitless powers to the people who serve him. The ritual is halted because the sword acquired by the shady individual is a fake. The real Kusanagi Sword is safeguarded by the Kusanagi Family and it is now up to our three heroes Kyo, Mai, and Iori to defend the sword from the assailants.
Video Game Source/Elements
The movie is based on a video game of the same name. However, fans will tell people that the game never really had a cohesive storyline that explores the motives of the characters in the tournament, much less a save the world type of adventure of three protagonists in the games. Fighting games have always been notorious for not having a storyline that people would bother to know about, and unfortunately, King of Fighters falls into that category.
11. Rampage (2018)
Plot
The plot of the movie begins with Davis Okoye and his Silverback Gorilla named George. George is extraordinarily smart compared to other apes and has been with Davis since birth. A rogue experiment in the genetics facility suddenly goes haywire and causes a wolf, George, and reptile to mutate into a monstrous size. The genetic mutation also gives the animals an overwhelming urge to destroy and goes on a rampage. Davis now has to team up with a discredited genetic scientist in the hopes of stopping the animals, thus preventing a potential global disaster.
Video Game Source/Elements
The original video game puts the viewer or player in a very different perspective compared to the movie. In the game, you play as one of three characters; George the Gorilla, Lizzie the Lizard, and Ralph the Wolf.
The objective of the game is fairly simple. Pick the character you want and rampage throughout the city, garnering as many points as you can. Break window to help you get a boost or buffs that will help you get more points in your rampage.
12. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
Plot
The movie begins with the death anniversary of Lara’s father. As she’s tidying her mansion in her grief, Lara comes across an artifact her father used to own. With a once-in-a-lifetime planetary alignment occurring, a secret society is now in pursuit of the artifact her father once safeguarded. To honor her father’s wishes and protect the planet, Lara once again takes up both of her pistols to stop the schemes of the secret organization.
Video Game Source/Elements
Believe it or not, Lara Croft, Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life was not the first movie to be adapted from the video game. There was a movie of the same title which also starred the legendary actress Angelina Jolie. However, that first iteration was not so beloved, to say the least.
The Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life was not a film based on the original story of the video game. Sure, Lara Croft, the video game character got an impeccable personification through Angelina Jolie but the story of the movie itself is completely original. The only point of similarity between the movie and the game is the protagonist.
13. Monster Hunter (2020)
Plot
In a world beyond ours, dangerous and powerful monsters of varying appearances roam the lands. When Lt. Artemis and her small squad find themselves teleported to this other world, they are suddenly thrust into an environment where only the strong and the skillful survive. In a desperate effort for longevity, the squad teams up with a mysterious hunter who has found a way to fight back against the unfamiliar monsters.
Video Game Source/Elements
Much like the previous works of the infamous video game movie director Paul Anderson, the movie takes no form of inspiration from the original storyline of the game. This leads to the massive disappointment of fans as they are completely devoid of anything and everything they were expecting to see in a cinematic adaptation of a franchise they enjoyed.
The movie takes the story from the original game and twists the setting into Sci-Fi instead of trying to maintain the original grungy, primitive atmosphere prevalent through every game in the franchise. This awkward and unsolicited transformation leaves fans feeling cheated and other people wondering how the title gained a following as big as it did. Needless to say, it is one of the movies based on video games that bombed when it hit the cinemas at the height of the pandemic.
14. Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997)
Plot
Every start of a new generation, a mysterious portal opens that connects the Outerworld and the Earth. The mighty Emperor of the Outerworld, Shao-Kahn, pounces on every opportunity the portal opens intent on uniting the Earth with his domain of the Outerworld. With only a week and a slew of heroes ready to protect the Earth from the scheming emperor, the Mortal Kombat Tournament takes place.
Video Game Source/Elements
The 1995 movie iteration of the Mortal Kombat game was one of the few and the best video game movies ever made. So good was the movie that it managed to generate a ton of fans and is still a very iconic cinematic piece in recent years. Looking to strike while the proverbial iron is hot, a sequel to the original movie was made; one that unfortunately gave the movie franchise a devastating fatality.
Although far from being an actual box office failure (something that cannot be said for some movies in this list), “Annihilation” cost almost twice the budget for the first movie but was not even able to get half of it back. The sequel was greatly disliked by critics and fans alike.
15, Detective Pikachu (2019)
Plot
The movie begins with an ace detective, Harry Goodman, who suddenly goes missing. Hearing about the incident, the detective’s son, Tim, steals himself to find out what happened to his father on the night of his disappearance. Aiding in the investigation to find clues is Harry’s trusty aide Detective Pikachu. Finding that the two are uniquely paired together since Tim is the only human that can converse with the adorable yellow rodent, they set off to untangle the mystery they find themselves in and bring Harry home.
Video Game Source/Elements
The Detective Pikachu film is one of the best-made movies based on video games in recent years, carving itself in the hall of fame of cinemas and gamers alike. The movie was able to capture an environment that felt familiar to the players and fans of the source material without leaving out the people who are coming into the franchise with fresh eyes and no knowledge of the games. Of course, the legendary actor slash voice actor of Pikachu, Ryan Reynolds also deserves credit.
16. Werewolves Within (2021)
Plot
The movie begins with a proposed pipeline plan that creates division within the little town. Sensing the hostilities, a newly appointed ranger to the village tries to keep everyone amiable as a snowstorm hits the town. Once the mysterious snowstorm is in full swing, a creature of unknown origin then begins terrorizing the town and its residents. Under pressure and peril, the ranger now has to keep the hostilities at bay both from the villagers and the mysterious creature hiding amongst the populace.
Video Game Source/Elements
This extremely campy and comedic film is based on an online game of the same name where players try to hunt down the assigned wolf among the players. While being an extremely low-budget film, it still managed to capture the thrill and essence of the source material with a good cast, some great direction, and a competent script.
17. Tekken (2010)
Plot
The movie is set in 2039. World wars have damaged the Earth beyond repair and the countries are now run by corporations, the mightiest and most cruel of which is Tekken. Jin Kazama is an ordinary boy living in the street slums of Anvil. He also tragically witnesses the murder of his mother at the hands of the Tekken Syndicate. Jin vows vengeance against Tekken and to achieve this, he enters the deadly tournament held by the corporation in an attempt to overtake authority as the King of the Iron Fist Tournament.
Video Game Source/Elements
The original video game does not have a specific storyline that entangles all of the characters within its lore. The closest thing we get to a cohesive storyline would be the backgrounds of each character in the game telling their tales about how they ended up in the Tekken Tournament. That’s not something new in fighting games since fighting games with a cohesive plot and lore are very few and far between in the gaming industry.
18. Street Fighter (1994)
Plot
The film starts with General Bison and his evil syndicate called Shadaloo capturing several relief workers and holding them for ransom. To rescue the hostages, Colonel guile leads an international strike force to put down the syndicate and Bison once and for all. On the way, Guile manages to recruit Chun-Li, a girl whose father was murdered by Bison.
Video Game Source/Elements
Contrary to popular belief, the 1994 iteration of Street Fighter: The Movie was not based on the game but instead takes inspiration from two games that were developed by Capcom and Incredible Technologies, respectively. At the time, such recursive adaptations were far from common when it come to video games.
Despite bearing the same name, the version developed by Capcom was not similar to the game developed by Incredible Technologies. Though both used the same 2D sprites commonly seen in Mortal Kombat, their similarities ended there.
19. Far Cry (2008)
Plot
The movie starts with Jack Carver, a man once hailed as a highly-skilled soldier in the Special Forces Division. One fateful day, he is commissioned by Valerie Constantine in a perilous endeavor after knowing about his background. She asks him to help her infiltrate a hidden island where a ruthless genetic scientist by the name of Dr. Kreiger has been experimenting with an enhanced breed of super-soldiers.
Video Game Source/Elements
Far Cry is a film based very loosely on a video game of the same title. People say “very loosely” as a generous description since any fan will let you know that the story depicted in the movie has nothing to do with what happens in the games at all.
Granted, the games did take their time to get rolling but unfortunately, the same could not be said for the film. The film did not feel like a faithful adaptation in terms of story, execution, and even storyline. The only things that fils had going for it were the setting, the conflict, and the characters.
20. Resident Evil: Retribution (2012)
Plot
With the present world in ruins by the continuous rampaging of the T-virus. New hope for humanity reawakens with the resurrection of Alice within the confines of the facility. As she continues to struggle against zombies and Umbrella Corp. personnel, she delves deeper into the facility, inevitably unveiling more of her mysterious past. Reaching the heart of the facility, she uncovers the truth of her existence. Now, Alice and her comrades lead the charge to fight against a world on the brink of ruin.
Video Game Source/Elements
Many fans believe that this film continues to blur the lines between the movies and the games. By this point, the movies have already managed to create a universe of their own; however, they still try to shoehorn as many references as possible to make the movies relatable to the fans of the games.
The movies still manage to botch the adaptation despite its efforts, though, as it is still widely critiqued by fans and panelists alike for its conscious efforts of trying to stay as far from the source material as possible.
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21. In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Seige Tale (2007)
Plot
The plot of the film is set in Ehb and follows the story of Farmer. Years later, Farmer eventually settles down with his wife, Solana, and his son. His son, unfortunately, suffers an attack from the Krugs while he is away to sell their crops. Fearing for his family’s safety, he rushes back home accompanied by his friend and neighbor Norrick. As if mocking him that he was too late, Farmer arrives home just as his son was killed by the Krugs and witnesses his wife get captured. To get back his remaining family, Farmer now struggles against the great wizard Gallian who controls the Krugs that attacked his village, and Fallow, the King’s nephew who is scheming to usurp the throne.
Video Game Source/Elements
The film cannot be called a loose adaptation of the games. This is because as far as the games are concerned, the movie stays pretty close to the source material. Be that as it may, the execution of the film was not something the fans of the title were eager to accept.
However, the games themselves were not groundbreaking during their time of release. Additionally, considering the studio and the director behind the making of the film, the audience wasn’t exactly looking for an award-winning spectacle at any point during the movie.
22. Double Dragon (1994)
Plot
The movie is set in the movie’s version of post-apocalyptic California ,where we are introduced to two brothers, Billy and Jimmy, who are both highly trained in martial arts. Orphaned at a young age, the brothers were taken in by a woman named Satori who served as their guardian and master. When she finds herself suddenly being pursued by an evil overlord intent on taking her dragon medallion, she hands the medal over to the two brothers in a last-ditch effort to keep it safe from the overlord.
Video Game Source/Elements
During the 80s, the game Double Dragon was a big hit on the arcades and was able to find a place in many homes once it got ported to the consoles. Light on story and big on fast-paced combat, the game featured two brothers fighting together to save a damsel in distress which eventually leads to them fighting each other over who gets to take the girl home.
Due to its unprecedented success, plans for a movie using the game as source material were made. Even with a team of talented writers, the film managed to tank because of inexperienced directors and a messy team of producers who didn’t have a solid vision of where to take the story of the film.
23. Bloodrayne (2006)
Plot
The story is set in 18th century Romania and revolves around Rayne, a girl who lives as a hybrid between a vampire and a human. Despite her superhuman powers, Rayne possesses a soft side for her human companions. Once she grows older, she decides to seek out her father, a powerful vampire known as Kagan. During her travels, Rayne manages to befriend two vampire hunters and asks them for help in locating her father. The two hunters then tell her that while they do not know her father’s exact whereabouts, they do know that he is looking for three things and that if she ever tries to pursue one of those, she may end up crossing paths with Kagan.
As she goes after the three artifacts, she slowly manages to unravel her father’s nefarious scheme and later on, tries to stop him to protect the human realm.
Video Game Source/Elements
The games of the same title had a very different storyline compared to the movie. It is safe to assume that the movie was a prequel of sorts, trying to establish a backstory for the main character of the game, Rayne. Albeit taking inspiration from the games, the movie and the story that can be seen in the actual video game do not have anything to do with each other except for having the same main character.
24. Max Payne (2008)
Plot
Suffering from the murder of his family, Max Payne vows revenge against whoever ruined his home. He teams up with a beautiful mobster, Mona Sax, the duo journey into the underworld to unravel the mystery of the murder. Along the way, the powers-that-be struggle against the embattled protagonist determined to silence him once and for all.
Video Game Source/Elements
Based on the video game of the same name, Max Payne the movie tries to emulate the gritty, neo-noir atmosphere ever-present in the game but utterly fails in its attempt to do so. While Max is directly inspired by the actual character people play as in the games, the Max in the movie just feels out of place when considering the iffy environments he manages to find himself in.
Because of this, it is safe to assume that Max Payne the movie was not as well-received as its video game counterpart, which is now hailed as a bona fide classic in the gaming industry.
25. Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2003)
Plot
The movie is set in Racoon City where a deadly, mutating virus has been exposed to the world. To contain the infection, Umbrella Corporation decides to seal off the town, trapping whoever was left inside and eventually turning everyone into meandering abominations.
The hope of humanity comes in the form of Alice, a survivor from Umbrella Corps’ laboratories, who meets with Jill Valentine and Carlos Oliviera to remedy the ongoing plague running rampant in Racoon City.
Video Game Source/Elements
If it hasn’t been obvious, the Resident Evil movies are notorious when it comes to the video game movie industry due to how far it is from the original storyline of the source material they are supposed to be inspired by. Resident Evil: Apocalypse is no exception when it comes to playing it fast and loose with its supposed digital counterpart, which makes the movie malleable but ultimately confusing.
Needless to say, there are not many similarities between the games and the movies except for the characters that we see play their part in both iterations of entertainment. Aside from that, it is safe to say that the story of the movie is as convoluted as it gets compared to the storyline of the video games the films are supposed to be paying homage to.
26. House of the Dead (2007)
Plot
The movie starts with a group of kids making their way to an island to attend a rave. To get to the island, they try to talk to a boatsman that at first refuses to ferry them over to the island they need to get to. After agreeing to the boatman’s terms of being paid $1000 does the group starts making their way to their destination.
When the group gets to the island, they are puzzled to see why the event venue has been abandoned. While trying to piece together what happened, the group is attacked by zombies loitering around the outskirts of the island. Fearing for their safety, they try to escape by moving further in and soon find themselves trapped in an abandoned house where bizarre experiments seem to be taking place.
Video Game Source/Elements
The film does not take inspiration from the source material which is the original video game. Instead, the director of the movie stated that the film was meant to be a prequel to the games. He said the movie was an effort to create an origin story for the 1996 arcade hit.
27. Hitman: Agent 47 (2015)
Plot
Agent 47 is what decades of research in genetic and biological enhancements look like. This time his latest target is a corporation with schemes of capturing him. This corporation aims to unlock his genetic secrets and perfect the science behind his creation. During his struggle with the company in question, he unravels more and more of his lost identity all while keeping his opponents at bay.
Video Game Source/Elements
Fans of the Hitman franchise feel that the film adaptation was poor. In their eyes, the film just took a cool character and put that character into an action movie that didn’t feel realistic nor relatable. Fans and the audience felt like Agent 47 suffers from being a generic character. The same thing would happen in the films, severely dampening the experience of actually sitting through the movie.
Furthermore, the movie was not at all successful in attempting to execute the familiarity of the gameplay unique to the Hitman games, which ultimately gave fans of the franchise a feeling of alienation and disenfranchisement.
28. Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li (2007)
Plot
The movie is set in Bangkok where the crime boss Bison begins a campaign to seize control of the city’s slums. As tensions rise, the violence escalates and a team of heroes led by Chun-Li eventually try to remedy the problems. Their solution is to try and overtake power from Bison.
Video Game Source/Elements
As with many video game movies based on fighting games, this one was not well received by the public. Fans of the original games were irate that the film did not stay faithful to the source material and went off to tell its own story, which felt unfamiliar to what the games are about. The film critics were quick to levy judgment as well due to how unfamiliar and unpolished everything felt.
29. Assassin’s Creed (2016)
Plot
Cal Lynch is a special operative who travels back to the 15th century through a revolutionary tech that unlocks memories coded through one’s DNA. Back in the past, he lives as Aguilar de Nerha, his ancestor and a member of the Assassins. The assassins are a covert society of vigilantes operating to protect the populace from the Templar Order.
Through his discoveries, Cal begins to glean inspiration and knowledge. As well as developing various physical skills, he needs to fight against an oppressive system in the present.
Video Game Source/Elements
The film is created in such a way that represents a different story that is happening in the same universe as the games. Because of this, the only points of similarity would be the setting, characters, and major points for both stories. Many fans do not know what to think when learning about this since this is an experience they cannot live through themselves, unlike how the games can give them that form of agency. That being said, it is also wrong to say the movie is not well-received.
30. Postal (2007)
Plot
When a phony cult leader gets the idea of hiring a jobless trailer truck denizen to help him carry out a plan, the duo would never have thought that they would get into things much, much bigger than themselves.
Now, after hearing rumors about Bin Laden’s plan of lacing copies of a popular cartoon character with biological weapons. The duo must now figure out a way to save the world first before saving their compound.
Video Game Source/Elements
Since this is a video game movie that is based on a lot of over-the-top violence and fast-paced action, many people thought it would be easy to recreate. Adding a simple story with a limited scale and conflict could have helped as well. Many iconic moments from the games are portrayed in the movie. However, the execution of these references makes audiences and fans of the game feel like it’s just there for shock value and comic relief.
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31. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016)
Plot
The film shows the deadly T-virus unleashed by the Umbrella Corporation has finally taken its toll on the globe, infecting all living humans not immune to the disease that creates hordes abominations. Alice and her friends finally march towards the hidden facility deep within Racoon City, where a final stand-off between her and the Red Queen will commence.
Video Game Source/Elements
In the creation of the film, the director stated that the Final Chapter aims to take the story and the audience into a full circle. This is done by returning to Racoon City where the headquarters of Umbrella Corporation is located.
For many fans, this movie also serves as a final chance for them to finally learn who Alice truly is.
32. Resident Evil Extinction (2007)
Plot
The movie begins with Alice finally in the confines of Umbrella Corporation. She receives further genetic modifications that ultimately leave her with superhuman capabilities. She breaks out of the facility after regaining her strength and sets out to take refuge in Nevada where she joins up with her gang. Once reunited, the group continues its plans in trying to eradicate the deadly virus plaguing the human race.
Video Game Source/Elements
The film is yet another sequel to the already convoluted spin-off that is the Resident Evil movie franchise. Fans have already accepted at this point that the movies and the games are completely dissimilar.
33. Dead or Alive (2005)
Plot
The setting of the movie involves four beauties who are all invited to participate in a tournament. Unbeknownst to the organizers, these ladies are in collaboration with each other to bring down the organization itself.
Video Game Source/Elements
Dead or Alive is a movie based on a game of the same title. The game is a classic 3-d fighting game franchise. Unfortunately, the movie is not a classic. With critics and fans slamming the film for its ridiculous setting, it’s no wonder that it didn’t even make half of the budget for the movie upon its release.
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34. Alone in the Dark (2005)
Plot
Supernatural detective Edward Carnby’s work led him to investigate a long-lost tribe called the Abskani. His research about the tribe told him that the tribe worshipped demons. With the threat of these malicious creatures resurfacing to the world, Edward enlists the help of Aline Cedrac. This is to keep the creature sealed and away from the world as we know it.
Video Game Source/Elements
In a seemingly conscious effort to make needless movies about video games, Alone in the Dark is an unwarranted film that was not received with much love. The video game movie stays close enough to the source material. This is to recognize similarities between the video game and the film. However, it is far enough that you also wouldn’t remember that you were watching a movie based on a video game.
35. Hitman (2007)
Plot
The movie begins in the mysterious Diana Organization where a skilled assassin, Agent 47 is completing a mission. Upon completing his mission, he suddenly discovers that he has been framed and that his employers have betrayed him. Determined to get to the root of the conspiracy, he dodges both Interpol and the Russian Secret Service. All while taking Nika, a witness, with him.
Video Game Source/Elements
In a short yet blunt answer: no, the Hitman movie and the games were not the same. Many of the charming elements present in the games were not executed well in the movie. This left fans of the title alienated and uninterested. Even though the movie was a title they enjoyed, many fans say that the same experience just was not present in the Hitman movie.
Watch Movies Based on Video Games Today!
Movies based on video games tend to be met with criticism rather than cheers. This is because of the genre’s long-standing history of being disappointing. When movies based on video games like Detective Pikachu come along, it is a genuine shock for people.
There is a growing market and interest when it comes to making movies using video games as source materials. Hopefully, by then, the quality will become more consistent in a positive way.
