Video-Games to Film and Why They Aren't All Shit.

 

When you think "video-game to movie adaptions", it's easy to dismiss them as "terrible", given the bad rep that Uwe Boll has bestowed on works like Bloodrayne, Far Cry, and Dungeon Siege.
You might also associate "bad video-game films" to Paul W.S. Anderson's Resident Evil  franchise, which would be incorrect. 
I've never done an opinion piece; but in honor of this weekend's video-game adaption Need for Speed , I feel it's time to clear the air on video-game adaptions and why you shouldn't judge them just by their umbrella genre.

The same logic applies to video-game films as applies to comic-book movies.
Not every comic-book movie is a Catwoman or a X-Men Origins: Wolverine the same way that not every video-game film is a In The Name of The King or Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li.
I'll go on to explore the best and most effective video-game films, and why shouldn't be dismissed based off of the genre adaption bias.

First up, would be Paul W.S. Anderson's Resident Evil, While this multi-thousand dollar franchise has 5 entries with one more planned to finish out the series, I'll only cover the first film, as it's sequels spin into their own world, where as you could argue the 2002 film into the game's mythology.

Resident Evil is, first and foremost, a film about the Capcom survival horror franchise of the same name; but for those with a closer eye, there is a lot to be found in Resident Evil; which applies to Anderson's entire filmography as "B-Movie shlock" on the surface, but elevated with such care and depth that it becomes an engaging story in it's own right.
Resident Evil is, under the surface, a clever modernization of Lewis Carrol's Alice in Wonderland, with the striking imagery of the "looking glass", as well as the Red Queen's kingdom, with Alice forever chasing the white rabbit that holds the G-Virus, a cure to the viral weaponry that Umbrella has been making.

Resident Evil fans like to delude themselves into thinking the game franchise is a pinnacle of artistry and depth, and that Anderson "ruined" the games; when in-fact Anderson builds not only a literary adaption out of it; but also creates one of the most popular and recognizable female action-protagonists since Sigourney Weaver or Linda Hamilton with Milla Jovovich and Michelle Rodriguez. 
The film retains the first game's horror and mystery, with Anderon's mastery of the lense, from the claustrophobic and metiphorical cooridors of The HIVE to the "time limit final-boss" of the Licker/Rain battle on the train before The HIVE closes.

Resident Evil is smart, well written, and extrenley well directed; adding an interesting layer that is not really found in the games themselves; along with a nerve-rattling and terrifying score from Marilyn Manson, and is not to be dismissed or mocked when discussing video-game to film adaptions.

Next up is Hitman, the 2007 adaption of the IO Interactive game series, which turns out to be not only and engaging political thriller; but a fantastically fun action movie in it's own right. 
While the film is currently being rebooted as Agent 47, the original starred Timothy Olyphant and Olga Kurylenko, as sort of an un-traditional love-story, which humanizes "Agent 47", something fans of the game hated' but worked in a cinematic sense.

Hitman wound up as a better James Bond film than Skyfall became, with globe-trotting, beautiful action sequences, and an interesting (if cliched) plot of "agent getting betrayed by his people". 

If one would complain about the film, they wouldn't note that the film takes the franchise and not only adapts it to a workable film; but makes it a worthy entry to franchise itself (much better than  Absolution did, I might add).

Hitman incorporates some moving religious imagery; but also makes the somehwat goofy plot something that the audience can connect with. A solid action movie and a fun-time no matter when it is seen, this adaption is key to understanding that video-games, an interactive medium, need some cinematic liberties taken with it that end up working out well in the long run.

Silent Hill is up next, and is perhaps the holy grail of  pretentious video-game fanbases. The film takes the heavily Japanese franchise and adapts it into an adventure/haunted house thrill ride that nerfs the games expanding mythology into an "American Ghost Town" story with top-notch production values and a heavy ending that leaves the viewer as distressed as the player.
The sequel, Silent Hill: Revelations 3D, does this well also; but wasn't as critically acclaimed or financially successful, despite an intense trip of occult imagery and some fantastic cinematography and creature designs.

Silent Hill might not bring the deeply rooted psychological horror of the video-games; but it brings the hyper sexual imagery into a film of a mother's quest to save her daughter and then into an un-traditional love story of denying destiny into two very well done films. 

 

Disney's Prince of Persia adapts the classic Ubisoft game franchise into a traditional summer block-buster that offers family-friendly entertainment with an injection of sword and sandals 70's movie flare, with Jake Gyllenhaal playing the titular Prince racing against Sand Assassins hired by Ben Kinglsey all while trying to save a gorgeous princess played by Quantum of Solace and Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters star Gemma Arterton.

Right off the bat, Prince of Persia is a classic Disney film, in the same vein that John Carter and Pirates of the Carribbean are. We have two leads with great chemistry, coupled with the melodramatic yet convincing trials of Prince Dastan (Gyllenhaal). As fans of the game are quick to judge, the film never introduces monsters or the needlessly edgy elements present later in the series; opting for a traditional block-buster that Mike Newell brilliantly brings to the screen, coupled with the compelling fantasy script and some breath-taking imagery by cinematographer Jogn Seale. The film takes good care of the costumes and action as seen in the games, with the same break-neck action that players experienced in the highly grossing franchise.

While the film sadly didn't span any sequels, Prince of Persia earns a spot as not only a great film in it's own rights; but also a brilliant way of bringing the classic franchise to a wider audience. While video-games have an advantage if having the player experience firstly (through his own hand) the actions and emotions of a character; the film delivers that as Dastan is attatched to the audience, and his clamctic battle against Ben Kinglsey's character is an emotional and structural climax of intense degree. 

Lastly, we have 2001's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. While fans, again, are quick to judge, the film grossed enough to justify a sequel; which sadly did not spawn another entry.

Angelina Jolie's Lara Croft is similar to the "classic" Tomb Raider games, made by Crystal Dynamics. She's pretty and bad-ass, and also quick to wise-crack. The film carries the original series sense of adventure; but also expands on the tale of Lara and her father (played by Jolie's real life father John Voight) in a touching and visually trippy climax.
The movie once again plays as a classic Hollywood adventure mystery; and has even some excellent parts from Ian Glenn ( Ser Jorah in Game of Thrones) and Daniel Craig (pre James Bond). It shares similarities with Prince of Persia; with globe-trotting action and a somewhat tongue in cheek attitude.

While the game franchise later got rebooted (as is the film franchise, apparently), Lara Croft: Tomb Raider stands as a pinnacle of early 2000's/Late 90's film-making, when not everything needed to be dark and gritty; but when things could still be fun. The movie stands as a near perfect adaption of the SPIRIT of the games, more than the games themselves, and upon re-watch still works for what it is.

Other notable works include 2009's Max Payne, while "shitting" on the Rockstar Games deeply rooted Nordic mythology, the movie works to it's own credit as a slow burning drama with some well directed action, as well as 2005's DOOM, a game that takes the gritty and straight-faced stupidity of the ID Games franchise and turns it into a tongue-in-cheek sci-fi horror film with one of the most mind-blowing sequences in big-budget films as well as one of the greatest lines ever spoke: "Semper Fi, mother-fucker."

Not all video-game films are good, sure; but it's stupid to dismiss them as juvenile cash-grabs.
The future looks bright for the genre as well, with Leonardo DiCaprio attached to ROBOTECH, as well as Sony looking to make CGI films from Sly Cooper and Ratchet and Clank as well as the muli-Game of the Year winning Shadow of the Colossus. Eidos and Square Enix are also hard at work on adoptions of Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, and HITMAN, as well as  Ubisoft looking to break into the business in a big way with Assassin's Creed starring Michael Fassbender.

What do you all think? Disagree? Have some favorites or not favorites that weren't mentioned? Sound off below.