In the last 30 years, cinema has taken its cue from video games, giving rise to often disappointing films. Here are 10 bad movies based on blockbuster video games.
Starting in the mid-90s, cinema drew heavily from the gaming market to bring stories based on its great successes to the big screen. A combination that has never failed over the years and that will bring the remake of Mortal Kombat to Sky on May 30th. In conjunction with the new transposition of the well-known fighting game, we offer you 10 bad films taken from successful video games.
Mortal Kombat
The list of 10 bad movies taken from successful video games can only start with the first film version of Mortal Kombat signed by a then 30 year old Paul WS Anderson. The film is inspired by the well-known video game created by Ed Boon and John Tobias for Midway Games.
The story sees the best warriors of Earth and the OutWorld realm face off in an interdimensional martial arts tournament run by the elder Gods. The tournament takes place once every generation and was created to keep the peace between worlds, but if one of them manages to win it ten times in a row, he can conquer the other realm. The kingdom of Outworld has already won it nine times in a row and the conquest of Earth is now close, it will be up to the Shaolin warrior Liu Kang, the action movie star Johnny Cage and the special forces agent Sonya Blade to defeat the warriors of the emperor Shao Kahn. To guide them the god of thunder Raiden.
Costing $ 18 million, the Mortal Kombat film grossed $ 125 million, making it a commercial success. The film is certainly the least bad of those taken from video games shot in the 90s, but as much as the atmosphere and the fights are quite successful, the truth is that the plot is non-existent and the dialogues, however ironic, are often ridiculous. In the same way, after an interesting start, there is a non-stop sequence of fights, often without a reason. Surely the film has the merit of taking itself little seriously, but it is based on overly stereotyped characters, out-of-the-ordinary actors ( Christopher Lambertin the role of Raiden above all). Over the years it has been somewhat re-evaluated and raised to cult status, but it is undeniable that Anderson’s film is not a completely successful film but certainly made with the heart. Reviewing it after years, the feeling is that the director was the only one who believed in the project.
Curiosity : Steven Spielberg should have appeared in a cameo, which he had to give up due to too many commitments. He was supposed to play the director of Johnny Cage’s film. In addition, Cameron Diaz was initially cast for the role of Sonya Blade, who gave up the part due to injury.
Given the success in 1997 comes the sequel. Mortal Kombat – Total Destruction picks up where the first chapter left off, or with Shao Khan intent on invading and conquering Earth. The sequel is fully part of the trash vein, without a plot and with a series of fights that are not exactly exciting. Involuntarily comic thanks to a script not worthy of the name and a story full of inconsistencies and ridiculous dialogues. Almost complete re-cast for a forgettable film.
Street Fighter
The 90s and fighting video game movies have had a troubled history, as evidenced by the cinematic version of Street Fighter. The 1994 film is directed by Steven E. de Souza and stars Jean-Claude Van Damme, Raul Julia, Kilie Minogue and a very young Ming-Na Wen.
We all know history. General Bison reigns supreme in little Shadoloo and intends to make his kingdom a superpower. To do this, he has captured Western citizens and demanded a ransom from the United Nations, who will not stand by and instruct Colonel Guile to resolve the situation.
Costing $ 35 million, it grossed 100 million, but commercial success is hardly synonymous with a good movie and Street Fighter confirms it. Not only does the story get water on all sides, with dialogues and scenes bordering on the absurd, but also the fights are nothing exceptional. Same goes for the characters, to say the least two-dimensional. It is not enough to stage the protagonists of the videogame to have a compelling story. The only positive note is the interpretation of Raul Julia, to whom the film is dedicated since he died shortly after its completion.
Street Fighte r is a wrong film on many fronts, starting with its involuntary comedy and exaggeratedly chaotic. The easter eggs present and the final scene that sees the actors assume the typical poses of the characters are appreciable.
Not happy with what was done in 1994, fifteen years later the spin-off Street Fighter – La leggenda ( Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li ) arrives, a monographic film focused on the iconic Chinese videogame fighter. Playing her is Kristin Kreuk, Smallville’s Lana Lang.
A somewhat absurd film where Mr. Bison fights elegantly dressed, with fights that are anything but credible, actors wearing fake wigs and special effects that would make most movie fans shiver. Indefensible. Give us back Jackie Chan and her awesome parody in a scene from 1993’s City Hunter.
Super Mario Bros.
It was 1993 when Super Mario Bros. arrived in cinemas, a film inspired by the well-known videogame starring the plumber created by Nintendo. Directed by the duo Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel and starring the late Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo and Dennis Hopper, it was the first film based on a video game to be produced and the first major disappointment.
The film begins by speculating that the meteorite that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs actually gave birth to a parallel dimension where they were exiled. In order to return to Earth, their descendants must operate the meteorite, which however lacks a fragment, hidden on Earth. The story comes alive when paleontology student Daisy Toadstool finds strange dinosaur bones on a construction site. A discovery that will change his life and that of the plumber brothers Mario Mario and Luigi Mario. The three will find themselves in the parallel world inhabited by the descendants of the dinosaurs, where they will try to save Daisy and thwart the evil Koopa’s plan.
It was certainly not easy to make a film inspired by Super Mario Bros., but the 1993 film surpasses all the most pessimistic expectations thanks to a rather rambling story, from the cyberpunk context out of place and with events and dialogues to say the least absurd. A wrong film from the beginning and which according to the rumors saw the two protagonists always drunk and the script rewritten every day. On more than one occasion, Bob Hoskins has expressed his regret for taking part in it.
Despite a technical cast (the music is by Alan Silvestri) and an exceptional artistic cast, Super Mario Bros. is rightly among the 10 bad films taken from successful video games. Probably the worst made so far.
Double Dragon
Among the biggest disappointments of videogame films there is also Double Dragon, a 1994 film directed by James Yukich and starring the martial artist Mark Dacascos, Scott Wolf, alyssa Milano and Robert Patrick.
The story is set in 2007, in a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles where gangs and crime are king. In this reality move the brothers Jimmy and Billy Lee, martial arts experts. Their lives will change when the fearsome Koga Shuko discovers that the two are in possession of half of a mystical and powerful medallion created hundreds of years ago by the Chinese emperor. It will be up to the two brothers to defeat Shuko, reunite the medallion and restore peace to the city.
Take a cult video game with a (minimal) plot and do not take it into consideration at all but give life to a film with a story that is nothing short of imaginative and simplistic, with rather poor dialogue and amateur acting and you will get Double Dragon. A feature film with a lazy script and ridiculous fighting to say the least, where the post-apocalyptic setting is the only thing the film has in common with video games. Without doubt among the worst films ever made and among the 10 worst films based on successful video games. Almost thirty years later it has fully become a cult of the 90s trash.
DOA: Dead or Alive
Unfortunately it is a certainty, films based on martial arts video games always manage to disappoint. In 2007 this privilege went to DOA: Dead or Alive, a feature film directed by Corey Yuen and based on the well-known Tecmo videogame.
The story is very simple. Victor Donovan invites sixteen formidable fighters to participate in the DOA, the famous international martial arts tournament. The participants each represent a different discipline and were chosen for their skill. What they don’t know is that Donovan plans to create the perfect human weapon and that he will use the tournament participants to do so.
Although the plot of the film is inspired by video games, the bitter truth is that the screenplay brings to the screen a rather inconclusive and at times spooky story, with fights that would like to pay homage to the Chinese wuxia and Tarantino (specifically Kill Bill) but which are ridiculous and amateur, not to mention the nothing short of comic dialogue. Suitable for those who want to unplug for a couple of hours and have fun seeing a somewhat rambling product.
Tekken
In 1994 one of the most popular fighting games arrived on the videogame market: Tekken. Born as an arcade videogame and among the first titles available for Play Station, in 2009 it arrives at the cinema with the film of the same name, but the realization leaves a lot to be desired, which is why it could not miss in the list of 10 bad films taken from video games.
The story is set in a post-apocalyptic future where the world is ruled by various corporations. The most powerful is the Tekken, ruled by da Heihachi Mishima. To keep the peace, the corporation organizes every year the Iron Fiat, a martial arts tournament whose winner will have glory and prestige. Haihachi, however, did not deal with the ambition of his son Kazuya, who in turn was unaware that he had a son who was eager for revenge. Let the tournament begin.
Looking at Tekken from the first scene, you can sense the laziness with which the film was conceived. You pass the decision to twist the plot of the game (which is always interesting), but finding yourself in a post apocalyptic world where you do not understand anything about what is happening and with ridiculous chases with hard rock music in the background is too much. Just as the characterizations of the characters and their presentations are void. Emblematic is the character of Heihachi Mishima, who has the face of the veteran Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa and who presents a fake make-up that would make even the most inexperienced of cosplayers shiver.
A boring movie with an inconsistent story and not exactly irresistible fights, even if they are the best part. Project started badly and ended worse. A must see if you suffer from insomnia, it will surely help you.
Despite the failure of audiences and critics, the prequel Tekken 2: Kazuya’s Revenge arrives in 2014 and the result is even worse than the first film. A plot without rhyme or reason and inconsistent with its predecessor, bewildered actors and ridiculous fights. To all this must be added a meaningless love story. Inexplicable the title, which speaks of revenge without this being there in the least. Really unwatchable.
Max Payne
Among the 10 bad films taken from successful video games there is no doubt Max Payne, an action movie inspired by the game of the same name. Directed by John Moore ( Behind Enemy Lines ), the feature stars Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Beau Bridges, Olga Kurylenko, Ludacris, Chris O’Donnell and Donal Logue.
The film’s story follows that of the video game, and sees policeman Max Payne investigating the murder of his wife and daughter. Investigation that will make him become the target of both his colleagues, who hold him responsible for the killing of detective Alex Balder, and the criminal mind behind the sale of the powerful drug known as Valkyrie.
Although the plot of the film reflects a lot that of the videogame, Max Payne is proof that being faithful to the original product is not enough if at the base there is a script that leaks from all sides, bringing to the screen an inconclusive, banal and devoid of noteworthy twists. Not to mention the bad acting of the cast. The maximum penalty is for the spectator.
House of the Dead
When it comes to films based on video games, it is impossible not to mention the German director Uwe Boll, who between 2003 and 2008 directed seven films based on as many video games. Among these it is difficult not to mention House of Dead, inspired by the well-known SEGA videogame.
The story begins at the end, with Rudy recounting the incredible experience he just survived on Isla de la Muerte, the location chosen for a rave party. What no one could suspect is that the priest Castillo Hermano has lived on the island off the coast of Florida for about two hundred, condemned by Spain to exile for his experiments on immortality, who will attack the participants in the rave with his horde of zombies.
The film, dated 2003, is the classic lazy and meaningless zombie movie, devoid of a plot with a minimum of coherence or interest. What we are witnessing is the classic story of a group of kids – one-dimensional characters to say the least – who find themselves having to fight zombies (badly made) and a centenary mad scientist. As if that weren’t enough, there is no lack of involuntary comic scenes (such as the cubist in a dress that reproduces the US flag kicking zombies in the face) and senseless references to video games. A completely new plot is welcome, but one that makes some sense.
Given the bad result, obviously in 2005 comes the sequel / reboot Zombie Hunters (House of the Dead 2). Behind the camera this time is Michael Hurst. The success of the sequel is the same as the predecessor, a boring film, more than predictable and with absurd dialogues, scenes and characters, although it has at least a shred of plot. The funny thing is that it feels more like a transposition of Resident Evil than House of the Dead. Yawns assured.
Alone in the Dark
Uwe Boll is probably the proverbial cross (without delight) of any fan of horror, and of cinema in general. The German filmmaker is infamous for his bad films, including Alone in the Dark, an essential in the list of 10 bad films based on successful video games.
The protagonist of the story is the investigator of the paranormal Edward Carnby, who investigates the mysterious disappearances of children who grew up with him in an orphanage. At his side is the anthropologist Aline Cedrac, who will help him in the search for an ancient artifact capable of connecting the world with the Hereafter.
Although the film is inspired by the fourth videogame chapter, or Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare, it turns out to be a somewhat rambling mix of many genres, starting from the detective story with the voice of the protagonist off screen (here to say the least annoying), to supernatural action and above all to products like Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider. Not to mention the useless dialogue and rather boring action scenes. As often happens, it turns out to be involuntarily comical.
Not happy with the mess made, four years later Boll decides to produce the sequel whose story, however, has nothing to do with the previous chapter. The plot revolves around a cursed dagger and the witch who made it. As for the predecessor, here too the realization leaves much to be desired thanks to a story that is meaningless and devoid of a minimum of meaning. 90 minutes of continuous WTF – like all Uwe Boll films – that will leave the viewer speechless. In a far from positive way.
Assassin’s Creed
The list of 10 bad movies taken from successful video games can only end with one of the biggest recent disappointments of this trend: Assassin’s Creed. The film directed by Justin Kurzel and starring Michael Fassbender is the transposition of the well-known Ubisoft videogame, unfortunately, however, between saying and doing there is often a black hole in the middle.
The story stars the criminal Callum Lynch, who will discover that he is the descendant of Aguilar de Nerha, a member of the Order of Assassins who lived in 15th century Spain. Thanks to the Abstergo Indstries, man will relive Aguilar’s memories, with the aim of finding the Apple of Eden. The object has the power to bring peace to the world.
In 2016, the Australian director brought to the screen a film that decides to take the key elements of the videogame and build an original plot around them. The problem is that the story is somewhat confusing and boring, where there is too much talk and whose fights fail to arouse the slightest excitement.
A good cast is not enough to revive a film that has a bad script capable of giving life only to boredom and yawns. It is meant to be an action movie but looks like the LSD version of The Da Vinci Code. Yet another wasted opportunity.
