Why are movies based on video game always terrible?

[DrCosmic]

I new Warcraft wasnxt going to do too well.

As a non-fan I didn't see much mainstream appeal.

I think they could have really rocked it as a Marvel-like LOTR. The lore is pretty heavy, all you need is to sell the war in a way that's compelling, and ground your hero units just enough to make them as fun to see fight as it is to pull them out.

But, as has been said, you have to have played Warcraft to get that.

 

[Mandon Knight]

If The Last of Us was adapted well enough, this could all change. For that to adapt well, you'd have to bring The Road meets Walking Dead. Plus get quality casting in lead roles exactly right.

 

[Arachnerd]

If The Last of Us was adapted well enough, this could all change. For that to adapt well, you'd have to bring The Road meets Walking Dead. Plus get quality casting in lead roles exactly right.

The Last Of Us is getting adapted.

It's called Logan.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

The Last Of Us is getting adapted.

It's called Logan.

I was thinking the same thing when I first saw the Logan trailer.

 

[metaphysician]

When I mean "taking the material seriously", I don't mean doing a serious movie based on the material. I mean, looking on the source material as something worthy of respect as a creative work. Something where you need to dive into it, and understand how it works, why it works, and why people like it. Then, with that understanding, you construct a movie based on it, putting all due effort into all the aspects of movie-making: casting, writing, directing, etc.

Movies like Warcraft and Assassins Creed fail this test, because while the movies aren't farces, its clear the people making them don't respect the source material. There's none of the loving interest in figuring out how things work, and effort into making them work on screen. Just waves and waves of facile content, attempting to make a movie by throwing names and images on screen without any real effort to understand what they mean.

 

[Isildur´s Heir]

The Last of Us, Tomb Raider, Uncharted... They all have potential. It's just about respecting the story and character drama, and not just adapting the gameplay.

Tons of games could be turned into great movies or tv shows.
But i agree what you said about respecting story and characters, but some changes need to be done as well, since it's impossible to make a 2 hour movie with a single character running around doing stuff.

The point is to understand the game, characters and story to know what to change, what to add, and how to do it without ruining it in the process.

 

[MAN O STEEL]

I absolutely love the first and second Resident Evil films, the first Silent Hill movie, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter and Tomb Raider. I watch those films on a yearly basis. So for me I've had my fill of what I call, decent video game adaptions. I'm as happy as a clam.

 

[DrCosmic]

Tons of games could be turned into great movies or tv shows.
But i agree what you said about respecting story and characters, but some changes need to be done as well, since it's impossible to make a 2 hour movie with a single character running around doing stuff.

The point is to understand the game, characters and story to know what to change, what to add, and how to do it without ruining it in the process.

Assassin's Creed as a TV show would absolutely rock my universe. My gosh...

Tomb Raider couldn't hurt either.

 

[2kt09]

When I mean "taking the material seriously", I don't mean doing a serious movie based on the material. I mean, looking on the source material as something worthy of respect as a creative work. Something where you need to dive into it, and understand how it works, why it works, and why people like it. Then, with that understanding, you construct a movie based on it, putting all due effort into all the aspects of movie-making: casting, writing, directing, etc.

Movies like Warcraft and Assassins Creed fail this test, because...

I can't speak for Assassin's Creed. If Warcraft had a more digestible screenplay, chances there would have been more domestic attendees. The movie definitely played out like the real-time strategy it's based on. As it stands...unpopular opinion incoming...it's somehow the best "Tolkien movie" I've seen since Return of the King, which is absolutely what a Warcraft film should strive to be.

 

[Isildur´s Heir]

Assassin's Creed as a TV show would absolutely rock my universe. My gosh...

Tomb Raider couldn't hurt either.

I can't see Tomb Raider as a tv show.
Assassin's Creed...i can see the merit in both movie and tv show.

The main difference between movie and tv show is that movies excels as a spectacle, with all it's grandeur, way better than a tv show.
TV shows are better for character development, since you have more time to do so. And the fact that you see the characters on a weekly basis helps.

Both can be great on both accounts, but this is their main strenghts in comparison.