It is a truth universally acknowledged that a film in possession of a video game basis must be in want of a bad review. Why the Pride and Prejudice reference? Well, I want to demonstrate something – just because you can put two things together, doesn’t mean you should. Case in point – the film based upon a video game. This is a genre that according to more than 20 years of proof, doesn’t work. But just where do these films go wrong? In almost all cases, it comes down to the plot.
The first, and arguably most infamous of the lot was the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie. The main problem? The majority of Super Mario plots consist of him saving the same princess from the 
same guy eight times. It’s not exactly going to be The Shawshank Redemption; and soon as you have to start developing those characters to make a full length film, you start to mould them into something they’re not. Combine this with some truly bewildering visual choices (seriously, you call the image on the right a Goomba?!) and you can see why this film has a bad reputation. Meanwhile, games with a slightly more defined plot such as Mortal Kombat (1995) end up being melodramatic, dark films. The original product involved a far campier plot, one that wouldn’t have translated as well to film because part of its appeal is translated through gameplay.
The best of the bunch is probably the recent Angry Birds Movie (2016), perhaps because it has the lightest plot of all. You don’t see the red angry bird pursuing a princess in the game. Then again, this adaptation was also a generic kid’s film that arguably only really provided the genre with the cheapest, most money-grabbing potential.
Then come games that are too plot heavy. Unless sequels are guaranteed, filmmakers are required to either cut out large elements of the plot or risk weighing the entire film down with it. The latter seemed to be the case with the 2016 Warcraft film. The Warcraft lore and mythology is integrated, and filmmakers do their damnedest to fit into the film. It’s been purported that fans of the game were at the very least impressed by how accurate the film was. But when it came down to it, the film was still considered bulky and derivative.
And what about the games with that perfect amount of plot, just enough that it even starts to surpass gameplay both in quality and priority? In the wake of releases like Until Dawn and many of those from Telltale, an indie company that seems to be owning that “choose your own adventure” style of gaming, people are beginning to joke how much games are becoming like “interactive movies”. And that’s what it all comes down to; there would be no point adapting these kinds of games.
That’s the reason games with simple clichéd plots like Super Mario still have success. It might be about little more than a plumber rescuing his princess – But you get to be that plumber. Nevertheless, it’s now undeniably common knowledge that video games are big business, and Hollywood will likely continue to convert these opportunities. My point is, don’t be surprised if we see a Disney Crossy Road movie.
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