Holliday's Thoughts on: Video Game Movies · 2:03am Apr 20th, 2016
With all the talk (and release) of upcoming movies based on video games, it’s honestly a bit surprising.
Movies like Five Nights at Freddy’s, Ratchet and Clank, Angry Birds, and Warcraft are coming soon, I’ll admit I’ve been getting a bit jittery. I mean, video game movies really don’t have a good track record, when it comes to story, and sticking with the original source material (looking at you, Mario Brothers). Countless franchises haven’t found success in movie form, and with this resurgence in apparent interest in movies based on video games, I honestly don’t know how to feel.
On one hand, you get to see your favorite characters and places on screen, as all of the trailers for these upcoming movies appear to be sticking to their original source material. Or at least, what the movie will allow. Take Five Nights at Freddy’s, for instance. Scott Cawthon (the creator of the FNAF franchise) has been working with several people, to be sure that the movie comes out the way he wants it. For example- the animatronics are all going to be practical effects; no use of CG. Well, I suppose I can’t make that claim…they might use the CG to touch up the animatronics- give some mange or add some texture here or there? And, as much as movies use CG today? That’s going to be a welcome change for me, personally. Jurassic Park was so successful, because the dinosaurs looked real with practical effects, keeping up the illusion that there were actual dinosaurs running around the park.
On the other hand, I’m hoping that these movies aren’t going to be a result of directors like Uwe Boll exploiting international tax law. I’m glad that the movies back in the eighties and nineties didn’t totally kill the ‘video game’ genre. And it’s exciting to see effort (at least, animation-wise) put into these upcoming films. I suppose that what with all the interest in online gaming, and video gaming in general on the rise, it’d only make sense that the movie industry would try to keep up. I only hope that these upcoming movies don’t crash and burn, like say, Mortal Kombat or Mario Brothers. Unfortunately, that also means that these upcoming movies could possibly just be a cash-in, and the studios don’t give a damn about the content of the movie.
So, I hope you can see why I’m concerned, and excited. The success of these movies could mean more, down the line. Just so long as it’s moderated, just like anything else (not five movies, like the Scary Movie franchise). I’d love to see more ahead, and I hope these are going to be some quality films.
Can't talk about the others since I'm not a fan of those, but the Ratchet & Clank movie actually seems like they might have nailed it.
I mean, the actual voice actors reprising their roles? Is there even a precedent for that instead of getting whoever happens to be the hot actor of the moment?
Sadly don't think it will be showing anywhere near me this side of 2017, but I'm definitely catching it when it does.
Well, you look at Video Game Movies (VGM) from the past and they were horribad.
But I expect the Ratchet and Clank and upcoming Sly Cooper movies to be good because they're being made with the direct assistance of the people who made the games.
Also, the Ratchet and Clank movie is quite pointedly only BASED on the game and is told from Captain Qwark's perspective, so yes, it's intentionally not going to follow the game.
Furthermore, if you're thinking it's the VGM to the game that came out today, you're wrong. The Ratchet and Clank movie is based on the 2002 game and the new game is based on the movie.
I'm only upset that I have to wait till tomorrow to pick up my copy.
3882554 Is that so? I hadn't realized! That's pretty neat!
3882600 Which part hadn't you realised?
3882616 That the movie is based on the 2002 game, instead of the new game.
3882642 If you watched the trailers for the new game, it says to get the game based on the movie inspired by the game.
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