There are probably a few reasons for this—thin and predictable plots along with flat and wooden characters. However, the primary reason; movies take the player out of the equation. Films require one to sit down and be quiet, and the division will always be there, unless movies become interactive, and sometimes I just want to sit and eat popcorn. Movies are movies, and games are games.
Of course there have been some really good movies out there which have been based after games. Silent Hill was a pretty creepy winner, the Resident Evil franchise seems to be working, and while there are a lot of Tomb Raider haters out there, Lara Croft, played by the beautuful Angelina Jolie, has created quite a few ticket sales.
Another contestant worth mentioning is games created after movies, and they too, usually suck. Sadly, most video games based after movies are damned before they're started, simply because the game has to ship when the movie comes out. This is a juggling act that few can accomplish. However, a good example of a game based after a movie which didn't suck might be The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay.
Escape from Butcher Bay was not just a great game, but it secured the possibility for future successes in this area, and that's a good thing for gamers who love movies! It also helped that Vin Diesel had his hand in the game development process of Butcher Bay, because, I hear he loves games (having his own game development company and all).
Which brings me to the reason I think gamers should be the ones who define GameGen fiction (write game stories, novels, scripts, produce games, gaming music, and GameGen films), not clueless businesspeople whose experience with games ended in the 1980s. I think this is the most important thing we need to consider when trying to understand both the sucesses and failures of both gaming movies, or movie games. Who produces the best game movies and movie games, and why are they so good? Well, of course I know why, I (or we) just need to help the business people understand why.
Unless a creator, writer, director, artist, or whoever, actually understands (and plays) video games, there's a good chance that they'll screw up whatever they're trying to produce (AND LOSE MONEY)! It's the classic "out of touch" dynamic which makes parents seem like such losers when they try to be cool for their kids.
It's like talking about a music group to people when you don't actually like or even listen to that particular music group. Game movies or movie games produced by people who neither love nor play video games usually come off as incincere and patronizing, and gamers aren't stupid.
And here's a note that you may never hear anywhere else: Even though Peter Jackson's King Kong did less than spectacular at the box office, and the accompanying video game was not even discussed in gaming circles (at least none that I read), King Kong "the game" was possibly one of the most engaging and fun video games I've ever played! I'm totally serious!
Why? Because Jackson had his hand in producing the game, and he is not only one of the most talented directors in Hollywood, but he implicitly both loves, plays, and understands video games! Are you getting me here? He's one of us! If you never bothered to play Peter Jackson's King Kong, The Official Game of the Movie, you really should before all the copies are gone! It's awesome! Thanks Peter!
I think people like Vin Diesel and Peter Jackson probably understand games better than the rest of Hollywood, because they have their feet in both worlds, and this is what it's going to take for the winds of change to take effect.
Perhaps it's also the reason that game developers, and gamers who have little film experience produce such poor game movies. It's not that they don't understand games, it's that they don't clearly understand what makes a good film. I'd give examples, but I don't want to discourage my game developing brothers, I'll simply say that you need to take a few film classes, or at least pay closser attention to the classics.
The list of game movies is quite extensive, and most of the movies earn a B or less (mostly Ds and Fs, but some get an E for effort).
When will the real good game movies start coming out? When one or more things happen: 1) Either Hollywood starts playing games (some already do), and or, 2) when gamers mature and learn how to write, direct, and produce.
Actually, (and I may get shot with a railgun for this one) I think the problem is motivation.
The gamers who truly understand games may never try to go to college to learn how to write or learn how to make movies. Why? Probably because they're too busy gaming! (Ya bunch of lazy-ass frag monkeys!) And the people making money in Hollywood who could change things on the screen, are too busy making money to play a few video games to understand what it is that gamers might like. So, in the end, we may seldom see game movies worthy of our time. Unless Vin and Peter join forces.
However, I do think there are some gamers out there who may change things. I met a few kids in one of my scriptwriting classes who would like to change things. If you are one of those people, if you have this same vision to change the world, if you want to jump on the GameGen bandwagon, PLEASE! Jump aboard! It may mean a little homework. You may have to put your game controller down for a few minutes, but there's plenty of room! Pick any seat you like! I can use the company.
For a full listing (so far) of really bad game movies, and a few gems, go to:
Wikipedia: List of films based on video games
Wade Buffington
