Which usually turns out worse? A movie based on a video game or a video game based on a movie?

[smithy1234]

I have noticed a lot of different movies that are made after popular video games such as Doom and Tomb Raider and I've noticed A TON of games that are based on movies such as Kung Fu Panda and Enter the Matrix. I would like to know your opinion on this, which do you believe usually turns out to be worse. A movie based on a video game or a video game based on a movie?

I decided not to make this a poll, there's a little too many of those right now.

 

[fix-the-spade]

That's like comparing a chemical burn to temperature burn.

Which would you rather have?

 

[Rankao]

Shouldn't this be a poll?

Traditionally it is thought that movie based games are bad (Although there are several exceptions)

and game based movies are bad... almost always (I will take it back when you name one to prove me wrong)

That's like comparing a chemical burn to temperature burn.

Which would you rather have?

Temperature burn. Chemical burn might have other side effects.

 

[smithy1234]

That's like comparing a chemical burn to temperature burn.

Which would you rather have?

Well it's a question you've got to think about. temperature by the way lol

 

[sirdanrhodes]

Look, they will never mix, end off.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

Well we have had some luck in the Movie to Videogame field what with things like...

Chronicles of Riddick
Spongebob Squarepants Movie Videogame (they're supposed to be exceptionally good for kids)
Lord of the Rings: The Third Age and the two Beat Em Up tie ins.

However we have yet to see a good Videogame to Movie adaptation.

 

[smithy1234]

However we have yet to see a good Videogame to Movie adaptation.

Gears of War movie is supposed to be in the making, we'll have to see about that one.

 

[Balgus]

i havent played any of the recent one but the spiderman series had some good games

 

[Darkwolf9]

Batman on the NES!

seriously there both bad, generally speaking of course.

 

[SimuLord]

Batman on the NES was an example of a movie game that didn't suck. There have been a few other solid movie-to-game conversions but it has never worked the other way around.

 

[Impreza_AWD]

I equate making a video game into a movie like making a cartoon live action: Don't do it.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Well it's a question you've got to think about. temperature by the way lol

In that case, films of game are temperature burns, they're awful but at least they're cheap to see and you can cool it off with lots of beer.

Games of films, with a few notable exceptions, are chemical burns. After the initial sting of your £40+ you get the enduring agony having to sit and play the thing for perhaps five or six hours before you feel it's exhausted all possibility of good. Then there's no guarantee of effective treatment at the end (Store refund policies being what they are).

 

[FireFly90]

However we have yet to see a good Videogame to Movie adaptation.

Oh I don't know about that, I thought Tombraider was quite good, the first one anyway the sencond wasn't so good.

It doesn't really matter anyway, as theres always a few exeptions to the rule.

 

[hamster mk 4]

Movies based on games tend to stink more. It is harder to encapsulate a 10+ hour interactive experience into a 1.5 hour non interactive experience than the other way round. Still both are just ways of making a cheep buck off some one else's hard work.

 

[Corven]

Movie based video games have a higher chance of not outright sucking compared to a movie based off of video games, It's always been my experience that I enjoy movies based on games if I have never played the game or know anything about the games storyline.

 

[L4Y Duke]

Game-based movies suck more, though arguing between the two is pretty much a lose-lose situation.

 

[Jamash]

That's like comparing a chemical burn to temperature burn.

Which would you rather have?

Well it's a question you've got to think about. temperature by the way lol

I'd go for temperature burn too. They can leave some cool looking scars, whereas chemical burns just look nasty.

Back on topic, I'd say movies based on games have a higher chance of turning out bad, since the choice of actor(s) for the main character(s) often pale in comparison to your own personal experience & interpretation of that character as a gamer.

Case in point, Hitman. Who here can honestly say they found Timothy Oliphant's 47 as cool as the Agent 47 they'd played in the games?
The same is probably true for Mark Whalberg as Max Payne, but I haven't seen it.

Similarly, I didn't like the 2004 Punisher film much, mainly because I'd been playing the PS2 game for about a month before I saw the film, so for me Thomas Jane's performance as The Punisher was shit & completely pussified compared my own experience of him, having played through the game numerous times.

When you play a video game, you always imprint or project some of your own personality onto the main character, and films adaptations always ruin that.

 

[EeveeElectro]

It depends.

I love the Silent Hill games and movie. I love the Resident Evil games but thought the movies were atrocious.
If it's a good production team, then it's all gravy with me.