The best and worst TV shows and movies based on games
I'll go ahead and say it. We're in a bit of a gaming revolution. What was once a widely recognized fact — video games make terrible adaptations has recently been tested through popular series like HBO's The Last of US and Netflix's Arcane: League of Legends. For gamers like myself, this gives hope that maybe some of our favorite titles will finally get the attention and dedication they deserve, but until then, now's the perfect time to explore and take note of some of the best and worst game adaptations in TV and movies I've seen over the years.
The Worst: Max Payne
This one is going first on my list, and what a disappointment! I remember seeing this in theaters and being plenty amped as Max Payne was a game I played religiously throughout my high school years. The first problem was... Mark Wahlberg, now, I'm a fan of him as an actor, but this was miscast. The second, this story, felt like they just took some random revenge thriller script in the back somewhere and slapped the name "Max Payne" On it. Unfortunately, the audience was the only one feeling the pain (see what I did there?).
The Best: Tomb Raider (2001)
I remember when this first came out in theaters, thinking, "DAMN!" Angelina Jolie was brilliantly cast as Lara Croft. In many regards, This movie started the millennium by showing a video game movie can be financially successful. Okay... So, the reviews were mediocre, and that accent goes in and out. Arguably the 2018 reboot is much better... but Tomb Raider 2001 was a product of its time! It was fun and sexy, didn't ask much of its audience, and successfully brought Lara to a broader audience!
The Worst: Assassin's Creed
This movie sucked! How did they get talents like Michael Fassbender, and Marion Cotillard involved in this project? Assassin's Creed is such a rich and exciting world! Playing through history, secret wars, leaps of faith, and assassinations! So, how did they manage to make a movie that was ultimately... boring!
The Best: Arcane: League of Legends
The lore is captivating, even if you're not a fan of the game. Arcane incorporates fleshed-out characters, beautiful animations, and an emotional story that will make you think, damn, is this what the hype over that game was all about?!
The Worst: Super Mario Brothers (1993)
I've mixed feelings on this because I loved this movie as a child, but adult me thinks this is one of the worst adaptations I've ever seen! It's too bad this movie is silly, has little to do with the plot of Mario, and those goombas looked creepy! It's unfortunate because talents like John Leguizamo, Bob Hoskins, Dennis Hopper, and Samantha Mathis (my 90's girlfriend) probably thought this was a great idea given the buzz around the game in 93.
The Best: The Last of Us
I've already spoken about how great the Last of Us is, but it shows how far we've come in storytelling and game adaptation. Granted TLOU story is already a masterpiece and translates well to the TV, but incorporating actors from the game into the show and getting Neil Druckman, The writer of the game, to write for the TV Show were all clear wins that have led to a great series.
Obviously, there are so many great adaptations I've left out of this list: Sonic, Resident Evil, Detective Pikachu, and some real stinkers too! (looking at you, Warcraft), but while the revolution commences, let's hope future adaptions take note from the Last of Us.
💬 What are some of the best and worst game adaptations you've seen? Let me know in the comment section!
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