Video game movies are finally starting to get good after decades of trying, but there are plenty of adaptations of classic games that practically no one remembers. Gaming has come a long way in only five decades, and video games have blossomed from simple pixels on a blank screen to cinematic adventures with state-of-the-art graphics.

Because of their popularity, Hollywood wanted to get in on the action, and wasted little time producing a handful of misguided video game movies. Early failures like 1993’s Super Mario Bros. proved that the industry just wasn’t ready, and gaming films would languish for decades as they tried to find their footing.

Even successful gaming movies like Resident Evil were a hollow shell of their source material, and it wasn’t until the 2020s that video game movies began properly paying homage to their inspirations. Despite constant disappointments, video game movies have been released at a steady clip since the ’80s, and many of them have been almost completely forgotten.

10

Wing Commander (1999)

The Wing Commander series helped to revolutionize the space flight simulator genre, and was one of the most popular PC gaming franchises of the ’90s. A 1999 eponymous film seemed like a sure-fire hit, but the Freddie Prinze Jr. and Matthew Lillard vehicle failed to take flight. It got abysmal reviews and was a box office disaster to boot.

Bringing such a popular, but still very niche, property to the mainstream was a big mistake, and Wing Commander didn’t stand a chance with general audiences. The production value was lackluster, and it was a bit too steeped in its own lore. Even great performers like Lillard and David Warner couldn’t save a gaming movie that was DOA.

9

Tekken (2009)

Despite their razor-thin plots, fighting games have always been popular fodder for video game movies. Tekken might not be as famous as Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter, but it’s a big enough franchise to warrant a film. However, the 2009 adaptation was not what most were hoping for, and largely fell flat compared to the bombastic games.

The decision to cut out the supernatural elements and comedy was the movie’s biggest mistake, and its attempts at realism were mostly boring. The fight scenes were excellently crafted, but without a compelling story to back them up, they have no stakes or emotion. Tekken has since gotten other adaptations that opted for an animated style instead of live-action.

8

Ratchet & Clank (2016)

Animated films always seem like the most logical medium to adapt popular video games, but movies like Ratchet & Clank disprove that theory. Based on the eponymous action platforming series, the 2016 film maintained the visuals of the games and brought back all the beloved cast members. While it should have been a recipe for success, it was a dud.

A lack of widespread appeal and poor marketing gave Ratchet & Clank a tough hill to climb, and most audiences just weren’t interested. The animation looked cheap compared to Disney and DreamWorks, and it didn’t try hard enough to appeal to viewers outside the fanbase. It was a noble attempt, but ultimately a misguided effort all around.

7

Werewolves Within (2021)

Perhaps the most obscure video game to ever get a movie adaptation, 2021’s Werewolves Within is more famous than its source material. The game itself employs a Mafia-like approach, with one player concealing the fact that they are the werewolf. The movie ignored almost every part of the original game, and just kept the basic framework of lycanthropy.

The Sam Richardson and Milana Vayntrub film may have slipped by unnoticed, but Werewolves Within holds the distinction of being the highest-rated video game movie ever on Rotten Tomatoes. Source material changes aside, it’s a fun little horror comedy with strong writing and witty performances. It’s barely a gaming movie, but it deserves attention.

6

Monster Hunter (2020)

Milla Jovovich and her husband, Paul W.S. Anderson, have been an acting/directing force in the video game movie sphere for years, but Monster Hunter couldn’t live up to the success of Resident Evil. The fantasy action gaming series was practically begging for a movie adaptation, but the 2020 feature was a lazy attempt to capture the larger world.

Though the visual effects were nice to look at, the plot was bare bones and uninspired, and Jovovich sleepwalks her way through a role that had no depth whatsoever. Monster Hunter is a franchise beloved by gamers, but not as well-known to the average viewer. That’s probably why the movie was a box office bomb, even though reviews were middling.

5

House Of The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ (2003)

Uwe Boll has helmed numerous video game movies, but House of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ was his first. The 1996 rail-shooter was a successful Resident Evil clone, and spawned its own zombie franchise. The games didn’t give the 2003 film much to work with, but House of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ is still one of the worst movies of all time.

With a convoluted script and amateurish production, it wasn’t just a disservice to the games, but to film itself. It isn’t an adaptation of any particular game, and is really only loosely connected to its namesake. Unlike other gaming movies which cater to gamers a little too closely, House of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ seems to have contempt for them.

4

Double Dragon (1994)

If style points counted for anything, Double Dragon would be a much better gaming movie. The ’80s beat ’em up series was still popular in the mid-1990s, but it didn’t give filmmakers a ton to work with when crafting a script. As such, the film is an over-the-top spectacle set in a post-apocalyptic world that is dripping with mid-’90s cheese.

The fight scenes are well-crafted, but the story is absurd and goofy, and the creative choices are baffling. Robert Patrick gives a truly hammy performance as the villain, and the childish storytelling pushes things just a bit too far into silly territory. Double Dragon has since become a cult classic, largely because of how odd it is.

3

Far Cry (2008)

Now one of the most successful game franchises of the 21st century, Far Cry was still new when director Uwe Boll made the film in 2008. Though better than some of his other gaming movies, Boll’s fingerprints are all over the movie, and it is one of the most unambitious stabs at a gaming adaptation in movie history.

The Far Cry franchise offers a lot of opportunities, and an original story didn’t need to be a death sentence. However, it’s dull and boring, and it feels more like the framework of a film than a finished product. Clearly, nobody involved cared about the games, and Boll’s efforts were rewarded with terrible reviews and bad box office numbers.

2

Need For Speed (2014)

The modern era of Hollywood video game movies is still somewhat new, but 2014’s Need for Speed was one of the first inklings of what was to come. The Aaron Paul film is far from great, but it delivers on what the тιтle promises, and at least tried to pull a convincing story from the racing games.

Reviews aside, the movie was a box office hit that grossed over $200 million. Need for Speed hearkens back to the early days of the Fast and Furious franchise, where cars and racing were still center stage. It’s an unabashedly silly movie, and it probably would have been an even bigger hit had it premiered a few years later.

1

BloodRayne (2005)

BloodRayne was one of those flash-in-the-pan gaming franchises that was popular briefly, but that didn’t stop Uwe Boll from making a movie in 2005. The action game casts the player as a vampire who protects humanity from supernatural threats, and it had plenty of clever ideas to support a feature film.

The entire experience is awkward and clunky, though established stars like Ben Kingsley and Michelle Rodriguez add some effort. The biggest problem with the video game movie, besides the script, is the lack of budget. BloodRayne could have used a major Hollywood adaptation, and the money could have made up for its lackluster quality.