The Top 10 Greatest Video Game Movies

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The Top 10 Greatest Video Game Movies
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Historically, when the phrase ‘based on a video game’ appeared on a movie poster, it would draw groans from lovers of both cinema and console classics. Despite being two of the dominant forms of entertainment in the last 30 years, these art forms have often struggled to collaborate, resulting in infamous flops such as 1993’s Super Mario Bros. movie, or 2016’s Assassin’s Creed. Over the years, however, some filmmakers have managed to get the balance right, capturing the spirit of a gaming classic in many recent cinematic adventures. Here are a few of our favourites that prove the term ‘video game movie’ is no longer something to be sneered at…

By Victoria Luxford

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The Top 10 Greatest Video Game Movies.
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Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) – One of the few big-budget films to get a cinema release this year, Sonic the Hedgehog had a hard row to hoe. Fans were aghast at the main character’s original design in the trailer, causing a three-month delay while Sonic was tweaked to appear more like his original self. When it eventually arrived in February, the result was an entertaining road movie that felt like a ‘90s comedy throwback – not least because of Jim Carrey’s madcap appearance as villain Dr. Robotnik. A fun film that does justice to a pop culture icon.

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The Top 10 Greatest Video Game Movies.
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Mortal Kombat (1995) – While not exactly a masterpiece of cinema, Mortal Kombat was a likeable action movie that, for a while, held the distinction of being the most successful ‘video game movie’ ever. A bigger hit critically and commercially than the previous year’s Street Fighter: The Movie, this dark and violent story of a fighting tournament captured the grim appeal of the game, and has gone on to become a cult classic as well as spawning a sequel, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997). Its shaky computer effects and animatronics feel dated today, but it has enough camp charisma to make it onto this list.

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The Top 10 Greatest Video Game Movies.
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The Angry Birds Movie (2016) – It seemed like the strangest pitch ever: an animated film based on the mobile game Angry Birds, which itself is about throwing birds at green pigs. As it turns out, the game’s lack of plot allowed the filmmakers more freedom to craft a charming story about a, well, angry bird (voiced by Jason Sudeikis) who must save his island from invading pigs. A silly but enormously fun family flick, the film’s refusal to take itself seriously is part of its magic. The sequel wasn’t quite as accomplished, but this first instalment stands as one of the more pleasant surprises of the past decade.

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The Top 10 Greatest Video Game Movies.
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Resident Evil (2002) – The first video game movie to inspire a Hollywood franchise, Milla Jovovich and Michelle Rodriguez starred in this impressive first film, as a band of commandos trying to prevent the spread of a deadly virus. Inspired by parts of the first two Resident Evil games, it had all the action and horror thrill makings of a huge hit – leading to five sequels and over $1 billion in box office receipts. Director Paul WS Anderson, who helmed four of the films, has discussed how the game’s camera angles and certain shots have directly influenced what we saw on screen.

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The Top 10 Greatest Video Game Movies.
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Indie Game: The Movie (2012) – Most of the films on this list are inspired by games, but documentary Indie Game: The Movie looks at the people who make them. Following four developers at various stages of their passion projects, the documentary is a focused examination of what it takes to achieve your dreams – the doubts, the dedication, the frustrations and the success that all of them crave, although even that comes with its price. A portrait of creativity and devotion to their art, Indie Game: The Movie might make you look at your weekend gaming session a little bit differently.

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The Top 10 Greatest Video Game Movies.
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Detective Pikachu (2019) – The Pokemon series is already a vastly successful universe of TV shows and movies, but special consideration should be given to this action-comedy that takes its most beloved character, Pikachu, and gives him the sarcastic voice of Ryan Reynolds. Set in a world where Pokemon and humans live side-by-side, the film plays as a kind of modern Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, full of laughs and references that both newcomers and lovers of the games will enjoy. It may not be entirely faithful to its source material, but it captures the spirit of the franchise beautifully.

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The Top 10 Greatest Video Game Movies.
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Tomb Raider (2018) – Tomb Raider and its hero, Lara Croft, became a symbol of the 1990s when the game first burst onto the new PlayStation console. Given the games’ inspiration from films such as the Indiana Jones series, a cinema adaptation seemed like a sure thing, with Angelina Jolie starring in two movies in the early 2000s that were financially successful, but not fondly remembered. A couple of years ago, Oscar winner Alicia Vikander stepped into the role for a more grounded origin story, with extra grit to coincide with the evolution of the video game series. A sequel is currently in production, and looks to kick off a future hit franchise.

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The Top 10 Greatest Video Game Movies.
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Rampage (2018) – Younger viewers may not even know this film is based on a video game; Rampage was a 1980s arcade hit, where you play as a monster attacking a city. Like Angry Birds, the game’s simplicity meant that the film could mostly go its own way. In this case, it featured a hulking primatologist (Dwayne Johnson) who teams up with a giant albino gorilla to prevent other giant animals from wrecking a city. Yes, it’s not the most intricate storytelling, but the blockbuster’s destructive entertainment captures the fun chaos of its arcade inspiration.

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The Top 10 Greatest Video Game Movies.
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The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007) – A documentary about a seminal game in history – Donkey Kong – and the competition to be the best at playing it. Following the rivalry between humble challenger Steve Wiebe and flashy champion Billy Mitchell, as the former tries to break the game’s all-time record, this film investigates the egos and controversies that come with infamy, playing out like a sports movie. The quiet devotion of these arcade enthusiasts is summed up in the film’s most quoted line, where Mitchell’s friend and cheerleader Brian Kuh timidly declares: “If anybody wants to see, there’s a Donkey Kong kill screen coming up”.

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The Top 10 Greatest Video Game Movies.
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Wreck-It Ralph (2012) – We end on a film that’s not based on a particular video game, but is inspired instead by the entire history of the medium. With cameos from the likes of Sonic the Hedgehog, Pac-Man and Street Fighter’s Ryu, we enter a Toy Story-like world of sentient video game characters, and an arcade villain (John C Reilly) who wants to be the hero of his own story. With characters inspired by hits of various generations of consoles, Disney brings to life the fun and creativity that come from enjoying your favourite games of any era.

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The Top 10 Greatest Video Game Movies

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