Video game adaptations have a hard time. Too many failed representatives of this cinematic sub-genre have contributed to the fact that with every new announcement, eyebrows are raised skeptically at first. But why are there so many bad adaptations of our favorite games? I will try to find some reasons for this below.
What is the value of a video game adaptation? Or in other words: What justifies the existence of a film that rarely offers more, but in most cases offers less than the interactive original? Because the one thing that distinguishes the game from the film is that very interactivity. The game allows us to take control, make more or less free choices, and thus shape the story of our protagonists.
In film, it’s different. We have to content ourselves with being viewers (and staying that way, even if there are attempts to establish interactive films, see Black Mirror – Bandersnatch).
Once a game is adapted into a film, it therefore loses its greatest strength. This already poses a significant problem for most films of this kind. They don’t know how to compensate meaningfully for the lack of interactivity. A good adaptation is characterized by setting its own impulses and cleverly playing to the strengths of the film medium.
The Problem with Gameplay
That’s why gameplay is so hard to translate to the big screen: A commonly occurring problem in video game adaptations is the makers’ urge to show as many gameplay elements as possible that viewers know from the underlying game on screen. Following the motto: Do you remember this item? Do you remember how you used that special combat skill? You are aware that you spend most of your time in the game running over rooftops, right?
Just because it’s a lot of fun to do the latter in Assassin’s Creed, doesn’t mean that it’s enjoyable to watch for a long time in the film of the same name. Instead, one should have focused on an exciting story in this case, but finding one takes a long time. The conflict between Templars and Assassins would provide enough potential for an exciting story, yet the film quickly sinks into a sea of action clichés and, over the years, into oblivion.
To mention a positive example of cleverly integrated gameplay, I’ll stretch a bit and refer to Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Why you should definitely not miss the film has been summarized for you by my colleague Benedikt Schlotmann.
Technically speaking, this is not a video game adaptation, but the film still has to deal with the complex rules of a pen-and-paper system – and does so with flying colors. Elegantly integrated into the plot and the actions of the protagonists, it never gives the impression that well-known spells, combat moves, or the like are merely included for their own sake. Instead, everything feels plausible and makes sense. The audience gets the impression of attending an actual D&D session, complete with quirky ideas and spontaneous plans from the hero group. The film is also an exemplary model in terms of storytelling.
Have you seen the D&D film? Here you can take a look at the trailer:
Did someone say story?
Some video game adaptations show a notable fear. It’s the fear of straying too far from the source material. Whether one bows before their own ideas or the mob of angry fans is open to debate, in the end, it’s the lack of courage that makes many adaptations simply boring.
Often, cinematic means are used to show what we already know. This often falls into the category of “fan service,” which alone does not make a good film.
It would be nice if more films understood the game and its universe merely as a foundation to then create something of their own from it. A new, fresh story along with interesting characters. A positive example in this regard is once again Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Or the Netflix series Arcane, which does not leave League of Legends newbies like me completely clueless, but presents a fascinating world including exciting characters, additionally in an innovatively cinematic guise.
With that, Arcane does exactly what Warcraft: The Beginning fails to do. Namely, to provide context to audiences who are unfamiliar with the gaming universe. The series wants to welcome everyone into its world, while the Blizzard film repeatedly leaves non-initiates standing in the rain.
Translating the story of a game directly into a film can work, though. For example, in the adaptation of The Last of Us. What makes the series special is explained by Leya Jankowski in her own article.
Fundamentally important here is that it is a game whose story is already strong in itself and is told in a cinematic way. The Last of Us is inherently better suited for adaptation than Super Mario.
Easter eggs are more curse than blessing
Yes, I’m looking at you, Super Mario. The Italian plumber is notoriously part of one of the most absurd game adaptations ever. The year was 1993 and the film was a fever dream. Instead of a colorful mushroom kingdom, there were dystopia-like backdrops, creepy masks, and bad acting. The target audience was clearly missed. However, this year Nintendo achieved a great triumph from a financial perspective. The Super Mario Bros. Movie quickly became the most successful video game film of all time.
Even the trailer shows the intricate details of the settings. They are filled with Easter eggs, a characteristic of many game adaptations, and in my opinion, not necessarily a good one. Don’t get me wrong: One or the other Easter egg can indeed enrich a film.
But when a film offers little more than reminding us wryly of the source material and the associated experiences, the question about its justification arises again.
Even a film like Ready Player One, which, although it does not adapt a game, quotes many games and stages its action scenes like video games, can offer little more than a ton of Easter eggs, garnished with a weak story.
If the underlying story or universe is too weak in terms of storytelling, as is the case with Super Mario, a film adaptation makes little sense given that film is a narrative medium.
Courage and competence of those responsible
Translating a game into a film is not an easy task. As mentioned earlier, it requires some courage to leave behind the well-trodden paths and to dare something new. Often, it already fails in this respect during the conception phase, for example because producers of large studios do not dare to invest large sums and take the risk. If they do dare, they lack a willingness to take artistic risks.
Artistic courage is always a risk at the box office. Innovative directors are therefore rarely allowed to work on these projects. It’s no coincidence that adaptations of Bioshock by Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean) have failed.
Many video game adaptations, especially older ones, are known for their sometimes disastrous quality. Not only was there a lack of courage in execution, but also a lack of expertise in direction, screenwriting, and acting. Anyone who has ever seen a Mortal Kombat film, the never-ending Resident Evil series by Paul W.S. Anderson, or the cinematic crimes of Uwe Boll knows what I’m talking about. The budgets of these serially produced films are often correspondingly low – and you can see that.
All of this would be bearable if the story, the characters, and the overall artistic vision were convincing. The overall package of mediocrity (or worse) makes many adaptations feel like a tragicomedy.
How could it be done better?
Here are a few suggestions for better video game adaptations: The game to be adapted for the big screen must be suitable for it. This excludes games that are purely based on mechanics (or would you want to see a Counter Strike film?). The game must have an exciting story or interesting universe that offers more than we already know. The film must set its own impulses to distinguish itself from the game. This requires a strong artistic vision, thus directors who dare to take risks. Depending on the game you are addressing, a reasonable budget is needed to ensure the adaptation does not seem ridiculous.
And most importantly:
A video game adaptation needs heart and passion. Too often, such films have been attempts to quickly and effortlessly make money. It may be presumptuous to expect something like passion from the film industry, which is primarily driven by profit, but there are enough positive examples that show that a compromise between financial success and dedication to the art is possible.
The films deserve it just as much as the games that underpin them.
You can find a list of the worst video game adaptations according to IMDb ratings here on MeinMMO.
