It has to be said that movies based off video games are not very good. Even my "best" list is a bunch of mediocre-level quality films that are only passable because they're either too outlandish to believe, or they fully accept their own cheeky existence and runs with it.
For a list of my worst video game films, check out:
http://joemamamoviereview.blogspot.com/2016/04/worst2first-worst-video-game-films.html
Meanwhile, here is my top ten favorite video game films, worst2first.
**THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS**
#10
Assassin's Creed
When you get two Oscar winners (Marion Cotillard and Jeremy Irons) and two Oscar nominees (Michael Fassbender and Charlotte Rampling) in a video game film adaptation, you expect it to be at least tolerable. Taking on aspects of the long-running video game franchise, "Assassin's Creed" focuses on a man's past ancestor who was an Assassin and pulls his knowledge to help a future possibly evil syndicate. The moments in the past were cool and exciting, but they were too few and far between, as the majority of the film centered on Fassbender during his time at Abstergo, which no one really cared about.
#9
Need for Speed
In this painfully obvious "Fast and the Furious" knockoff, "Need for Speed" centers on a former street racer jailed for a crime he didn't commit, released to seek revenge on the one who put him in prison in the first place. The story is as generic as they come, and it proves Aaron Paul cannot lead a movie, but at least there were some cool cars, some neat chases and fancy explosions, so...plus?
#8
Doom
A group of space Marines answer a distress call on Mars, and discover genetically engineered aliens out for blood. Starring Dwayne Johnson (back when he was still The Rock), "Doom" is extremely outlandish with over-the-top action and a particularly interesting first-person scene where you feel like you're actually playing the game instead of, you know, watching a movie.
#7
Hitman
Staying relatively true to its game heritage (at least in his appearance), "Hitman" centers on a professional hitman raised from birth to be an assassin, trained to kill for the greater good. Whose good it's for is up in the air, but the film does boast some stylistic action sequences and exciting action.
#6
Dead Rising: Watchtower
I'm a huge "Dead Rising" video game fan, putting in countless hours of gameplay. So when Crackle released this relatively low-budget movie, I was surprisingly pleased with the result. They incorporated a lot of the game into the movie (such as Zombrex and the combining of random items to make weapons), and it's so outlandishly over-the-top that it really doesn't take itself too seriously, which allows for a more entertaining viewing experience.
#5
Mortal Kombat
Going along the lines of "it's so bad it's good," "Mortal Kombat" chose to not take itself too seriously and produced a film that's absolutely terrible - but yet one that you find yourself watching again and again. It's a rare thing for a terrible film to have such a cult following, but they managed to achieve that goal by laughable dialogue, over-the-top action and removing anything from the then-almost-banned video game (because of its excessive violence, which is very tame compared to today's standards) and reducing it to family-friendly PG-13 territory.
#4
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
Ever since she became a household name, Angelina Jolie had been hounded to play the classic video game heroine Lara Croft on the big screen. The final result is a mixed bag, as the film made major bank - warranting a sequel - but was still rather lackluster. Still, Jolie had a blast playing Lara Croft, and it shows in her acting and action, and caused the viewers to fall in love with a film that would've been an unmitigated flop in lesser hands.
#3
Silent Hill
I've seen this movie a few times, and I have yet to really understand what the heck the movie is about. The bare bones is this: a woman goes in search of her daughter in a mysterious town, and has to go through literal hell to do so. While the story is convoluted and wacky, what the film does right is showcasing the town of Silent Hill as a moody, atmospheric, and downright unnerving town, with crazy, insane creatures and terrifying set pieces - plus Pyramid Head.
#2
Resident Evil: Extinction
My personal favorite sequel, "Extinction" blends "The Walking Dead" with "Mad Max" as Alice and the other survivors trek through the Nevada wilderness to find safety in Alaska. Milla Jovovich embodies the character of Alice, and the blend of intense action, special effects and deep character development make this a most eloquent sequel.
#1
Resident Evil
The film that spawned the longest-running video game to movie franchise is easily the best video game film out there. Milla Jovovich plays Alice, the biggest female butt-kicking hero since Ripley who must battle an evil corporation, a nearly sentient computer being, and hordes of the undead before a virus is released to the world. The film surprisingly holds rather well after fifteen years, and the action and suspense is top notch.
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