Favorite movie based on a game?

[twiztor]

I would be willing to accept an argument that the movie was based on the cartoon, even though the comics came first, simply because the cartoon had a far wider cultural impact than the comics did

i wouldn't. the movie's storyline is taken DIRECTLY from the early comic books.

some characters were changed (the cartoon changed the story on Splinter & Shredder's mutations, but the movie reverts back to the comic story). Not to mention all of the characters that appear in the cartoon but have no presence in the original movie trilogy (Krang & the Technodrome, the Neutrinos, the Punk Frogs, and plenty of others).

i mean, to say that the film only happened because of the cartoon's success is something i wouldn't argue. but it is most definitely NOT based on the cartoon.

[kitsunebi]

i wouldn't. the movie's storyline is taken DIRECTLY from the early comic books.

some characters were changed (the cartoon changed the story on Splinter & Shredder's mutations, but the movie reverts back to the comic story). Not to mention all of the characters that appear in the cartoon but have no presence in the original movie trilogy (Krang & the Technodrome, the Neutrinos, the Punk Frogs, and plenty of others).

i mean, to say that the film only happened because of the cartoon's success is something i wouldn't argue. but it is most definitely NOT based on the cartoon.

Oh I agree. But I'd be willing to bet there were plenty of people who saw the movie without ever reading the comics who assumed it was based on the cartoon. I don't think anyone thought it was based on the game. Which is why I'd be willing to listen to that person's argument, even though it's based on ignorance.

Regardless, I don't think it counts for consideration, any more than the Spider-Man or Captain America movies or whatever count, just because they had a game before they had a movie. Just like TMNT, the comics came first, and everything after is based on those.

[te72]

Semantics aside, still a good movie, agreed?

I might be a bit biased, I'll admit. Whenever kids dressed in TMNT costumes come to the door for Halloween, those kids always get extra candy. So do the really creative costumes, but those are rare...

[kitsunebi]

Semantics aside, still a good movie, agreed?

I might be a bit biased, I'll admit. Whenever kids dressed in TMNT costumes come to the door for Halloween, those kids always get extra candy. So do the really creative costumes, but those are rare...

I still love the Mirage comics and I did enjoy the first movie as a kid, though I'm not sure how I'd feel about it now. I still remember the crushing disappointment of the sequel (I actually felt ashamed as I sat in the theater, afraid that I'd see someone I knew and they'd think I was actually enjoying it.)

[te72]

I'll admit, I liked the second one, as a kid. I think I was about 9 or so when it was in theaters, so take that for what it is worth. Seeing Super Shredder for the first time...

The third one though? Apart from the set designs and costumes (the general look of the film was nice), it isn't very good, and doesn't hold up as well.

[synth]

I have fond memories of growing up with the videogame movies; Super Mario Bros, Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. I have seen the Street Fighter movie the most and still like it but I love the Mortal Kombat movie the most of the 3. I loved the live action Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist movie from 2014. It's really well done imo.

[te72]

You know, I have Assassins Fist on a note I wrote down somewhere of things to check out if I come across them... Also noteworthy, the MK live action series, called Legacy. Not bad for something on Youtube. Michael Jai-White as Jax was a great choice.

[Hekuta]

Mortal Kombat and Silent Hill for sure.

[miketheratguy]

I agree with the comments about Mortal Kombat. Aside from the PG-13 rating, that movie delivered pretty much everything that a movie based on Mortal Kombat needed to have. The game was basically a thinly-veiled Enter the Dragon ripoff so the movie followed suit and it did so with humor and (most importantly) well-choreographed martial arts scenes. It wasn't perfect, but it was one of the few video game adaptations that actually stuck to the source material. Who would have imagined that this would be so difficult? (Though, to be fair, the second Mortal Kombat movie stuck pretty close to the source material as well and that one was, legitimately, among the worst films ever made).

 

Still, having said all this, of all the video game adaptations I think that Silent Hill is the best standalone "film".

[Areala]

The first Silent Hill movie was so good. The second...just...

 

I loved the girl they cast to play Heather, but man, just like MK: Annihilation, it's such a train-wreck it's impossible to know where to start.

 

*huggles*
Areala

[kitsunebi]

I actually didn't care for it, but I'm pretty picky with horror movies.  They either have to be fun or scary, and I didn't think Silent Hill was either.  It looked nice though.  Never seen the sequel.

[te72]

The first Silent Hill movie was so good. The second...just...

 

I loved the girl they cast to play Heather, but man, just like MK: Annihilation, it's such a train-wreck it's impossible to know where to start.

 

*huggles*

Areala

Well, that answers my question for Mike then...

 

Though, I haven't played SH3, was more of an Xbox gamer when it came out, and unfortunately it didn't get a release on that system. On that note, is the second SH film worth watching? Or should I just move along?

[kitsunebi]

On that note, is the second SH film worth watching? Or should I just move along?

 

 

It has a 5% on Rotten Tomatoes.  The only video game movies with worse scores are the aforementioned "train-wreck" of MK:Annihilation and a few others made by Uwe Boll.

 

You decide.

 

 

 

[miketheratguy]

Yeah I heard that SH2 (I'm sorry, "Silent Hill: Revelations") was an absolute mess. I was pretty disheartened to hear this, especially since I was one of the few strong supporters of the first film, but even my fellow SH nuts said "no dude, just stay away".

 

I do love the fact that Ned Stark and Jon Snow are reunited in the film, though.

[formisc1]

I actually enjoyed the Tomb Raider movies with Angelina Jolie...

[Areala]

Though, I haven't played SH3, was more of an Xbox gamer when it came out, and unfortunately it didn't get a release on that system. On that note, is the second SH film worth watching? Or should I just move along?

 

I never understood why Konami never put SH3 on the Xbox, especially since they gave SH2 the director's cut treatment for that system, and released SH4 on it as well. If SH2 didn't sell as well on the Xbox, then why bother to release SH4? On the other hand, if SH2 sold well enough to justify SH4 getting an Xbox release, then why ignore 3? Neither option makes sense.

 

*huggles*

Areala

[kitsunebi]

Probably best to just count your blessings for ANY Japanese game that gets released on a Microsoft system.  While it would be logical to assume there was some sort of economic business-related reason behind SH3's absence, I suspect the more likely reality is that it just never crossed their minds at the time.  The Xbox being a low priority for Japanese developers is an understatement if ever there was one.

[te72]

 

It has a 5% on Rotten Tomatoes.  The only video game movies with worse scores are the aforementioned "train-wreck" of MK:Annihilation and a few others made by Uwe Boll.

 

You decide.

 

 

 

 

Heh, that almost sounds like a dare if I ever saw one! I have a pretty high tolerance for bad movies though, working at Blockbuster for a few years and getting free rentals the whole time will do that to you. Eventually you just rent whatever looks like it could top the "worst" movie list.

 

I never understood why Konami never put SH3 on the Xbox, especially since they gave SH2 the director's cut treatment for that system, and released SH4 on it as well. If SH2 didn't sell as well on the Xbox, then why bother to release SH4? On the other hand, if SH2 sold well enough to justify SH4 getting an Xbox release, then why ignore 3? Neither option makes sense.

 

*huggles*

Areala

Well, Capcom had their Gamecube exclusives around then, perhaps Sony itself had something to do with it? Or perhaps they did try for an Xbox port, and it just didn't play well. Look at MGS2 as an example. Plays perfect on PS2, but the Xbox port, for whatever reason, was as bit of a mess. The slowdown in the outdoor sections of the tanker level really come to mind...

 

Probably best to just count your blessings for ANY Japanese game that gets released on a Microsoft system.  While it would be logical to assume there was some sort of economic business-related reason behind SH3's absence, I suspect the more likely reality is that it just never crossed their minds at the time.  The Xbox being a low priority for Japanese developers is an understatement if ever there was one.

You raise a couple good points. The Xbox has never really been a huge selling system in Japan, from what I understand.

 

However, I would argue that Sega knocked it out of the park when it comes to releases for the Xbox. Otogi, Outrun, Gun Valkyrie, Crazy Taxi, all come to mind. Tecmo gave the Xbox a fair shake too...

[kitsunebi]

You raise a couple good points. The Xbox has never really been a huge selling system in Japan, from what I understand.

 

That's an understatement.  And it's only gotten worse.  Here's the cumulative sales data up through Dec.31 2015:

Wii U Total Sales: 3,020,227

PlayStation 4 Total Sales: 2,261,079

Xbox One Total Sales: 64,543

 

It's almost comical.

 

However, I would argue that Sega knocked it out of the park when it comes to releases for the Xbox. Otogi, Outrun, Gun Valkyrie, Crazy Taxi, all come to mind. Tecmo gave the Xbox a fair shake too...

 

That was back when Microsoft was throwing wads of cash at Japanese developers to make exclusive games for the Xbox in the hopes of breaking into the Japanese market.  They failed spectacularly (although we lucked out and got a few cool games in the process.)

[Areala]

Add Panzer Dragoon Orta to the list of awesome Sega-crafted Xbox games.

*huggles*

Areala

[te72]

That's an understatement.  And it's only gotten worse.  Here's the cumulative sales data up through Dec.31 2015:

Wii U Total Sales: 3,020,227

PlayStation 4 Total Sales: 2,261,079

Xbox One Total Sales: 64,543

 

It's almost comical.

 

 

That was back when Microsoft was throwing wads of cash at Japanese developers to make exclusive games for the Xbox in the hopes of breaking into the Japanese market.  They failed spectacularly (although we lucked out and got a few cool games in the process.)

Comical, yes, but I'd be happy to laugh all the way to the bank with the revenue from those ~65k XB1's they've sold over there...

 

Shame though, that they didn't see better results courting the Japanese development teams. We surely would have seen more variety in games than what we did in the 360 era...

 

Add Panzer Dragoon Orta to the list of awesome Sega-crafted Xbox games.

*huggles*

Areala

I can NOT believe that I forgot that one. Was genuinely one of my favorites for the Xbox.

[kitsunebi]

Comical, yes, but I'd be happy to laugh all the way to the bank with the revenue from those ~65k XB1's they've sold over there...

 

It might be less profit than you think.  Marketing a console in another country for a year and a half (as of the time of the figures quoted above) doesn't come cheap.  And considering that 25,000 of those 65,000 units were sold in the 1st week, you're talking about marketing a system for an additional 80 weeks during which time you only sell 40,000 units while other consoles are selling in the millions, even in the currently struggling Japanese console market.  I'm sure there are reasons Microsoft hasn't simply abandoned Japan, but profits from the sales of systems/games surely isn't one of them.  I can tell you from first hand observation that most stores with a game section (understandably) don't even stock more than one or two XB1 games, if any, since it doesn't make financial sense for them to give up any shelf space.

 

And since I started this thread, I don't have to apologize to anyone for getting so off-topic.

[Areala]

I can NOT believe that I forgot that one. Was genuinely one of my favorites for the Xbox.

 

Panzer Dragoon Orta was one of the few reasons I wanted to eventually pick up an Xbox. The fact you can unlock Panzer Dragoon by beating the game, thus making it two games in one, is just that much more awesome.

 

*huggles*

Areala

[te72]

It might be less profit than you think....

For all the reasons you mentioned above, as well as the fact that early consoles tend to be loss leaders for manufacturers, is why I chose the word revenue, rather than profit.

 

Ran a small (ish) business long enough to learn that difference. Also learned to never speculate on profits, as you really never know just how much (or how little, as my case was) of a profit a business is making. Historically speaking, console manufacturers have lost quite a bit on the front end (the consoles) and made their money back on the sales of the significantly cheaper to produce software.

 

All that said, I no longer run that business haha. Turns out, I wasn't good enough at it for the folks that owned the company, or rather, the folks that the owners sold it to. Fortunately, greener pastures awaited me.

 

Panzer Dragoon Orta was one of the few reasons I wanted to eventually pick up an Xbox. The fact you can unlock Panzer Dragoon by beating the game, thus making it two games in one, is just that much more awesome.

 

*huggles*

Areala

Shame they didn't include Panzer Dragoon RPG, huh?

[90sRetroGamer]

For me it's either Super Mario Bros. Movie (yes I LoL at how detached it is from the source material) or the first Mortal Kombat movie.