Hollywood has an endless supply of source material from which to make movies. Real-life stories, fictional ones, superhero comics, and of course, video games. Sometimes when the big producers think it’s a good idea to make a movie based on a game, they get it completely wrong. And sometimes, they can get it just right. For every Mario based film, there’s a Lara Croft one to make up for it. We take a look at some of the best there is.

Let’s Address ‘Those’ Movies First

We know there are a lot of bad gaming movies out there, so let’s just get them out of the way and then brush them under the carpet. Super Mario Bros. Yep, we said it. Bob Hoskins becomes the Italian plumber in one of the worst gaming movies of all time. There’s no wonder there’s not been any mention of a reboot any time soon. Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat didn’t do much for beat ’em up games either, giving us some abysmal films. However, thankfully these movies didn’t have knock-on effects to the gaming franchise as they’re all still going strong today.

Angelina or Alicia?

When the first Tomb Raider movie came out, we were all excited. Not just because we got to see Lara Croft as a real person on the big screen, but because she was portrayed by Angelina Jolie, one of the noughties’ female heartthrobs. A big blockbuster also saw the starlet reunite with her real-life father (Jon Voight), a great added extra for those who love movie trivia. Just like the games, the plot was neither here nor there, but we got Lara Croft in her cargo shorts, blazing action, and a movie that’s still enjoyable to this day.

The sequel, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life, was a nice revisit on the familiar stomping ground. But the reboot in 2018, simply called Tomb Raider, fared better. Following on from the Tomb Raider game reboots, this movie was a new way to introduce Lara Croft, depicted by Alicia Vikander. Like other Tomb Raider films, it’s good because it’s Tomb Raider, but not much else.

Almost the best

We all like adventure games, so moving them on to the big screen should be a no-brainer. Assassin’s Creed is a hugely popular open-world game and has spanned many titles. But the Michael Fassbender film didn’t live up to the hype. It’s still an enjoyable romp through the life of an assassin, but it could have been just a bit better. The same goes for Warcraft. A hugely popular online game, this had the potential to be an epic blockbuster, especially with Vikings’ Travis Fimmel as a lead. It has great visuals, a solid story, and is good to watch. It just doesn’t make it to the top of the list.

For the Aficionados

Sometimes you just want to watch something that exudes class, sophistication, and glamour. So you need a cool character like Danny Ocean. Ocean’s 11 is a fantastic crime caper and the George Clooney one trumps the original. Or maybe you want to get to grips with what really (or fictionally) goes on in a casino…in Casino. Joe Pesci, Robert de Niro – what else do you need? But why are they on this list? Well, we can count roulette and blackjack as games, so any movies based on these are bound to be good.

Other gambling based movies of distinction have included The Sting, starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman, the Rounders poker movie, and, going back a few more years, the Cincinnati Kid. If you want to live up to the heroes in those movies, head to your local Casino, or find one of the secure casinos online – you can find them on this page.

Is Animated the Best?

Cartoon characters like Mario haven’t exactly been the best movie investment. Mario and Sonic’s competition still carries on in its various forms, but when it comes to the big screen, it’s the speedy blue hedgehog who takes pole position. When the Sonic movie was due for the original release, the fans went crazy at the hedgehog’s weird legs. So to appease them, the movie was postponed, and his appearance was sorted—cue much delight and fanfare and appreciation for the Sonic the Hedgehog movie. The addition of Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik also helped add that humorous element to the movie, making it loved by viewers of all ages.

Nintendo was responsible for one of the best gaming movies of all time (and they had a lot to make up for!) with Detective Pikachu. Already we have a plethora of Pokémon movies, but this live-action one took it to a new level. And it had Ryan Reynolds in it, so consider all boxes for a successful movie ticked.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Betty Bugle
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