To many loyal fans of different franchises, movie adaptations can be hit-or-miss. It’s important that those adapting the item (whether it’s a book, video game, or something else entirely) accurately capture the story that was being told in the source work. In the past, movie adaptations of video games especially have been either well-received or quite the opposite. Movies like Assassin’s Creed and Silent Hill come to mind when thinking about some of the worst video game adaptations.
Sometimes, though, when done correctly, video game movies can shine. They can further explore the game in a different medium and enhance the story, not just regurgitate it or inadvertently make a mockery of it. 2021 may be the year that video game movies take a front seat and pay homage to their source material properly with the upcoming Mortal Kombat and Resident Evil films. If all goes well, video game fans may see more and more of their favorite games adapted to film with fewer missteps.
Mortal Kombat first appeared on screen in 1995 and received mixed reviews from critics, but it’s definitely not one of the worst video game movie adaptations. The film primarily focused on the characters and events of the first Mortal Kombat video game, but also drew from its sequel, Mortal Kombat 2. Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, the follow-up to the movie, however, didn’t do as well as its predecessor, and was universally panned by critics and fans alike.
Now, after almost 24 years, Mortal Kombat is being rebooted and the new movie is set to release in April 2021. A diverse cast seems to get the characterization of beloved characters a little more true-to-life than the 1995 film, and the 2021 reboot is backed by big names like James Wan, Greg Russo, and David Callaham. From what’s been teased of the movie so far, this iteration of Mortal Kombat will similarly follow the original story of the game and hopefully pay its source material the homage it deserves as one of the highest-grossing franchises of all time.
The Resident Evil franchise has seen very successful box office numbers, producing 6 different movies from the original in 2002 until Resident Evil: The Final Chapter in 2016. Just because it was a commercial success, though, doesn’t mean it accurately captured the video game. Alice, the protagonist of the films, was specifically created for the movies and never actually appeared in the games. Other well-known characters made appearances throughout the films, but they tended to be treated with abandon and the films never explained certain absences.
The upcoming Resident Evil film, though, seems to be going for a more traditional approach to the movie, following the first two games more closely than its film predecessors had. Greg Russo was initially selected to write the script, but ended up leaving to work on Mortal Kombat alongside James Wan, another who was originally selected to direct the upcoming Resident Evil film. Johannes Roberts was instead chosen to create the script and direct, and has said that the reboot will be very scary and hopefully capture the visceral feeling he had when playing the source material.
Trying to bring source material, like video games, to life in a new and inventive way will always be more impressive than trying to insert a new character into the world of the game. Movie adaptations of video games should not change so much that the story is unrecognizable, and should largely feature the same iconic characters in the movie as they appear in the game. It’s a slippery slope, but video game movies need to be new yet familiar at the same time—enough to please the well-established fans, but intriguing enough to bring in new ones, too.
If the new Mortal Kombat and Resident Evil movies can pull this off, 2021 may see a resurgence of video game movie adaptations that are true to the source material and not just “inspired by.”
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