5. Tomb Raider
The Tomb Raider series has a bad reputation, but the films aren’t completely awful. Seeing Angelina Jolie kick some butt as Lara Croft is well worth the price of admission, and the box office numbers would support this fact, as two of the highest grossing video game movies ever come from this series of films. The main problem here is that the actual games the movies are based on aren’t very fun to watch either, even though they offer up great exploration gameplay, ingenious puzzles and intense combat scenarios. The films manage to capture the action from the games quite well making them an exciting watch and the fifth best of all-time.
4. Silent Hill
Silent Hill didn’t fare nearly as well in the box office, but the film has managed to gather a huge cult following, so much so that a sequel will finally be released in October. The film follows closely to the mythology of the game and produces as many intensely terrifying moments as you would find in the game series. The impressive narrative goes a long way to creating a great film and the chilling atmosphere that is Silent Hill is imagined perfectly in the films making you believe the creators of the film really cared about recreating the cursed town. Seeing the game’s memorable characters brought to life on the big screen is a thrill, and I, for one, cannot wait to watch Silent Hill: Revelation 3D.
3. Mortal Kombat
One of the first films to truly recapture the spirit of the game the film was based on was 1994′s Mortal Kombat. The film stuck very close to the storyline of the games and was released at a time when Mortal Kombat was at both the height of its popularity and infamous notoriety. The film still has some of the best choreographed fighting scenes in action film history, and Mortal Kombat: Annihilation gave the series a dynamic duo of films that were a treat for gamers of all ages. Even if the films’ special effects haven’t held up over the years, the Mortal Kombat series is still a great watch and features hands-down the greatest theme for any movie ever.
2. Super Mario Bros.
While this film isn’t the most popular choice, you have to give credit where it is due. Super Mario Bros. was the first film to prove that a video game could be turned into a successful movie, and like the game series it is based on, the film was able to jumpstart a whole generation that would soon follow its release. The film doesn’t stick to the storyline of the games very well, and it would be nice to see a group of individuals take another shot at recreating the Mushroom Kingdom as we know it from the games, but as it stands, Super Mario Bros. is an entertaining film with many memorable characters and great performances by the actors in the film. That is why it lands at number two on the best of all-time.
1. Resident Evil
One of the most problematic issues with creating a film based on a video game is simply that gamers are picky and are rarely completely satisfied even with games they love. This is never more apparent than with the Resident Evil series. Complaints on the series include that the original wasn’t enough like the games, Apocalypse didn’t feature enough characters from the video games, Extinction wasn’t original enough and Afterlife was pointless. Despite these complaints, Milla Jovovich has portrayed a wonderful character on screen that could carry a whole spin off video game series on her shoulders in Alice, and the films have a relatively good storyline despite the many directors brought in to try and please the masses. Even if you have to take the series as a whole with a grain of salt, you still have to admire each film for bringing something new and interesting to the table as a standalone film. Hate the series if you want, but Resident Evil: Retribution is coming next month, and hopefully, the film will live up to its title and be the best video game film ever.