5 Video Game Movies That Are Actually Good

Movie adaptations of video games are notorious for being bad. Whether it’s Super Mario Bros., Assassin’s Creed or the Resident Evil series, the subgenre has not been the most successful. They tend to either receive terrible reviews from fans and critics, flop at the box office, or both. However, like any film genre, there are a few good movies. Very few, but they exist nonetheless.

Below, we list five video game movies that we consider to be good. We will be focusing on actual video game adaptations, rather than movies that are about video games. So, we will not be including Wreck-It Ralph, Ready Player One, the Jumanji movies, or similar films.

Tomb Raider

Tomb Raider was adapted into a film series in the early 2000’s, starring Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft. After two movies, the series was rebooted in 2018 with an origin story, this time starring Alicia Vikander. The movie was a success, delivering a more realistic take on the source material while also having solid action and storytelling. Plus, Vikander fits the role perfectly. A sequel is currently in the works; it’s scheduled to release March 19th, 2021, but that will surely be delayed.

Sonic the Hedgehog

One of the most popular video game characters of all time, Sonic finally got his own movie. But it could have gone terribly, terribly wrong. For starters, the infamous original design was universally panned ~~by pretty much anyone who has eyes~~, so Paramount delayed the movie and allowed for a more accurate redesign. That worked in this film’s favor, along with a sweet (albeit simplistic) story, decent visuals, and an amazing performance from Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik. We’re waiting for that sequel announcement any day now…

Pokemon: Detective Pikachu

Pokemon has had multiple anime movies over the years, but the franchise didn’t make it to live action until 2019. Based on the video game of the same name, Detective Pikachu focuses on the titular character, with the other Pokemon in the background. The film does a solid job balancing characters and bringing the property to live action, while retaining what makes it work to begin with. Hopefully, we’ll see more movies in this franchise sooner than later.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

This one is a more controversial pick, and it’s easy to see why. Prince of Persia suffers from thinly written characters and a generic story. Also, the whitewashing of its characters should not go unnoticed. (Even Jake Gyllenhaal isn’t proud of this movie.) However, I will say that the action sequences are memorable, and its visual aesthetic is pretty solid. That’s more than I can say for other video game adaptations. I wouldn’t mind a film reboot of this down the line, but with a more accurate and authentic take on the source material.

Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge

Ending this list with the most recent addition. Mortal Kombat has been adapted a few times, but my favorite might be this one. Scorpion’s Revenge is an animated story that tells the titular fighter’s origin story, while also depicting the infamous Mortal Kombat tournament. The movie is faithful to the source material, with many beloved characters and graphic violence. Hopefully, this spawns a new series of movies, as we wait for the 2021 live action reboot.