Gil's criticism of game-to-film adaptations highlights an area of concern in our favored medium's storytelling. But maybe movie studios just pick the worst games to bring to the cineplex. What if Guillermo del Toro brought Shadow of the Colossus to the silver screen? What if Quentin Tarantino gave Valkyria Chronicles the Inglourious Basterds treament?
The likelihood of ever watching a great video-game movie is -- in a word -- dismal. I don't solely base this pronouncement on pessimism but more on a regretful concession to one basic incompatibility of the two mediums.
Video games, whose evolution has skyrocketed at a pace unmatched by other forms of entertainment media, maintains one crippling flaw: poor -- often shameful -- narrative.
More of an experiential medium dependent on the physical and mental participation of its clientele, studios produce video games with meticulous attention placed on gameplay mechanics. This isn’t a bad thing, as any seasoned gamer (this one included) would likely testify to frustrating or uninspired gameplay as the culprit that kills virtual buzzes faster than the 5-0 at a frat party (see: The Force Unleashed or Dynasty Warriors 1-[insert number]).
After all, prudent video-game developers invest serious coin and time in testing upcoming titles. They commission quality-assurance employees to scour virtual worlds for bugs and glitches that would otherwise become detrimental to a game’s success once released. But all these so-called “glitches” or “errors” red-flagged for urgent modification or removal pertain only to facets of design and computer coding, whereas the embarrassing use of narrative clichés, cheesy dialogue, or recycled plots are all green-lit for production long beforehand.
Unfortunately, a developer’s prolonged dedication to gameplay benefits Hollywood in no way.
Even a legendary game like Resident Evil 4 suffers from laughable narrative and dialogue.
Movies are a narrative medium with no secondary functions (e.g., addictive gameplay) to disguise elementary storytelling. When the plot is lacking, the film ultimately fails from a critical standpoint and bears little artistic value. So how is a narrative medium -- whose sole function is to present story -- expected to succeed when the source material is designed with nominal attention paid to quality? A poorly crafted story cannot fashion an exemplary movie. The equation itself becomes a glaring anomaly that questions the sanity of ever attempting a video-game adaptation.
Of course, exceptions abound. Companies like BioWare innovate game design with an emphasis on superior storytelling; we may be approaching a cinematic age in which video-game movies are no longer beleaguered by inherent limitations in narrative.
But until then, we should be wary of our expectations, otherwise we'll continue sulking in disappointment. Bread and cheese does not a perfectly grilled center cut make. So I’ll enjoy my grilled cheese for what it is and disparage any hope of transforming it into something it’s not.
