Summary
TheBorderlandsmovie is out now, and while it may not have been what fans of the franchise were expecting, these 10 great video game movies are still available to watch afterBorderlands.TheBorderlandsadaptationhad been in development for a long time, with fans of the beloved shooter video game franchise crossing their fingers that the film would be a success. Now that the video game movie curse has been broken, there was a real possibility thatBorderlandscould be great, with it having the potential to be comparable to these 10 other video game movies.
Unfortunately,reviews for theBorderlandsmoviewere less than stellar, with it getting panned by fans of the franchise and newcomers alike. Although it did seem to be a faithful adaptation of the games, it simply didn’t work as a movie, with the characters, storylines, and humor getting pointed out as big problems. While it is unfortunate thattheBorderlandsmovie was a box office and critical failure, the world of video game movies in the modern day has made this the exception rather than the rule. So, here are 10 great video game movies to watch afterBorderlands.
Mortal Kombat
Cast
Mortal Kombat is a 2021 film featuring Cole Young, a washed-up MMA fighter who discovers his heritage and joins Earth’s champions. Tasked with defending against Emperor Shang Tsung’s formidable warrior, Sub-Zero, Cole undergoes training for a critical battle against the forces of Outworld to protect the universe.
One of the best modern live-action video game movies is 2021’sMortal Kombat. Based on the iconic fighting game series of the same name, the first movie in the modernMortal Kombatseries brings the wacky lore and graphic violence to the big screen, with the first movie being a big hit. Fans of the video game franchise have loved the adaptation, and withMortal Kombat 2releasing in 2025, now is the perfect time to catch up on the first one.
Borderlandsis a mature video game franchise, which is why it is unfortunate that the movie toned down some of the series' raunchier elements. Luckily,theMortal Kombatmovie embraced the R-rated nature of the video games, with the film not shying away from the gore that is inherent to the franchise. Thus, fans looking for a mature video game movie have no better place to turn.
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Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City is an action/horror movie that returns to the origins of the massively popular Resident Evil franchise. Fan and filmmaker Johannes Roberts brings the games to life for a new generation of fans. The once booming home of pharmaceutical giant Umbrella Corporation, Raccoon City is now a dying Midwestern town. The company’s exodus left the city a wasteland…with great evil brewing below the surface. When that evil is unleashed, a group of survivors must work together to uncover the truth behind Umbrella and make it through the night.
There have been a lot ofResident Evilmovies throughout the years, but to the surprise of many, the best one is the franchise revival from 2021.Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon Cityis definitely a step up from the previousResident Evilfilms, with it maintaining the horror of the franchise while also having the fun, campy tone that the series is known for. Although the film was a financial disappointment,Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon Cityis a hidden gem in the world of video game movies.
WhileBorderlandsandResident Evilare very different games, they share the DNA of a group of wacky characters walking around with guns in a world where danger is around every corner. Thus, it is possible that fans ofBorderlandscould find enjoyment in the 2021 film, even if they haven’t had the pleasure of getting into theResident Evilvideo game series yet.
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog is a 2020 family adventure film directed by Jeff Fowler, focusing on Sonic, a speedy blue hedgehog who teams up with a small-town sheriff. They work together to thwart the plans of the evil Dr. Robotnik, who seeks to exploit Sonic’s extraordinary abilities for global domination.
TheSonic the Hedgehogmovie is arguably the most successful live-action video game adaptation, as the series has garnered massive acclaim and commercial success throughout its time. Although the firstSonic the Hedgehogmovie is obviously the place to start, things only get better as time goes on, withSonic the Hedgehog 2and theKnucklesspinoff show also being great pics.Sonic the Hedgehog 3is set to release in late 2024, meaning that now is the perfect time to get into the series.
Borderlandsfailed while attempting to stay faithful to the games, whileSonic the Hedgehoginterestingly succeeded while making all kinds of changes to the games. While the film series tells a unique story with original characters in a new location, theSonic the Hedgehogmovies manage to recapture the spirit of the games, which is why it has been a success with fans and newcomers alike.
Werewolves Within
Forest ranger Finn Wheeler arrives in Beaverfield, a town divided over a proposed pipeline. Amidst colorful locals like mail carrier Cecily and couple Trisha and Pete, a blizzard strikes, plunging the town into chaos. When mysterious deaths occur, tensions escalate, and suspicions rise. As the situation spirals out of control, Finn uncovers hidden agendas and a deadly secret lurking within Beaverfield. With danger lurking around every corner, Finn must navigate the treacherous landscape to uncover the truth before it’s too late.
One of the most critically successful video game movies of all time has actually slid under the radar of many, with that being the 2021 filmWerewolves Within. Based on the multiplayer VR game,Werewolves Withinfollows a group of wacky characters who become trapped in a small town, with them being tasked with deducing which member of the group is secretly a werewolf. While the movie is arguably more popular than the game it is based on, the film was a big hit with critics and those who saw it, and it will hopefully find a wider audience one day.
Much likeBorderlands,Werewolves Withinwas a box office failure, with the film making a little under $1 million on a budget of $6.5 million. This is a shame, asWerewolves Withinis a truly great movie that could be a big hit with fans of comedy, horror, or mystery movies in the same vein asThe Thing.
Warcraft
Warcraft is a fantasy film depicting the conflict between the human realm of Azeroth and invading orc warriors fleeing their dying world. As a mystical portal connects the two worlds, two heroes from opposing sides emerge, facing choices that will determine the fate of their people and homeland.
Based on the iconic MMOWorld of Warcraft, the 2016 filmWarcraftwas tasked with the seemingly impossible feat of bringing the franchise’s massive universe to the big screen. AlthoughWarcraftwas initially met with harsh reviews from critics, the film has managed to gain a cult following in recent years, with it being treated far more positively upon reassessment.
Since the world ofBorderlandsis so densely populated with characters, locations, and stories, it may have been hard for the writers to decide what to adapt for the movie. TheWarcraftfilm undoubtedly also had this problem, as the long-lasting MMO has evolved so much over the years that fans want to see all kinds of elements adapted. Luckily,Warcraftwas able to find the right balance, and a lot more stories could have been explored if the film had gotten a sequel.
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Rampage
Rampage chronicles the efforts of primatologist Davis Okoye, portrayed by Dwayne Johnson, as he grapples with the transformation of his gorilla companion, George, after a genetic experiment alters him into a massive creature. Teaming with a genetic engineer, Okoye seeks a remedy amidst chaos caused by other mutated animals.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson made his video game movie debutin theDOOMmovie, which is often considered to be one of the worst video game movies of all time. Luckily, this didn’t make him swear off the practice entirely, as he returned for the 2018 adaptation of the beloved arcade gameRampage. Pitting The Rock against a giant gorilla, lizard, and wolf may sound dumb, butRampagetakes the concept and turns it into a lot of fun.
ComparingBorderlandsandRampageis interesting, as it reveals a truth about making video game movies. WhileBorderlandsmay have seemed like a surefire success due to brand recognition,the often-forgotten arcade game made for a much more successful movie, highlighting the importance of making sure that the adaptation is still a great movie.
Almost all of the aforementioned video game movies on this list have made significant changes to the source material. However, this isn’t the case for the 2016Ratchet and Clankmovie, which was released to coincide with the franchise reboot video game. The film is so faithful thatclips from the movie were used as cutscenes in the video game, highlighting how close the movie is to the video game that it is based on.
WhileRatchet and Clankdoes have its detractors, fans who are already bought into the world of the series can have a great time withRatchet and Clank. Much likeBorderlands, the franchise is known for its raunchy humor and wacky weaponry, which is why it is a great pick after seeing theBorderlandsmovie.
Gran Turismo
Based on the video game franchise and the true story surrounding it, Gran Turismo is a film adaptation arriving in 2023 from PlayStation Productions. The story will center around a teenage Gran Turismo player whose consistent winning streak in the games put him through a series of Nissan competitions, where he eventually became a real-life professional driver.
Although the film didn’t seem all that exciting ahead of its release,the 2023Gran Turismomovie turned out to be a big hit, with it finding an even bigger audience upon its streaming release. The movie is based on the racing video game franchise of the same name, and while it isn’t a direct adaptation of the story of these games, the film received generally positive reviews upon its release.
WhileBorderlandsattempted to directly adapt the story of the first game,Gran Turismotook an interesting approach, making the film about acharacter who was great at theGran Turismovideo game. This interesting spin is what allowed the movie to stand out, with it even working for viewers who had not previously played the racing video games.
Detective Pikachu
A loose adaptation of the video game of the same name, Detective Pikachu follows former Pokémon trainer Tim Goodman (Justice Smith) and Detective Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds) as they set out to investigate the mysterious disappearance of Tim’s father, Harry. Tim’s investigation takes him and Detective Pikachu into the heart of a conspiracy that threatens to shake their native Ryme City - and the entire Pokémon world - to its very foundation.
2019’sDetective Pikachuwas one of the earliest major video game movie successes, with it getting positive reviews across the board. A live-actionPokemonmovie was inevitable, and while there were all kinds of theories regarding how it would be done ahead of time, almost nobody guessed that there would bean adaptation of the spinoff gameDetective Pikachu.
However, using this weird spinoff turned out to be the perfect way to bring the vast world ofPokemonto the big screen.Detective Pikachuproved that sometimes the best way to adapt a massive world is to be hyper-focused on one specific corner of it, something that theBorderlandsmovie could have learned from.
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The Super Mario Bros Film
Mario jumps to the big screen in The Super Mario Bros Film, directed by Teen Titans Go! Collaborators Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic. Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Bowser, and more appear in this animated comedy that will pit the characters in an all-new adventure set in the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond.
When recommending great video game movies, it would be a crime not to mention the highest-grossing video game movie of all time,The Super Mario Bros. Movie. The film managed to bring the iconic mascot of video gaming to the big screen,with the animated world perfectly bringing to life the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond.
The two films at first couldn’t seem more different, asBorderlandswas a box office bomb aimed at adults, whileThe Super Mario Bros. Moviewas a box office hit aimed at younger audiences. However, fans of video game history need to see the iconic plumber’s big screen success, as it is very interesting to compare and contrast with theBorderlandsmovie.
Borderlands
Based on the video game franchise, Borderlands is a sci-fi action-comedy film that follows Cate Blanchett as Lilith, a treasure hunter who returns to her home planet, Pandora, to find a tycoon’s missing daughter. Together with a group of unlikely allies, such as a soldier, a teenaged demolitions expert, a wise-cracking robot, and an eccentric scientist, the group will work together to save the girl - all while learning to deal with each other’s unyielding quirks.
