When the Silent Hill film released, it was never in the position where it could undermine its subject matter. To use another example, Uwe Boll’s movies can never ruin the games from which he draws inspiration.
Movies based off games are extraneous. They can be ignored, and we can all move on. Movies about gamers, on the other hand, aren’t so easy to dismiss, because they handle the very nature of being a gamer, and they can have far more disastrous results when things go poorly.
And things have gone poorly. Here’s a look at the three worst movies about gamers and the games they love.
Grandma’s Boy
In more capable hands, a film about a gamer who seeks to have his interests validated by achieving notoriety and success could work quite well. Indeed, similar subject matter was tackled in the documentary “Free to Play” about the first Dota 2 International tournament to great reception among gamers and non-gamers alike.
But Grandma’s Boy was created by Happy Madison, which, as we’ll see later, treats gamers as burnouts who obsess about “hot babes” and getting stoned, while refusing to admit that they’ve made some poor choices in life (because all gamers have, of course).
Gamer
Violence in gaming has always been a touchy subject, and the filmmakers behind “Gamer” were not up to the task of tackling it. Instead of creating a film about the nature and consequences (if any) of violent depictions in video games, “Gamer” portrays its titular characters as spoiled brats with no regard for human life and, furthermore, an insatiable lust for their death.
Let’s hope this misguided attempt to indict the audience isn’t carried over when the same directors take on the “Twisted Metal” film adaptation. With any luck, that movie will stay vaporware.
Pixels
I read a review teaser that argued that “Pixels” was not the worst movie ever made. That may be true, thanks only in part to Tommy Wiseau and the umpteenth “Friday the 13th” film, to name a few, but it’s certainly the worst film about gamers.
The point “Pixels” makes about gamers seems all at once narcissistic enough to think that the only games and gamers worth their salt came out in the arcade age and stupid enough to think that the obscene glorification of game-obsessed man-children would resonate with gamers of the new age.
Put another way: I saw this movie with a free pass earned from my Regal points, but, since it is a new film, I had to pay an upcharge of $1.58—the price of a king-size Snickers after taxes—and I still can’t decide if it was worth it.
