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To the Silver Screen - Published by N-Philes, Apr 16, 2005

Videogame to movie conversions are terrible, or rather, they have been in the past. Look up Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, Double Dragon, or Super Mario Bros. and you will find terrible reviews. The more recent Final Fantasy and Resident Evil offerings are not even that much better.

Some may think that low budgets play a large role in these failures, but Super Mario Bros. and both Resident Evils had budgets around $40-50 million, and The Spirits Within was around $140 million. Put money, acting, and effects aside and the only thing left to make a movie bad is the script. The scripts and storylines for previous videogame films were mediocre at best, but the main reason has to be that the films have not been true to the videogame worlds they represent. Final Fantasy, for example, was a masterpiece in computer animation but it failed at relating to and capturing the essence of the series.

A lot has changed since the Nineties: visual effects in movies are easier to pull off and require less money, the videogame market has expanded to include more than just kids and geeks, and videogames themselves no longer consist of superficial storylines written only in the instruction manual.

Videogames have more potential to be the basis for successful movies than ever before with larger stories, detailed cinematic scenes, and fleshed out characters. It is to the point now where many games are arguably interactive stories. If done right, these stories can be transformed from ten- to thirty-hour events to a two-hour silver screen thrill ride.

F-Zero

F-Zero GX for the GameCube is perhaps one of the most difficult racers ever released. However, some of the more interesting facets of the game were the cheesy but satisfying cut scenes that flesh out a few of the key racers in the title. It takes place in a gritty futuristic universe where racing at blistering speeds is not only popular entertainment but also a way of life.

Captain Falcon is the most popular F-Zero racer, revered by many, yet despised by others. By night, he's racing in every tournament he can get into, but by day Falcon is a professional bounty hunter, ridding the streets of gangs, felons and anyone else he doesn't like.

Falcon's racer/bounty hunter duality could be explored through a movie storyline. Samurai Goroh would star as his rival both on and off the racetrack. The two would obviously have a history that explains this rivalry, perhaps involving the arrest of Goroh's brother at the hands of Falcon.

With a potentially convincing story complimented with futuristic scenery, intense action, and racing eye candy, F-Zero could make for a hit blockbuster film. Sylvester Stallone not only resembles Falcon but also is a natural fit for the role with his action hero looks and familiarity with futuristic settings.

Splinter Cell

Ubisoft has developed three solid games in this relatively new franchise based on a series created by Tom Clancy that is filled with plot twists, suspense, and realistic action. Its unique and realistic use of stealth to preserve peace and security for the US brought a whole new style of gameplay to mainstream gaming, and it could work well on the silver screen. Stealth has the ability to keep people interested in what is going to happen next. If everything depends on one man and his skills, the drama is further heightened.

A film, like the games, would likely be set in the late 2000s or early 2010s. This legitimizes Sam Fisher's high tech gadgetry while at the same time reminding people that it is a work of fiction. The sense of "could happen" that runs through every Splinter Cell title makes for a captivating experience and, when mixed with a bit of politics, could be a real hit with an audience that feels that they are too old for videogames or that finds them, and especially Splinter Cell itself, complicated.

A Splinter Cell movie is in the pre-production stages and is being written by J. T. Perry, the author of the games' storylines. Actors that would perform well under the greenly lit goggles are The Punisher's Thomas Jane and Keifer Sutherland of 24 fame.

Super Mario Bros.

"Luigi! Mario!" Daisy exclaims at the end of Super Mario Bros., carrying a large smoking weapon, "you're never going to believe this..." And thus ended a rather unimpressive Mario movie. There is an obvious opening for a sequel, but the under-realized title from 1993 just didn't merit one.

It's clear from the end of the movie that big changes took place in the alternate Brooklyn and that Mario and Luigi were about to check it out. I say, start a new project from that point. Have the Mario brothers travel back to the reptilian universe where they discover four key things: one, King Toadstool is back to his old self again. Two, Daisy isn't his daughter, but one that got switched at birth (yes, before being abandoned on this side of things) with his real daughter. Three, Koopa isn't dead. Lastly, he's convinced mirror versions of Mario and Luigi to help him destroy the Mushroom Kingdom and rule the world.

Koopa supporters collected his green slime from the first movie and re-evolved him. In the time between then and now, he's genetically altered himself and his forces to be stronger (this gives a cosmetic change to Koopa to look more like the Bowser we know). The king's forces, clad in red uniforms with large white circles, have been trying to keep Koopa's soldiers at bay but are losing. Mario, Luigi, Yoshi (who has grown, and isn't as scaly as before), and Daisy come in, face off against Koopa, and rescue the King's real daughter.

The movie can use the passage of time (explained by some temporal technobabble) to its advantage by trying to make the Mushroom Kingdom's appearance more faithful to that of the games. While it's true that Mario's appeal isn't as strong as it was in the early nineties, if the movie is good, fans new and old will go see it. Chances are, Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo wouldn't want to reprise their roles as Mario and Luigi, but with a solid script anything is possible.

Metroid

After The Matrix trilogy, the Star Wars prequel Trilogy, and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, what is left to see in the sci-fi fantasy genre? It would be great to see some creative minds get together to flesh out the Metroid universe in a gripping trilogy, but let's just start with one feature film.

What makes Metroid such a unique franchise is that the sole character is Samus Aran. No other character has been fleshed out in this universe. We know they exist what with the Galactic Federation troopers seen in Metroid Prime 2 Echoes, but beyond that, anything is possible. It is in this regard that a film would have to take a departure from the videogame.

The first part of the movie would have to be about the Galactic Federation. They send an envoy, a troop, a fleet of ships, a spy, or something along those lines into Pirate space, or to a supposedly uninhabited planet to engage in plotline A. Upon arriving or setting up to achieve plotline A, something goes terribly wrong. Galactic Federation Command determines that it is too risky to send more of their own, so they contact the most famous and feared bounty hunter in the quadrant to do their dirty work.

Samus Aran is introduced in her full armor, on another planet, doing what bounty hunters do. The GFC ruins her near-catch, so she angrily complies and heads off to the trouble zone, the audience glimpsing her taking off her helmet as her ship departs the planet. They need to play off her sexuality subtly, not hardcore in-your-face T&A.

Her investigation leads to a sinister plot being brewed by the Pirates, and in an action packed thriller fashion, (at some point I imagine she would her suit would be destroyed, only to find a better one, one that doesn't quite let her be herself) she manages to unravel most of the mystery, leaving ambiguity to whether she accomplishes her GFC mission, or whether she has an agenda of her own. Cue successful sequel that deals with her loyalties, the origins of the suit, and more of the Chozo mythos that was hinted at throughout this film.

Eerie techno music, detailed alien technology, and otherworldly ruins and environments play a large role in the success of the GameCube iterations of the Metroid. This essence, along with the feeling of isolation and being one against many would have to be pulled into the movie in order convey what Metroid is all about.

SSX

You don't see many movies with snow as a primary backdrop. An SSX feature would be one of these. The winter mountain scenes would be incredible, but not the main focus.

This is perhaps the only movie in this feature that would star a group of friends either out of high school, or in their final year. This leads to a more comedic feel, with the required secondary alcohol, love, and sex plots. On their winter vacation, these friends travel to the snowy peaks for a long weekend of unsupervised fun, and snowboarding. At the resort, they meet other people, some who become friends, and others who become rivals.

After establishing the characters, some of which are defiant risk takers, and other who are more reserved, the showoffs of the group go and perform tricks on the slopes. The rivals come and one up our heroes. Being the competitors they are, our heroes push themselves harder, only to have an accident take place. The rivals mock them and board off. This becomes the turning point, where a challenge of sorts is made, and it leads to some sort of trick off. In typical teen movie fashion, most of the heroes eventually, somehow, win the competition, re-establish their reputation, and save the day.

It would essentially be a run of the mill teen action comedy, with a bit of drama for balance. Of course, the impossible tricks and stunts that SSX is all about, set to rock and punk tunes, would look phenomenal. The light spirit and sick tricks would be the main draw of the film. Unlike EA policy, this movie would not need a sequel.

Metal Gear

If you haven't played Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes, you are missing out on some of the most amazing cinematic scenes available on the GameCube. If you have, then you know exactly how this can pan out as a movie.

Snake, our hero, is sent covertly to a facility overrun by a supposed criminal organization to save some hostages that are integral to some large project. As they die when he gets to them, he becomes suspicious, and unravels a convoluted, but tense storyline filled with rich characters and over the top action sequences, like the game. The gritty tale, at several points, would make the viewer think the good guys are bad, and that the bad guys are good, and in the end, both sides are a bit of each... or are they? Terrorists, government cover-ups and nuclear crises are very relevant today, and could easily be depicted in this semi-serious, unrealistic action adventure.

Not to give away too many spoilers, Snake would flirt with all the women, even if they were out to kill him. Supporting characters would be there in full force, though some of their back-stories would have to be compressed or cut (and put on the special edition DVD) to meet the two-hour mark. Box-hiding, a psychedelic battle with Psycho Mantis, and a climactic showdown between Solid, Liquid, and Metal Gear is a must. As for the fate of other key characters? You'll just have to watch...

Prince Of Persia

When you get down to the essentials, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is about a boy with good intentions, who makes a grave mistake, and must do that he can to correct that. The game itself is a linear, but wonderful action adventure with heavy platforming and fighting elements. Those are great ingredients for a summer blockbuster.

Imagine elaborate, detailed Persian sets, with sweeping, continuous camerawork as the main actor's stunt double swings, flips, and jumps his way from the entrance to the exit. Along the way to undoing his wrongful deed, the Prince must fight cursed citizens with fists, swords, knives, and other cool-cooling weapons. Add a scantily, but somehow appropriately dressed, female sidekick, and you have a wonderful cinematic experience.

Adding the modern rock, yet classic beats and sounds of Persia will give a film the edginess that the games have. A lighting system can be used to add to the atmosphere of the scenes as it does in the games. Creating subplots that deal with classic issues such as fate versus choice and strength versus willpower will add a layer of depth to the storyline and the characters.

And of course, time elements will be brought in to add a layer of mystery and suspense. It isn't often the main character dies halfway through the film, but such twists and turns are possible, and needed for a Prince of Persia title. The best movies involve unexpected events.

Second Sight

Memento and Kill Bill were very interesting movies to watch because the plot was not presented in a chronological order. The scenes could be viewed in any order, and the films would still make sense.

Enter Second Sight, a psychological thriller about an ordinary man who can only remember bits and pieces about his past. As he discovers what happened to him, he learns that he has supernatural psychic abilities... and that they aren't natural.

The game itself starts with John Vattic, a man waking up in, and trying to escape from, a heavily guarded hospital. HE has no idea what is going on, and why everyone fears him. While variations of this style of opening have been used in movies in the past, it's an easy way to get the viewer's attention from the beginning.

The movie, like the game, would switch from the present-moment plot featuring our hero using his powers to access confidential information and high security rooms, to the flashback plot where he works with a mysterious army division, and then back again. Each storyline would seem to conflict with each other until they both become one, and the entire story makes coherent sense.

This style of storytelling is compelling. The viewer doesn't know what to think until the end. Second Sight would beautifully pull it off. Complimenting the mind games with tense stealth action, gunfights, and psychic eye candy rounds out the adventure.

Zelda

Power. Wisdom. Courage. These three attributes are associated with the Triforce, a three-piece relic supposedly created by three Gods. The Triforce has a funny way of binding the lives of three characters: the enigmatic Ganondorf, the transcendent Princess Zelda, and the intrepid Link. It's these three characters, and their relationship with one another that a Zelda movie should be about.

Link, as a young boy, leaves home on a personal journey of self discovery. This leads him to a temple or relic site where he discovers golden triangular stone. He takes it, thinking nothing of it, and continues on his way. Years later, Ganondorf, who also has a triangular relic, sets out on his own personal mission to find the other two pieces. His first stop beings him to the Hyrule castle, where he takes the heavily guarded relic, and the princess.

Link gets involved in the rescue of the princess, thereby uniting all three characters' destinies together. Familiar characters and roadblocks would be shown throughout the story, for both Link and Ganondorf, showing that they are not dissimilar. As the story progresses, we learn about Hyrule's mythology and Triforce's purpose. Also, Ganondorf is exposed as a villain who isn't driven by greed or power, but of something more unique, as uniting the three Triforce pieces grants the wishes of its bearer.

In the end, there is a battle between Link and Ganondorf, and Link and Zelda are freed, but none of these three characters die, for it is foreshadowed that they will all meet again.

Zelda is a tricky series to approach, but it can work if it's handled is the same care that the games are handled with. Finding a balance between cheese and a wannabe Lord Of The Rings story is also crucial. Zelda can have that old age, fantasy feel, as long as it is unique and not over the top.

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