What is with these video game movies?

Geez, right now I'm watching the THE TRANSPORTER, and this sets a new low for sheer stupidity, at least from movies I've been recommended. Utterly preposterous from start to finish, cliched, not one original moment. The fight and chase sequences seem to have been lifted directly from a video game, and the story wouldn't have passed muster at a WALKER: TEXAS RANGER brainstorm session.

What is with these video game movies? Why would anyone pay money to watch this, or the MATRIX movies, for that matter? They look like video games. It's not like I'm expecting Shakespeare here. I enjoy well-done action films with well-shot fights and car chases, from THE ROAD WARRIOR to TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. Just give me a reasonable story and the occassional tweak on the genre expectations. How hard is it?

 

I haven't seen "The Transporter", but you're going to lump in "The Matrix" with unoriginal movies that don't "tweak genre expectations"? Frigging thing CREATED a new genre, essentially - I don't see how it can be placed in the same category...

 

The Matrix was an excellent movie, the sequel wasn't quite as good, but it had a lot to live up to. The Matrix introduced the "Bullet time" effect, and spawned lots of imitators/parodies.

 

I absolutely LOVED! the "Transporter."..Refreshing, Action Packed, Unstoppable...FUN...Art has it's place and for what this flick is...It packs a punch!

 

The "bullet time effect"? You mean where the bullets go slo-mo with the rippling shock wave effect and everything but they "fall" right before they can hit their intended target? Hardly original. Used to see that all the time in those old Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd cartoons.

Jim W.

 

Yea , It sure looks better today! Bring on those action packed flicks...Great tension relievers...Occasionally, the viewer is more pretentious than the movie they're viewing...

 

Like I said, I like well-done action flicks. TRANSPORTER ain't one of 'em. Seriously, go see THE LIMEY or GHOST DOG instead.

 

I can't wait for th Qbert movie to come out!!!

 

Well done to you maybe rare to me...

 

It's just plain fun...Simple

 

I don't really call them "video-game movies". I call them "comic book movies". The Matrix Reloaded is a comic book movie in a summer full of comic book movies. Obviously Spiderman or the Hulk is a comic book movie. But so is a Star Wars or a James Bond movie. Most of these movies are made in a lab somewhere.

I'm not really knocking the genre. I've seen my fair share. But I don't delude myself into thinking its a classic of western (or eastern) literature. But none of this is really anything new. People vote with their dollars...

 

I think that when you get to see all 3 Matrix movies together you will see that they have a little more depth than they are being credited for. Are they Kurosawa films, no but they aint Dumb and Dumberer either. As to "Video Game" movies, well Hollywood has to find something new to exploit, after all how many times do we here the old "Sheesh like I haven't seen THAT a hundred times already." line. Although so far most video game style movies do seem to be lacking. Seeing bullet time effects in "The Matrix" is a whole different thing than seeing it in "Charlie's Angels".

 

I thought it was me........I hated both those movies........especially The Matrix!

but then again, I love Unbreakable!

 

Re: Re: What is with these video game movies?

So do I!

 

Re: Re: What is with these video game movies?

UNBREAKABLE is one of my favorites, too. The DVD includes some very interesting deleted scenes, including the young Elijah at a carnival.

We MATRIX non-believers need a support group or secret society. You can tell friends you didn't care for SPIDERMAN, skipped DAREDEVIL, and thought the BATMAN films degenerated into the sort of self-parody the series was originally designed to supplant, but for some reason when you confide your opinion that THE MATRIX wasn't the greatest advance in cinema since CITIZEN KANE, some people (okay, men aged 20-35) go spastic. It's like a religion with some of these guys.

I just got MILLER'S CROSSING on DVD. Now there's a real movie!

 

Re: Re: Re: What is with these video game movies?

OH YEA! There isn't one Coen Brothers Movie I don't LOVE!!! Now yer talking...I'm also a fan of the Farrelly's...I think I had a Coen/Farrelly poll thread back in the begining of our forum...

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: What is with these video game movies?

Who are the Farrellys? What movies did they do?

MILLER'S CROSSING represents a moviemaking peak for the Coen brothers. After that, I think they decided to slow down their narrative pace to something more palatable to the mainstream audience. Considering the success of FARGO and O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU?, they were right.

Ethan Coen has a book of short stories out, GATES OF EDEN, that's very similar in feel to MILLER'S CROSSING, BARTON FINK, etc.

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: What is with these video game movies?

Your joking right?

In case your not...

Bobby...http://us.imdb.com/Name?Farrelly,+Bobby

Peter....http://us.imdb.com/Name?Farrelly,+Peter

 

I think the biggest reason that we are seeing this trend is because Hollywood doesn't want to take risks anymore, and collectively they seem to have run out of ideas (there are exceptions of course). The studios know if they base a movie on a video game/comic/cartoon they have a good chance on making back their production costs because the fans will want to see it. After all, what else could explain the initial success of Star Trek V? (Before the Trek Fans start in on me, let me say that I love Star Trek and most of the films, but I simply cannot watch that one again.)

 

I'm still blown away by KING KONG! Pretty darn good for it's time! Can't wait for a DVD version...