Video game movie adaptations have been a tough code to crack by Hollywood filmmakers, and they're often panned by critics (and generally for good reason), though tend to fare better amongst fans. This is where we can turn to the film's IMDb score to use as a good reference to the level of enjoyment a potential viewer can expect from these films.
Sadly, the ratings from IMDb users aren't that high, which says a lot about the state of movies based on video games, but for the most part, there's still a lot of fun to be had with these films. For the purposes of this list, we'll only be covering live-action video game movie adaptations, so animated feature film classics like Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie (7.3) and Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (6.4) will have to sit this one out.
Resident Evil: Extinction (6.3)
The Resident Evil film series has fared well amongst audiences with 2007's Resident Evil: Extinction taking the 10th best spot on this list. The third entry in the series sees Milla Jovovich reprise her role as Alice as she continues her quest to take down the Umbrella Corporation, the evil mob behind the outbreak of the deadly, zombie-creating T-Virus. On her journey through the Nevada desert, she meets a fellow group of survivors who join her in the fight against the zombie/monster threat.
The film doesn't have much semblance of a story, but it makes up for it with its entertaining action and creature design. Jovovich and pals go up against numerous zombie hordes as well as new monstrosities that had yet to be seen in this franchise. This highly stylized film is, like many on this list, pure guilty pleasure braindead viewing (zombie pun intended).
Hitman (6.3)
Timothy Olyphant plays the hitman known as Agent 47 in the adaptation of the popular video game Hitman. Set in Europe, it sees our cold-blooded killer of a leading man become embroiled in a political conspiracy with shady characters after him from all sides. The genetically engineered killing machine is put to the test when a mysterious Russian woman enters the equation.
Hitman tends to aim relatively high on the story-front but misses the mark, coming off as mostly generic and forgettable. It does have some redeeming qualities, however, in the form of the always-entertaining Timothy Olyphant in the lead role as well as some cool action set pieces.
Tomb Raider (6.3)
Angelina Jolie brought this super-popular video game heroine to life in the 2001 and 2003 Lara Croft films with mixed results. Fifteen years later and it was decided that a reboot was in order with talented actor Alicia Vikander stepping into the shoes Jolie left behind. A fresh look and take on this character would result in a film that would fare a lot better than those first adaptations.
In 2018's Tomb Raider, Lara Croft (Vikander) has yet to become the world-famous tomb raider, so we're treated to an action-adventure origin story of sorts. The film has a big Indiana Jones vibe to it, which helped in making it one of the more entertaining films on this list, and Vikander makes for a great fit to take this property into new, welcome territory.
Silent Hill (6.5)
The survival horror video game, Silent Hill, became a hit soon after arriving on gaming consoles in 1999, with its eerie, atmospheric setting, and horrific monster design. The creepiest thing about the game and its story is that the town the game was set in, Silent Hill, was completely blanketed in fog, meaning we could never know what terrors were lurking behind this obscured landscape.
The team behind 2006's film of the same name recreated this setting and feeling perfectly, as we follow Radha Mitchell's character search for her missing daughter in this mysterious town following a car crash. The town plays a character in itself in this film, and the terrifying creature effects hold true to the game, giving audiences a faithful adaptation.
Need for Speed (6.5)
One of the world's most popular video game racing franchises Need for Speed got the film adaptation in 2014 with Breaking Bad alumni Aaron Paul leading an all-star cast. Paul plays an ex-con/street racer who enlists in a high-stakes race that will give him a chance to seek revenge on the man that double-crossed him.
Generic plot aside, Need for Speed was able to capture the essence of the high-octane video game to a tee, giving audiences some exhilarating car chases. Couple that with the charismatic cast of characters and the film would go on to be a crowd-pleaser, though it didn't receive much love from the critics.
Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (6.6)
The global phenomenon that is Pokémon has been adapted to various forms of media following its initial video game release in 1996, though it wasn't until 2019 until we saw a big-budget film version featuring the voice of superstar actor Ryan Reynolds as the beloved face of the franchise, Pikachu. In Detective Pikachu, our title character helps a boy find his lost father while battling other Pokémon along the way.
The film was popular amongst its fanbase, and it featured all the aspects that people have come to love about Pokémon, from the ultra-cute characters to the faithful recreation of the battles. Ryan Reynolds' signature flair was perfect for bringing Pikachu to life, and the film's story was relatively engaging. Some questionable CGI did occasionally pull audiences out of the film, however.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (6.6)
The Prince of Persia video game franchise has been around almost as long as video games have been around. It became one of the most popular PC games of its era when it released in 1989, and after 20+ years, fans were finally treated to a big-budget film adaptation starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, and Ben Kingsley.
It told the story of a rebellious Prince and Princess who together would have to stop a villain in possession of a magical dagger that had the ability to reverse time. As these stories tend to go, the abuse of that power could bring upon the end of the world. The film was an adaptation of the latter-stage Prince of Persia games and was a well-produced action and adventure epic. It's definitely one of the better video game films to come out of Hollywood, only let down by somewhat of a generic ending and shallow characters.
Ace Attorney (6.6)
The Japanese powerhouse gaming company Capcom had one of its lesser-known titles (outside of Japan) adapted to a film in 2012 with the comedy crime-drama, Ace Attorney. This is probably one of the more unique entries in the list as it's not based on an action game, but rather one that involved the meticulous solving of crimes by a defense attorney known as Phoenix Wright.
Ace Attorney was directed by prolific Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike, who's well known for his bizarre, often violent films. With over 100 directing credits to his name though, Miike is no stranger to mixing up his style and having a bit of fun, as made evident in this film.
Resident Evil (6.7)
The film adaptation of the greatest survival horror game of all time, Resident Evil, was met with much hype upon its release in 2002. While it kept the characters, it strayed slightly in the plot set out in the original game. Nevertheless, the result was an entertaining tribute to this groundbreaking title.
The film follows Alice (Milla Jovovich), a badass human-weapon who wakes up in a lab with no memory of her past, only to discover that it's being overrun by zombies. Glorious violence ensues as Alice fights to stay alive while trying to discover the secrets of her past and the mystery behind the viral outbreak in the lab. The film was met with a poor critical reception but adored enough by fans to warrant multiple sequels in the years that followed.
Warcraft (6.8)
The World of Warcraft fandom is the stuff of legend, amassing a huge following since the PC game's release in 2004. Promising director Duncan Jones was tasked with bringing the world and its characters to life in the much-maligned 2016 film, Warcraft. The story revolves around a race of Orcs as they attempt to invade the fictional land of Azeroth using a magical portal, where a group of humans and defiant Orcs would be waiting for them, with the ultimate goal of stopping the real villain behind the war.
Warcraft was a messy film at best, meaning its diehard supporters must be awarded credit in giving this film the highest rating of any other video game film that came before it on IMDb. It featured some shocking performances and a convoluted story but hit the mark in its world-building. Despite its flaws (of which there are many), fantasy-film fans would be remiss to not give this one a go.