Is there a video game movie that *hasn't* been a stinker? Yes, part of that has to do with lazy filmmaking, but part of it also has to do with the frequently derivative nature of the source material.

That said, SILENT HILL had some real potential, and even in its decidedly mediocre final form, it offers some fairly striking visuals.

Looks like they hit all the obvious ones, though THE WIZARD should totally count for an Honorable Mention.

(Yes, I know it was more of an advertisement for video games as opposed to being a straight-up adaptation, but without Super Mario 3 this movie would have never existed.)

You might be interested in this review of "Extra Lives," a book on video games. Part of the book is, apparently, explaining why the games have such "vapid storytelling."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704875604575280760632222980.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEFTTopOpinion

@Judith: That's a great book review. I'll update the post with a quote or two, and an attribution to you. Thanks!

This is just a shot in the dark regarding the last couple of paragraphs, but it seems that stories always have an element of mystery... there's either something you have to figure out, or some surprise at the end that goes against expectations. But with video games, the only thing you're trying to figure out is if you're going to win. There's no mystery inherent in the game.

Uwe Bowl is slowlly but surely getting blacklisted from becoming a director of vid-game movies. He was alreary rejected by the creator of Metal Gear Solid for a possible film adaptation and the people behind World of Warcraft.


Anyway video games, IMO, have yet to create three dimensional personalities or non-gimmicky stories.

Sorry, I meant Boll.

I don't know what games O'Connor has been looking at, but she's missed some great stories, especially recently. "Heavy Rain" had one of the best crime stories I've ever seen (I WATCHED somebody play it straight through for ten hours over two sessions) while having seventeen or so alternate endings based on player choices. Ties story and interaction together fairly well if you ask me. The only downer of the game was terrible voice acting, but the story was so good that I really didn't care (Well, not about the voice-acting. I threatened my friend a few times over the potential death of the characters). Grand Theft Auto has also had some interesting entries.
To be quite honest though, with some exceptions (not limited to the above), video games generally do suffer from weak plot structure (go do this, then that, and the end), but that's not where they shine. The interaction that makes plot difficult can build the character/viewer relationship. Games like Mass Effect, Knights of the Old Republic, Final Fantasy X, Assassin's Creed, these are pretty poorly constructed stories, but are hits, because of the interaction and the character driven nature. I think saying that a good story in a game is impossible just shows that she hasn't played very many games. It's a story, it's just a different kind of story. Which is, incidentally, why the jump to film seldom works.
It's the key to adaption: keep the spirit and change the rest. Hence The Dark Knight worked and Watchmen did not.