This recent LA Times article analyzes the successes and failures of the video game genre. With Street Fighters:The Legend of Chun-Li (staring Kristin Kreuk) opening this weekend (which will have to compete with the Jonas Brothers 3-D...oh god), and the coming release of Jake Gyllenhaal's Prince of Persia, could we be seeing a return of the Video Game Genre?
I don't know about you guys, but I have heard nearly zero buzz on The Legend of Chun-Li. Like previous successes of the video game genre including LARA CROFT and RESIDENT EVIL, CHUN-LI does have a hot leading lady that may be able to attract mostly male viewers to the screen.
However, unlike some of the other successes, Street Fighters does not have a strong following. When was the last time you used a joystick, 6 buttons, and a ridiculously random combination of finger movements to control pixelated 2-d characters? For me that was back in the day (1995) when I was playing on an old gray broken down playstation. Needless to say, isn't Street Fighters A LITTLE outdated? Street Fighters was made into a movie in 1994, which seems like better timing than now, but still flopped completely at the box office. If by now, the popularity of Street Fighters has faded, then what would make this a box office hit?
Well, first off, did you know that Street Fighters is a billion dollar game franchise? Yea, me either. And unlike Super Mario Brothers (yes, it was made into a movie???) where the plot would focus on stepping on evil mushrooms and turtles, Street fighters has the potential to follow the likes of Mortal Combat, with a large cast of interesting characters that all kick ass with a graceful kind of choreography.
In the near future, I can see RPGs becoming successful movies, as I believe that Prince of Persia will probably be a hit, with its fantastical sort of storyline, I don't see the Video Game genre being generous to games equally successful games such as Grand Theft Auto. Imagine if we ever saw Pacman turn into a movie.
Overall, I think Street Fighters will not break any records this weekend, but will actually do fairly well, that is to say, behind the Jonas Brothers.
4 comments:
It's strange how these movies never get good writers, and therefore no good reviews. Granted, none of them I think are entirely great, but Tomb Raider and the Resident Evil movies are definitely fun (to me). An avid fan of the game Prince of Persia, I'm really looking forward to that adaptation and PRAYING a good writer and director are attached!
The last time I button mashed and joystick wrassled in 2D was...yesterday! Street Fighter IV actually just came out about a week ago, and is quite an excellent game, returning to the series' 2D fighting roots. The movie, on the other hand, looks like a piece of shit. Just like every other video game movie.
Except for eXistenZ, but that doesn't really count.
hahaha, i'm glad streetfighters hasn't quite died out yet. Though as predicted... the movie didn't do well (8th this weekend), the fight sequences look pretty cool though :D
I'm so excited for prince of persia! I think it actually has the potential to have a good plot, and GOOD acting. yay.
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