There is definitely an art to creating a bad movie. Sure, anyone can create a bad movie, but only a select few have been able to create REALLY bad movies. Movies so earth shatteringly bad, that they have their own place in cinematic lore. The Room, Troll 2, They live on forever, more beloved that even the “greatest” films ever produced. Somehow, this seems to fall right into the video game film genre’s wheelhouse. Today, TheBitWars will recognize 10 of the worst video game movies that we love to put on a Television on some rainy sunday, and let run.
House Of The Dead
Uwe Boll has the legendary status as one of the worst filmmakers in the industry. This title is impressive considering the contenders, notable names, such as Tommy Wiseau (The Room), Ed Wood (Planet 9 From Outer Space), and Claudio Fragasso (Troll 2). Although Boll has specialized in video game adaptations, House Of The Dead is considered one of the crown jewels of the expansive Boll filmography. This movie has it all, 90s/2000s bullet time effects, campy fight sequences, and even arcade source material spliced into the film. 10/10.
Street Fighter (1994)
Jean Claude Van Damme and the late Raul Julia unite and battle in this big screen adaptation of the Capcom classic Street Fighter. Blending sloppy martial arts and time capsule 90s production value, Street Fighter (1993) was blasted by critics, but was embraced by fans and has managed to leave it’s own lasting impression on video game movie culture.
Mortal Kombat- Anihillation (1997)
A follow up to the original Mortal Kombat movie, which brought us that really catchy Mortal Kombat theme song. The sequel has been universally lambasted as one of the worst video game film adaptations. The special effects and presentation seem more on par with a made-for-the-sci-fi channel-movie than the theaters, but as a good movie for a Friday night at home with popcorn, it can’t be beat.
Doom (2005)
Following in the footsteps of past alien movies such as, Alien and The Predator, Doom follows Dwayne Johnson as he leads a team of Marines to Mars to retrieve important data from an attacked research facility. If you like catchy one-liners, first person fight scenes, and a horribly shlocky good time, this movie is for you.
Alone in the Dark (2005)
Achieving Legendary status for getting a 1% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Uwe Boll delivers another schlock fest in one of the most infamous video game adaptations of his career. Christian Slater stars, with fellow 90s heartthrob and B-movie scream queen Tara Reid (Sharknado), for this reimagining of he survival horror game.
Super Mario Bros. (1993)
With the release of the 2023 animated movie, Super Mario Bros. (1993) takes its place in film history. Who would’ve thought a live action Super Mario Bros. movie would bring people to the box office. Probably nobody, because well, it didn’t. It grossed a TOTAL of 38.9 million dollars WORLDWIDE. To put that into perspective, the 2023 SMB animated movie made 146 milllion dollars, just from it’s USA opening weekend. However since, and throughout the years, the 1993 has cemented itself as being a cult classic and has aged like a fine wine in the cellar of horrible video game movies. A great movie for great laughs and a fun time.
Resident Evil (2002)- The first of the never ending
“Resident Evil” (2002) was released at the beginning of the zombie movie tidal wave of the early 2000s. There is certainly enough early 2000s camp here to earn its place on the great “campy movies” list. We have the mandatory 2000s bullet time camera shot, Milla Jovavich jump kicking zombie dogs, and that weird A.I. based holographic kid. It’s certainly a good movie compared to most on this list, but it’s campy roots are unavoidably apparent.
Wing Commander (1999)
90s Teen movie dynamic duo Freddie Prinze Jr. and Matthew Lillard reunite in yet another blockbuster (Scooby Doo/She’s All That). What could go wrong? Some people might see this movie as the Starship Troopers from Wish dot com. We like to think of it as a space adventure with enough
BloodRayne (2005)
What could be better than an Uwe Boll vampire movie to get your blood pumping? Kristanna Loken gives a commendable effort, however the made for TV vibe of this movie is just too palpable to overlook. Of course, that’s wherein the charm lies, and the overall product is a fun and energizing vampire adventure, one that will get a lot of enjoyment if your expectations aren’t too high.
Dead Or Alive (2006)
DOA: Dead or Alive, inspired by the fighting game series, attempts to blend high-octane martial arts with a beachside setting and a loose plot. Kill Bill-like stylized fight sequences along with frat party level visuals, the movie often prioritizes style over substance, but for you college age kids of the early early 00s and today, it will be a fun watch.
