171: Boll Versus the World

[brenflood]

The problem with making a video game movie is that it's pretty much going to be impossible to please everyone, but especially the fans.
It seems some fans may want a very direct conversion of one of the game's stories into movie form, while other wants something original or possible a prequel or side story.
Of course, by making something that pleases fans of the game, critics are inevitably going to take a shit all over it for having the flaws found in the game's plot.
That being said, it's not impossible to make money. Max Payne received horrible reviews. Its metascore is 30, but it made the most money last weekend.
I can't think of a single objectively good video game movie. Sure, I liked Mortal Kombat and Street fighter as a kid, but now they're pretty bad.
Postal is probably my favorite video game movie. It actually captures the feeling of playing Postal 2 without just showing you scenes from the game with living people instead of ugly character models. Sure famous scenes are recreated, but it's not just a plot summary movie. If postal is any indication, Boll is actually getting better. He actual related the movie to its source material and kept it mildly interesting. Boll earned my respect when I listened to the uncut commentary on the German dvd. He says so many vulgar things, like that he thinks we should be allowed to shoot female Asian drivers, and that his movies are funded by Nazi gold, and it's in his best interest to continually create flops.
That being said, Farcry looks awful enough to get a lower metascore than Alone in the Dark.

 

[teknoarcanist]

Am I the only for whom this brought to mind Ed Wood, another director to recieve the title 'worst of all time'? It actually reminded me a lot of a quote by Roger Ebert when he was reviewing the Johnny Depp movie: "But badness alone would not have been enough to make him a legend; it was his love of film, sneaking through, that pushes him over the top ... a man who not only accepts reality, but celebrates it ... a man deliriously happy to be making movies."

edit: apparently I'm not the only one who drew the Ed Wood comparison

But really. We all know thirty years from now some intelligent artist of the gaming generation is going to make a film centered around Uwe Boll, that celebrates how lovably terrible he was. Maybe they'll make a game out of it.

 

[Doug]

Finally got around to seeing this interview, and I was very surprised - Uwe Boll actually seems like an alright guy, trying to get fairly treated by the games industry and Hollywood. And looking at the wikipedia entry on Postal, although it got negative movie reviews, it got a good response on the internet.

I might have a look now for a copy of Postal to rent and watch.

 

[Cherry Cola]

Why is he still making movies anyway?

 

[Doug]

Why is he still making movies anyway?

I dunno honestly. From the interview, I get the impression he has a deep passion for them. And come to think of it, I've never seen a Boll movie, just relied on what the hollywood hacks tell me.

 

[lordswift1]

I recently watched Far Cry and i really wish i had not. il admit i was enjoying it for the first half. In a funny kinda way. it was still a terrible movie. House of the Dead was utter tripe. Not seen bloodrayne but shame it was not a better movie like underworld.
Just aslong as he does not do any of the games i really love i will be fine.
For example i nearly had a fit when i heard he was in line to direct a Metal gear film. If their is ever a film for MGS, he must NOT be involved

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

He says he recognizes the mistakes he has made, this makes him a better person than Michael Bay. And his work has evolved, which makes him a better director than Michael Bay.

I have tried to watch some of his earlier movies, the ones based on games, turned them off after about 30mins. But if he can go from no one liking them to even a few critics says a couple of positive things, then maybe his future stuff will be worth seeing.

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

Wow... Uwe Boll actually being... intellegent.

It looks like he desperately wants to make deep, meaningful films.

However, he still has been unable to make anything that has not come above the point of "so bad it is gut bustingly funny." His movies are worth watching if only to see how stupid they can be (really, having Alone in the Dark about Nazi experiments on children and having all the action take place in the dark?)

Though the biggest laugh I got out of this interview is that he does not want to be "...like Michel Bay." When Uwe Boll says that a director is horrible, that has to be the worst insult of all.

 

[sheah1]

Let me qualify my dislike for Mr. Boll. I do not dislike him personally, nor am I adverse to 'stupid fun!' at the Box Office- I loved "Evolution" for example.

I dislike the fact he destroys perfectly good games with his ignorant and unappreciative interpretations. He produces slag, Razzy-bait, that not only drags down cinema but also Videogames as forms of art. He embodies and perpetuates the stereotype of Videogames as thick, shallow experiances. He is the enemy of anyone who has ever treasured lore, fluff, canon, fanon, or any literary backround of any sort of any game.

If he never makes a videogame movie again, i'll be happy and I and Mr. Boll can be bestest freinds.

Name one unarguably good video game movie by any director, I dare you. Work with bad source material, get bad movie, simple as that.

There's no such thing as an "unarguably good" anything, Avatar got great reviews, yet I hated it and could liberally rip it apart, if something is liked by someone, it'll be hated by others, so name one unarguably good film.