6 movies that look and feel exactly like video games (but aren't actually based on games)

Why buy a license? These days you can make a video game movie without even the game

Words: David Houghton on November 13, 2012

Back to Article

26 comments

View as:
Newest first
Oldest first

LEGOMatrix - November 17, 2012 8:09 p.m.

OMFG, it's Chev! Chev Chelios! As in "F**k you Chev Chelios" repeated multiple times throughout both films! -10 man points, Hooters! Death Race 2000 was Carmageddon before Carmageddon. Run Lola Run is like replaying levels differently each time. Shaolin Soccer. Just... Shaolin Soccer.
- Reply
- Report
OICJC - November 17, 2012 11:09 a.m.

Nintendo365 got it right, but the article gets it wrong; the character in Crank is named Chev, not Chet.
- Reply
- Report
n00b - November 14, 2012 6:13 p.m.

why you game journalist always get up tight about skimpy outfits? I think the outfits in sucker punch look cool and fit well the visual style and universe.
- Reply
- Report
Apastron - November 14, 2012 2:34 p.m.

Cloverfield is my favourite movie, a lot of that due to the first-person view which seduced me the same way Half-Life 2 did. District 9 and Battle Los Angeles were recommended to me off the back of this; the former was the worst movie I have ever seen, the latter wasn't a lot better. I think there's a movie called Super8 which is apparently quite game-like too. Don't know if I dare watch it having been burnt twice by this similarity.
- Reply
- Report
winner2 - November 14, 2012 6:13 a.m.

Sucker Punch was freakin' awesome. Especially that soundtrack, holy shit.
- Reply
- Report
wheresmymonkey - November 14, 2012 1:36 a.m.

Good list. I would of Added Dredd, Old Boy and The Raid to the list.
- Reply
- Report
GamesRadarDavidHoughton - November 14, 2012 9:06 a.m.

Old Boy very nearly made it, just for that side-scrolling sequence.
- Reply
- Report
Peguin - November 13, 2012 8:34 p.m.

That article was a long time coming (i remember you discussing it on a podcast way back) but a very enjoyable read. Good work
- Reply
- Report
FuzzyDeath - November 13, 2012 3:37 p.m.

When I first saw the trailer for Sucker Punch, I was ZOMG! Went to watch it in the cinema, and I wanted to walk out after thirty minutes of bullshit. -_- Movie sucked so bad. I hated it.
- Reply
- Report
alex-roy-bristol - November 13, 2012 3:51 p.m.

Dude, that movie was literally one of the best thinking movies I have ever seen, or even HEARD of... Where you just going to see boobies?
- Reply
- Report
christoffer-karlof - November 13, 2012 12:03 p.m.

Children of men, very much inspired by half life 2, and the whole movie is basically about level progression. Also one of the best damn movies in a decade
- Reply
- Report
nintendo365 - November 13, 2012 11:46 a.m.

Crank was unexpected, but PERFECT. It is exactly like a GTA/Saints Row Crossover. And plus Chev Chelios is a Niko Bellic looking mofo.
- Reply
- Report
RedHarlow - November 13, 2012 11:21 a.m.

I loved the girls and the Steampunk World War I scene in Sucker Punch. I could do without everything else.
- Reply
- Report
Fuzunga - November 13, 2012 10:53 a.m.

Speed Racer, man. All I could think when watching that movie was "I want to play this".
- Reply
- Report
BladeBlur - November 13, 2012 11:54 a.m.

Words. Of. Truth.
- Reply
- Report
GamesRadarDavidHoughton - November 13, 2012 10:36 a.m.

Re: Scott Pilgrim, Tron, Gamer etc. They were deliberately left off because they referece gaming too explicitly, or are directly built around it as a plot point. The point of this list is to discuss films that are just influenced by the aesthetic or structure of games without games being their primary theme or subject matter. Same reason things like Wreck-It Ralph and The Last Starfighter aren't applicable.
- Reply
- Report
cgriff63 - November 13, 2012 10:21 a.m.

Not sure why scott pilgrim didn't make it on the list..
- Reply
- Report
christopher-renfrow - November 13, 2012 10:10 a.m.

Er... not sure about this but how about Tron? Especially Tron Legacy...
- Reply
- Report
Exiled Reaper - November 13, 2012 9:49 a.m.

Loved Sucker Punch, all the action was brilliant despite the semi-rubbish plot. Surprised not to see a couple others on here, like Terminator or Cameron's Avatar. Also very, very surprised not to see the 2009 movie Gamer on here. A good article overall though!
- Reply
- Report
b-dog1991 - November 13, 2012 7:50 a.m.

I'll chime in with the obligatory Scott Pilgrim mention, although to be fair, the film takes its cues more from the source material rather than videogames themselves. Still, a lot of shots in that film are framed in the side-on Street Fighter stance and it's story structure couldn't be more gamey if it tried.
- Reply
- Report