Board games breaking into the real world, and gamers entering the virtual one.Increasingly, screen adaptations of popular video games can be seen on screens. Such films or TV series are often based on stories from primary sources. This does not always result in something worthwhile: for example, the latest adaptation of Borderlands disappointed many critics (including us).
But sometimes filmmakers choose to make films about fictional games. It doesn’t matter what format is shown in the cinema – classic shooters, board games or full-fledged virtual reality. In any case, it is interesting to see how directors and screenwriters imagined various manifestations of interactive art at different times. Our material contains ten interesting films about games.
“Jumanji” (6+)
Release date: 1995
Genre: Fantasy, Comedy, Adventure, Family
Rating: 7.1 on IMDb
Director: Joe Johnston
Starring: Robin Williams, Bonnie Hunt, Kirsten Dunst, Bradley Pierce, Bebe Neuwirth, Jonathan Hyde
An adaptation of the book of the same name by writer and artist Chris Van Allsburg. In the late 1960s, Alan Parrish discovers a Jumanji board game inside a buried chest. Together with his friend Sarah, the boy decides to try out an unusual thing in practice. Not knowing the rules, the guys start playing, for which they immediately pay: Alana is sucked inside the board, and the frightened girl runs away, which is why her friend ends up locked in an unknown place for many years.
After 26 years, a new family moves into the abandoned Parrish house. Orphans Judy and Peter also find Jumanji and start playing for fun. With every throw, exotic creatures appear in the house, as if out of nowhere. One of the guests especially frightens the children: Peter gets an A, and Alan Parrish, matured and grown up, returns to his own house. He explains to the guys that now “Jumanji” needs to be played to the end.
The Jumanji movie has two direct sequels, Welcome to the Jungle and The Next Level, as well as a spin-off called Zathura: A Space Adventure. The latter is based on another work by Chris Van Allsburg (read about this film in our selection of film comedies about space).
“Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” (18+)
Release date: 2017
Genre: Fantasy, action, comedy, adventure
Rating: 7.0 on IMDb
Director: Jake Kasdan
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, Bobby Cannavale, Nick Jonas
Sequel to Jumanji. In 1996, teenager Alex Rick finds the Jumanji board game, but does not show much interest – young people already prefer video games. That same night, the tabletop magically turns into a cartridge for the console. Alex launches it, after which he is sucked into the game.
After 21 years, four students are punished for misconduct at a Brantford school. Gamer Spencer, athlete Fridge, beauty Bethany and shy Martha are sent to sort out the trash in the basement. There, the guys come across an old console with a game and, out of boredom, launch it. The same thing happens to them as with Alex Rick: they find themselves in the world of Jumanji.
“The Main Character” (Free Guy) (18+)
Release date: 2021
Genre: Science Fiction, Action, Comedy, Romance
Rating: 7.1 on IMDb
Director: Shawn Levy
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Lil Rel Howery, Joe Keery, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Taika Waititi
A guy lives in the city. He works in a bank, is friends with Buddy and leads a normal life, despite the fact that real chaos is happening around him every day. The fact is that the Guy is a character in the online action role-playing game Free City, but he doesn’t realize it. One day he meets a girl with the nickname Molotov Girl – the avatar of one of the creators of the game, Millie Rask. The acquaintance awakens something unusual in the Guy: the NPC begins to deviate from the prescribed algorithm.
“Avalon” (16+)
Release date: 2001
Genre: Science Fiction, Action, Drama
Rating: 6.4 on IMDb
Director: Mamoru Oshii
Main roles: Małgorzata Foremniak, Wladyslaw Kowalski, Jerzy Gudejko, Dariusz Biskupski, Bartłomiej Swiderski, Katarzyna Bargielowska
In the future, many people will connect to the virtual reality of the Avalon game. There they fight with enemies and other gamers, gaining experience points and money. Particularly skilled players make a living this way, including the girl Ash.
There are dangers in depending on Avalon. Some users cannot leave the game and fall into a coma. This fate also befalls Murphy, the former leader of the online team that Ash was a member of. The girl decides to understand the mysteries of the game.
“Black Mirror. Bandersnatch” (Black Mirror: Bandersnatch) (18+)
Release date: 2018
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller, Drama, Detective
Rating: 7.1 on IMDb
Director: David Slade
Starring: Fionn Whitehead, Craig Parkinson, Alice Lowe, Azim Chaudhry, Will Poulter, Tallulah Rose Haddon
Interactive spin-off of the series “Black Mirror”. In 1984, English programmer Alex Butler is working on the virtual adventure Bandersnatch, based on the game book of the same name. He wants to atone for a past mistake and believes that his project will bring about a revolution. Gradually immersed in the vicissitudes of development, Butler eventually asks questions about his purpose.
Tron and Tron: Legacy (12+)
Release date: 1982, 2010
Genre: Science Fiction, Action, Adventure
Rating: 6.7, 6.8 on IMDb
Director: Steven Lisberger, Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, Cindy Morgan, David Warner, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde
Programmer Kevin Flynn used to work at ENCOM Corporation, where he created video games, but now runs an arcade. Teaming up with two colleagues, the engineer wants to prove that the head of ENCOM stole his hits, passing them off as his own.
For confirmation, they penetrate the corporate headquarters, but the protective artificial intelligence digitizes the programmer and throws him into the cyberspace of the central server. Kevin finds himself among the revived programs, struggling to survive and forced to fight in deadly games.
Years later, Kevin Flynn’s adult son Sam begins to investigate the circumstances surrounding his father’s disappearance many years ago. The trail leads him to an old arcade, where the guy discovers a secret room. There, Sam accidentally activates a laser that digitizes Flynn, just as happened to his father. Once in cyberspace, the guy becomes a prisoner of protective programs, and then meets Kevin, who is locked in this strange world.
“Nirvana” (18+)
Release date: 1997
Genre: Science Fiction, Drama, Detective
Rating: 6.1 on IMDb
Director: Gabriele Salvatores
Starring: Christopher Lambert, Diego Abatantuono, Sergio Rubini, Stefania Rocca, Amanda Sandrelli, Emmanuelle Seigner
Designer Jimi works for Okosama Starr and creates video games, including the virtual reality hit Nirvana. One day, his creation is infected with a virus, causing the main character Solo to gain intelligence and memory of his past “lives.” Suffering every death, the protagonist asks his creator to destroy the game. Jimi agrees, but to do this he needs to hack Nirvana, and the management of Okosama Starr is trying in every possible way to stop him.
“Existenza” (eXistenZ) (18+)
Release date: 1999
Genre: Horror, fantasy, thriller, detective
Rating: 6.8 on IMDb
Director: David Cronenberg
Starring: Jude Law, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ian Holm, Willem Dafoe, Don McKellar, Christopher Eccleston
In 2030, electronic devices have given way to biotechnological developments. This also affected the gaming industry: companies created special organic ports through which people connect to virtual reality. Game designer Allegra Geller comes up with a new game called Existenza and demonstrates it to a focus group. At this time, she is attacked by one of the fanatics who believe that biotechnology harms reality. Allegra’s port is damaged during the attack, and the girl persuades her protector Tad Pike to connect to Existenza.
Ready Player One (12+)
Release date: 2018
Genre: Science Fiction, Action, Adventure
Rating: 7.4 on IMDb
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Lena Waithe, Simon Pegg, Mark Rylance
An adaptation of the novel of the same name by writer Ernest Cline. In 2045, humanity is saved from depressing reality in the virtual reality game OASIS. After the death of its eccentric creator James Halliday, the excitement only increases. The game designer leaves a will, according to which his entire multi-billion dollar fortune and complete control over the game will go to the one who finds the “Easter egg” hidden deep in the OASIS. One of those who joins the hunt for the reward is a simple orphan teenager, Wade Watts.