Since 1993, when the first video game movie, “Super Mario Bros.,” was released, it had tepid ticket sales and was considered a commercial failure. Nonetheless, a number of film studios followed up with their own attempts at video game adaptations, seeking to cash in on a wildly popular slice of the entertainment industry. Until recently, however, many of these films have tanked at the box office, disappointing critics, video game fans, and studios alike. (It can happen to the best. Here are 25 great directors with the most box office bombs.)
This trend began to shift in 2018 upon the releases of “Rampage” and “Tomb Raider,” which have both managed to eke out Tomatometer scores higher than 50% (a triumph compared to most movies in the genre). Further successes in 2019 include “Pokémon Detective Pikachu” and “The Angry Birds Movie 2.”
Finally, 2020 saw a genuine smash hit when “Sonic the Hedgehog” set a record as the highest-grossing video game movie ever, only to be eclipsed by its sequel in 2022. Add the critically acclaimed 2021 horror comedy “Werewolves Within” to the mix, and it would appear that video game movies are actually starting to live up to their promise.
To determine the best and worst movies based on video games, 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of August 2022, weighting all ratings equally. Only the 45 movies based on existing video game properties were considered. Both live action and animated movies are included.
Click here to see the best and worst movies based on video games
Eight of the top 10 best video game movies were released in the last four years, with many on the bottom of the list hailing from the ‘90s and early 2000s. Nine “Resident Evil” films are ranked, and they generally made it onto the higher end of the list, with the worst at No. 27, and the best – “Resident Evil: Damnation” (2012) – taking the top spot. (Multiple “Resident Evil” films also appear on our list of the best zombie movies of all time.)
45. House of the Dead (2003)
> IMDb user rating: 2.1/10 (36,809 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 10% (46,870 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 3% (61 reviews)
> Directed by: Uwe Boll
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44. Alone in the Dark (2005)
> IMDb user rating: 2.4/10 (45,033 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 11% (57,801 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 1% (123 reviews)
> Directed by: Uwe Boll
43. Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (2009)
> IMDb user rating: 3.7/10 (23,575 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 18% (207,464 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 3% (61 reviews)
> Directed by: Andrzej Bartkowiak
42. Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997)
> IMDb user rating: 3.7/10 (52,919 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 25% (88,363 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 4% (50 reviews)
> Directed by: John R. Leonetti
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41. Street Fighter (1994)
> IMDb user rating: 4.0/10 (69,416 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 20% (79,772 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 13% (40 reviews)
> Directed by: Steven E. de Souza
40. Double Dragon (1994)
> IMDb user rating: 3.8/10 (13,008 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 26% (29,969 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 13% (16 reviews)
> Directed by: James Yukich
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39. Wing Commander (1999)
> IMDb user rating: 4.3/10 (16,617 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 25% (19,885 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 10% (51 reviews)
> Directed by: Chris Roberts
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38. Tekken (2010)
> IMDb user rating: 4.8/10 (26,934 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 31% (11,298 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 0% (6 reviews)
> Directed by: Dwight H. Little
37. Postal (2007)
> IMDb user rating: 4.5/10 (22,833 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 34% (81,878 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 9% (46 reviews)
> Directed by: Uwe Boll
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36. Super Mario Bros. (1993)
> IMDb user rating: 4.1/10 (51,653 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 29% (173,313 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 28% (43 reviews)
> Directed by: Rocky Morton & Annabel Jankel
35. Max Payne (2008)
> IMDb user rating: 5.3/10 (124,183 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 29% (230,569 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 16% (135 reviews)
> Directed by: John Moore
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34. Doom (2005)
> IMDb user rating: 5.2/10 (110,800 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 34% (333,651 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 18% (138 reviews)
> Directed by: Andrzej Bartkowiak
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33. Hitman: Agent 47 (2015)
> IMDb user rating: 5.7/10 (88,200 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 40% (39,510 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 8% (130 reviews)
> Directed by: Aleksander Bach
32. DOA: Dead or Alive (2006)
> IMDb user rating: 4.8/10 (44,172 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 36% (472,695 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 33% (46 reviews)
> Directed by: Corey Yuen
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31. Assassin’s Creed (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 5.7/10 (192,070 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 42% (57,555 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 18% (225 reviews)
> Directed by: Justin Kurzel
30. Ratchet & Clank (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 5.6/10 (10,511 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 42% (9,621 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 21% (81 reviews)
> Directed by: Kevin Munroe
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29. Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003)
> IMDb user rating: 5.6/10 (134,794 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 44% (421,060 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 24% (176 reviews)
> Directed by: Jan de Bont
28. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
> IMDb user rating: 5.8/10 (203,928 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 47% (556,311 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 20% (163 reviews)
> Directed by: Simon West
27. Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010)
> IMDb user rating: 5.8/10 (166,381 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 48% (128,380 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 21% (107 reviews)
> Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson
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26. Resident Evil: Retribution (2012)
> IMDb user rating: 5.4/10 (137,086 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 51% (242,004 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 28% (74 reviews)
> Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson
25. Hitman (2007)
> IMDb user rating: 6.3/10 (164,802 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 57% (306,464 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 16% (105 reviews)
> Directed by: Xavier Gens
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24. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 5.5/10 (88,506 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 48% (59,594 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 37% (102 reviews)
> Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson
23. Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004)
> IMDb user rating: 6.2/10 (191,930 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 60% (408,048 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 19% (134 reviews)
> Directed by: Alexander Witt
22. Need for Speed (2014)
> IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (166,642 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 57% (59,609 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 23% (186 reviews)
> Directed by: Scott Waugh
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21. Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021)
> IMDb user rating: 5.2/10 (50,837 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 65% (250 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 30% (87 reviews)
> Directed by: Johannes Roberts
20. Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)
> IMDb user rating: 6.2/10 (188,848 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 58% (390,643 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 25% (101 reviews)
> Directed by: Russell Mulcahy
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19. Resident Evil: Vendetta (2017)
> IMDb user rating: 6.2/10 (13,614 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 46% (500 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 43% (7 reviews)
> Directed by: Takanori Tsujimoto
18. The Angry Birds Movie (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 6.3/10 (85,820 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 46% (29,514 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 43% (161 reviews)
> Directed by: Clay Kaytis & Fergal Reilly
17. Final Fantasy: the Spirits Within (2001)
> IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (81,091 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 48% (141,665 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 44% (144 reviews)
> Directed by: Hironobu Sakaguchi
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16. Mortal Kombat (1995)
> IMDb user rating: 5.8/10 (114,228 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 57% (311,944 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 44% (43 reviews)
> Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson
15. Silent Hill (2006)
> IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (228,316 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 63% (250,000 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 32% (103 reviews)
> Directed by: Christophe Gans
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14. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)
> IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (279,395 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 58% (436,928 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 37% (229 reviews)
> Directed by: Mike Newell
13. Monster Hunter (2020)
> IMDb user rating: 5.3/10 (46,741 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 70% (1,494 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 45% (95 reviews)
> Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson
12. Resident Evil (2002)
> IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (269,724 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 67% (250,000 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 35% (131 reviews)
> Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson
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11. Tomb Raider (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 6.3/10 (202,370 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 55% (10,923 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 52% (320 reviews)
> Directed by: Roar Uthaug
10. Warcraft (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (252,948 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (31,752 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 28% (232 reviews)
> Directed by: Duncan Jones
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9. Rampage (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 6.1/10 (154,612 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (10,407 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 51% (284 reviews)
> Directed by: Brad Peyton
8. Uncharted (2022)
> IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (166,968 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (5,000 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 41% (251 reviews)
> Directed by: Ruben Fleischer
7. Mortal Kombat (2021)
> IMDb user rating: 6.1/10 (169,494 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (5,000 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 54% (292 reviews)
> Directed by: Simon McQuoid
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6. Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (149,659 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (16,931 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 68% (311 reviews)
> Directed by: Rob Letterman
5. The Angry Birds Movie 2 (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (25,390 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (4,024 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 73% (110 reviews)
> Directed by: Thurop Van Orman
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4. Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)
> IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (105,930 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (19,495 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 63% (244 reviews)
> Directed by: Jeff Fowler
3. Werewolves Within (2021)
> IMDb user rating: 6.0/10 (18,867 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (50 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (143 reviews)
> Directed by: Josh Ruben
2. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)
> IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (56,545 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 96% (5,000 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 69% (169 reviews)
> Directed by: Jeff Fowler
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1. Resident Evil: Damnation (2012)
> IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (20,783 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 69% (1,000 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (5 reviews)
> Directed by: Makoto Kamiya
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