In Development
Len Wiseman Gears Up for Gears of War
Posted by Ashley Demma (ashley@filmschoolrejects.com) on June 17, 2008
Video-gamers are in for some interesting news. Len Wiseman, director of the Underworld movies, is going to direct the highly anticipated Gears of War movie. While some of you might be cringing right now (and I wouldn’t blame you), hear me out.
In recent years, a lot of video game movies have quite frankly sucked. (Doom and Bloodrayne, anyone?) Whether the reason was bad adaptation, unfaithful storyline, poor graphics, or general lack of interest…something came up short. A lot of these movies, however, were quite successful amongst die-hard fans (Mortal Kombat, Tomb Raider). Still, there seems to be a curse placed upon these adaptations. Let’s consider the good news:
1.) Underworld focused primarily on an advanced, developed history that we can likely see duplicated for the backstory of GoW.
2.) Writer Chris Morgan (Wanted) can apparently write action movies. Wanted is already one of the most anticipated movies of the summer.
3.) GoW has a strong fanbase and the potential for mad marketing money, (action figures, comic books, soda endorsements…), which hopefully New Line Cinema will bank on.
I myself know next to nothing about Gears of War, besides what my guy friends have rambled on about between games, but I understand the gist of it: Marcus Fenix is a Delta Squad soldier, whose home planet of Sera has been ravaged by an enemy known as the Locust Horde. He and his fellow soldiers plan to take back their home and destroy the Locust Horde. Other than that…I don’t really get it. How is this any different from Halo or any other futuristic, other-worldly, shooter game? While the graphics are pretty dark and creepy, and the content is certainly for a mature audience…is it really that special?
I’m sure at this point, every guy 14-28 with an X-Box wants to stab me. So help me understand, boys. Why should someone like me, a chick who isn’t a GoW fan, see the movie version? Why should anyone?
Read more articles by Ashley Demma
15 Comments
June 18th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Because the blood will be thick, plentiful, and seemingly black. Also, since the game was graphically designed to begin with, CGI integration won’t be nearly as annoying as it is in major motion pictures like Hulk. On a personal note - all human vs. conquering-alien-race sci-fi movies are entertaining, as they pose no ethical dilemma. They’re just pure evil that must be stopped! Please don’t accuse me of being a hypermasculine warmonger, that’s hardly the point. I just love me some sweet lookin’ evil creatures and gore. Plus, New Line Cinema and Lionsgate are oddball minority production companies who stay true to a targeted fan base(at least they are in my opinion) compared to some of the other money-grubbing giants. On the other hand, the screenplay will probably prove even more dry and cheezy than the dialouge in the game, and the direction will call for them to be delivered as such. Besides, the characters in the game have already been well established - especially in their voices. To hear/see other people playing their part, well, it just won’t feel right. I also fear they may try to stuff too much plot and resolution into a single feature film. Hell, the game is being broken up into a trilogy, and there are/will be hours upon hours of gameplay in each one of them.
All-in-all, this movie will be cool for its cinematography, action sequences, and post-apocolyptic setting. It’ll be lame for the acting and the one-liners sure to accompany it, and they’ll probably alter the story to appeal to a more mainstream audience. I’m also sure the CGI will, in fact, get to me at one point or another.
…Yeah.
June 18th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
What makes this game different? This thing often refured to as it’s element. This game is all about its cover system that no other game really shares. What makes halo special? It’s ultimate control, no other game gives you so much freedom with a character. Each game has it’s element, and the ones that have the good ones are the ones you hear and read about on the nets
June 18th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Two words: CHAINSAW GUN!
Seriously, chainsaw gun ALONE is worth seeing this movie sweetheart. The whole aliens taking over a planet and unrealistically giant dudes killing them is really just a backdrop for the chainsaw gun.
Actually, they should just call the movie “Chainsaw Gun Killing Aliens”.
June 18th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
It’ll be popular for the most important reason… chainsaw bayonets.
June 18th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Actually the locust come from inside the planet so they would not be classified as aliens.
June 18th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Hahahahaha Halo gives you ultimate control and freedom over your character? Please elaborate as Halo is one of the blandest and most unoriginal FPS that exists. Its only popular because it was the first FPS that was done with a little bit of care for consoles and helped catapult the XBox and its Live system. I do have to agree with the author of this piece, what makes Gears of War different from any other FPS? The excellent cover system yes, but how does that translate to the movie? It can’t, movies must depend on the story, and the story of GoW, Halo, and any space shooter has already been done in two very good movies Alien and Predator. That’s the basis for all other FPS stories. The only movie that would be original to see would be Half-Life or Doom (with the whole going to hell plot not crappy alien shit), other than that we can make better action movies out of other things, or just use generic war story #37.
June 18th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
@ chililili-
I agree, Half-Life is pretty amazing. I would personally love to see Portal get made into a movie. That game was so addicting.
I just hope the good people of Hollywood don’t try to make games like Crash Bandicoot or Mario Kart into movies. Oh the horror.
Kingdom Hearts on the other hand…
June 18th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
I hear what your saying just don’t fuck it up and get GOOD actors.
June 18th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
First, I’m gonna say ditto to the other comments. They all seem to hit on high points of why this will be a good movie to see, GoW fan or not. To kind of add an additional comment to the list, have you seen the trailer for GoW 1 that had the song from Donny Darko(sp?)? I would more then imagine that the movie will have some sort of post-post-modern feel such as this trailer has. This movie will have to have some base in the graphics that this game was made off of and will inheritly have some good artsy-fartsy look to it as well. So if you like that kind of art work (in motion picture form) then this movie will probably attract you for that reason.
June 18th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
As Mr Wiggl3s said, what makes the Gears of War excellent is its in-game controls and environment interactions. The ‘cover system’ was not an innovation on GoW’s part, but it was the first time it was exercised flawlessly. The flow and pacing of gameplay in GoW is fundamentally different from that in Halo simply because of the way you cover ground. Unlike the frenzied running and gunning of Halo, GoW forces you into constant defensive positions where you must stand ground and cycle between areas of cover while utilizing objects such as movable abandoned cars to dispatch the enemy. This also acts as the chief emotional impact of the game. Not only can you be killed as in any game, but the feeling of defending ground by warding off oncoming enemies, coupled with the general uncertainty and creepiness of the decrepit environments draws the player in.
Now, these are all reasons of why GoW is a great game. Cinema, however, has a completely different set of semiotics, which is why video games (along with every other medium) fail so often when transferred to the screen. GoW will have to, first, rely more heavily on its pretty standard sci-fi story of invasion and warfare, and secondly, recreate the feeling of strategic achievement in its action scenes (which are sure to be over-the-top, but will they be emotionally worthwhile?) A puzzle-solving strategy aspect is also present in GoW and will likely be played up in the movie.
But yes, there’s also a badass gun with a chainsaw bayonet on it. And it cuts through baddies good.
June 18th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
What makes there’s something about mary different then the girl next door? they’re both movies about love aren’t they?
June 18th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Wanted has got to be the dumbest movie coming out. The action scenes are so implausible it made me laugh. Please, Hollywood, stop hiring john woo wannabe directors and writers to destroy the original materials.
Len Wisemen sucks. Nothing worst than a cut and paste director that copies other copy and paste directors.
Th reason video game movies suck is because… THE ORIGINAL MATERIAL IS NOT THAT GOOD TO BEGIN WITH! At least with games you can ignore the story and characters, but with movies you can’t!!!
June 18th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
You shouldn’t. The game is vastly overrated. Though fun, it barely has enough story to justify a movie.
June 19th, 2008 at 4:41 am
To me Gears of War was about keeping your cool while all hell breaks loose around you. You take cover under a barrage of enemy fire; you defend yourself and your small strike team against innumerable, merciless enemies; you have to pay attention to things like reloading smoothly, where your enemies are burrowing up from, and how badly hurt your team-mates are.
Then the game throws boomers, beserkers, and kryll at you.
Oh yeah and the Lancer because of its chainsaw bayonet. As “Male14thru28″ said, the rest of the game is pretty much a backdrop to using a gun that has a chainsaw on one end.
June 19th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
GoW is not a FPS.