'Metal Gear Solid' Director on the Curse of Video Game Movies
Jordan Vogt-Roberts (Kong: Skull Island) gave us an update on his long-gestating Metal Gear Solid video game adaptation, confirming that there's plenty of love and attention attempting to ensure the film reaches the big screen. Now, speaking with Slash Film, the director has gone into detail on why it seems video games just don't make good films.
"I think that most filmmakers who have tried to adapt them…you know, much like there was not a good comic book movie for a long time. And then it took directors who had grown up with comic book influences like Sam Raimi [who] legitimately loved Spider-Man. Right? So it took guys who grew up with comic book influences and were good filmmakers to tackle that.
"I think that most filmmakers who have tried to adapt them…you know, much like there was not a good comic book movie for a long time. And then it took directors who had grown up with comic book influences like Sam Raimi [who] legitimately loved Spider-Man. Right? So it took guys who grew up with comic book influences and were good filmmakers to tackle that.
"Of course, there have been some filmmakers who are notable video gamers who were not able to defeat the video game movie curse. Being someone who grew up playing and loving video games doesn’t mean you’ll make a good video game movie, just like someone who grew up watching and loving great movies might not make a great film director…but it helps.
"I think that they fundamentally don’t understand the difference between an active experience and a passive experience and how you translate a active experience into a compelling, passive experience. Because there are things that you can get away with in an active experience in a video game that would not fly in a movie in terms of storytelling, in terms of a lot of different things, in terms of characters. In terms of set pieces. There are things that, when you take [it] out the active experience, suddenly it’s not compelling anymore.
"Suddenly it doesn’t do anything. And so I think like that core conceit of understanding the difference between an active and a passive experience is one of the core things that people haven’t quite unlocked yet. And, you know, I think that we’re getting close, you know, we’re getting to the point where I think that there’s going to be a great one soon. And to me Metal Gear Solid is not just a great video game. Like I said I think it’s a great story. I think it’s a great story and a work of art. And a great like singular voice on this planet in terms of media.
"So my goal right now is to sort of work and make sure that we’re having the best version of that. So that fans and everyone can sort of experience the brilliance of [Metal Gear creator Hideo] Kojima’s work."
Kong: Skull Island hits theaters March 10.
Source: http://www.slashfilm.com/jordan-vogt-roberts-on-why-most-video-game-movi...
