Comic book movies once struggled to find an audience, but they've never been as consistently bad as the majority of video game adaptations. Even the best titles have made for terrible blockbusters over the years, but recently, things have started to look up both in film and on television.
In this feature, we're taking a look at the 10 greatest video game movies and TV shows ever made, according to Rotten Tomatoes. Not as many of them as you might think have been deemed "Rotten," and with The Last of Us set to hit HBO this Sunday, we're sure you'll be interested to find out where that lands.
While comic book adaptations continue to dominate Hollywood, this genre may soon serve as competition, particularly with the likes of The Super Mario Bros. Movie and God of War on the way. For now, though, this list makes for very interesting reading indeed.
To take a look through this ranking, all you guys need to do is click the "Next" button below!
10. Tomb Raider
Score: 53%
Fresh Or Rotten? Rotten
Critics Consensus: Tomb Raider reboots the franchise with a more grounded approach and a star who's clearly more than up to the task -- neither of which are well served by an uninspired origin story.
The recent Tomb Raider games have attempted to put a grounded spin on Lara Croft's origin story, and this movie went down a similar route. Unfortunately, like the series it's based on, that didn't prove to be particularly interesting.
On the plus side, Alicia Vikander was great in the role, and it was still miles ahead of other video game adaptations that came out around that time, including Warcraft and Assassin's Creed. Sadly, sequel plans have since been scrapped.
9. Mortal Kombat
Score: 54%
Fresh Or Rotten? Rotten
Critics Consensus: Largely for fans of the source material but far from fatal(ity) flawed, Mortal Kombat revives the franchise in appropriately violent fashion.
The Mortal Kombat franchise has always struggled on screen, though we're not entirely sure why. After all, there's a really rich mythology there and those epic Fatalities are begging to be adapted for an R-Rated blockbuster.
This 2021 effort gave it a good try, and while it was far from a great movie (it was downright dreadful at times), there was plenty here for fans to love. Hopefully, the planned sequel is able to perfect the formula.
8. Sonic The Hedgehog
Score: 63%
Fresh Or Rotten? Fresh
Critics Consensus: Fittingly fleet and frequently fun, Sonic the Hedgehog is a video game-inspired adventure the whole family can enjoy -- and a fine excuse for Jim Carrey to tap into the manic energy that launched his career.
When the first trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog was released, fans were horrified to see that the title character has been redesigned. His creepy new look went viral, and Paramount smartly decided to delay the movie in order to get that right.
As a result, when it was released, no one commented on Sonic's look, and instead focused on Jim Carrey's memorable performance and what proved to be a genuinely fun live-action blockbuster.
7. Detective Pikachu
Score: 68%
Fresh Or Rotten? Fresh
Critics Consensus: Pokémon Detective Pikachu may not take its wonderfully bizarre premise as far as it could have, but this offbeat adaptation should catch most -- if not all -- of the franchise's fans.
There was a huge amount of excitement surrounding Legendary's plans for a live-action Pokémon movie, but everyone's anticipation fell when it was revealed to be...Detective Pikachu.
Why not tell the story of Ash Ketchum or another trainer rather than a talking Pikachu? We still don't have the answer to that question, but this movie was a blast, and did a wonderful job of bringing the Pokémon world to life.
6. Sonic The Hedgehog 2
Score: 69%
Fresh Or Rotten? Fresh
Critics Consensus: It isn't as much fun as the little blue guy's greatest games, but if you enjoyed the first film, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 serves as a generally acceptable sequel.
With the first movie proving itself a hit, the Sonic the Hedgehog sequel went all out and embraced the games in a big way. Perhaps a little too busy with Knuckles, Tails, and a returning Eggman, it was still a worthy follow-up.
We actually think the score above is a little low, but understand this franchise isn't to everyone's liking. Hopefully, the third instalment can learn from the first two chapters in order to really excel.
5. Halo
Score: 70%
Fresh Or Rotten? Fresh
Critics Consensus: Halo is too derivative of better science-fiction series to emerge a fully-formed elite, but glimmers of promise and faithfulness to the source material signal it's not out of the fight just yet.
This is a TV series we simply cannot believe ranks so highly here. Yes, it's missed out on "Certified Fresh" status (and rightly so), but Halo is better than Detective Pikachu and the Sonic the Hedgehog movies? Not a freaking chance.
A generic sci-fi series, the decision to unmask Master Chief made little to no sense and took away much of what made the games so much fun. It's a show that had its moments, but for the most part, it was entirely forgettable.
4. The Angry Birds Movie 2
Score: 73%
Fresh Or Rotten? Fresh
Critics Consensus: Like its non-aerodynamic title characters, The Angry Birds Movie 2 takes improbable yet delightfully entertaining flight, landing humorous hits along the way.
Who imagined this being so far up the list? It's not "Certified Fresh," but it's the closest a movie has come to that until this point in our feature. Upping the laughs and improving the story, The Angry Birds Movie 2 made for entertaining viewing.
It's clear the voice cast was clearly enjoying themselves, and this honestly didn't feel like a shameless cash grab (the first one did). As a result, you might be surprised by just how much you enjoy this one!
3. The Witcher
Score: 81%
Fresh Or Rotten? Fresh
Critics Consensus: Though the world of The Witcher at times feels only half-formed, Henry Cavill brings brawny charisma to a series teeming with subversive fantasy elements and dark humor. (Season 1) The Witcher's second season expands on its first in all the best ways -- and most importantly, it remains a whole lot of fun. (Season 2)
The Witcher has certainly had its moments since arriving on Netflix, but an apparent lack of respect for the source material has already soured many fans on this adaptation. Despite that, it remains a draw on the platform.
The score above is the show's combined rating for seasons 1 and 2, though the latter was actually "Certified Fresh." No, we're not sure how that happened either as it was a real disappointment (despite being less confusing than its predecessor).
2. Werewolves Within
Score: 86%
Fresh Or Rotten? Certified Fresh
Critics Consensus: Werewolves Within is the rare horror comedy that offers equal helpings of either genre -- and adds up to a whole lot of fun in the bargain.
If neither this movie nor the game it's based on rings a bell, don't beat yourself up. Based on a relatively obscure VR video game released in 2016, Werwolves Within received only a limited theatrical run and flew under all our radars.
Despite that, it's the highest-rated video game movie of all time on Rotten Tomatoes, leaving us to wonder whether this fun horror-comedy is proof that adaptations work best when they do their own thing!
1. The Last of Us
Score: 97%
Fresh Or Rotten? Certified Fresh
Critics Consensus: Retaining the most addictive aspects of its beloved source material while digging deeper into the story, The Last of Us is bingeworthy TV that ranks among the all-time greatest video game adaptations.
The Last of Us actually counters that last point because, as video game adaptations go, this one is incredibly loyal. Fleshing out the franchise it's based on but never veering too far from the original story, it's damn near perfect.
Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey are perfectly cast as Ellie and Joel, and as we've seen all 9 episodes, you can trust us when we say HBO's take on the Naughty Dog game is indeed the best video game adaptation of all time.