There are several reasons why video game adaptations fail on the big screen. In the gaming world, storylines can play out for more than 40 hours and it can be hard to condense this into two hour film. With such a limited time frame, the movie adaptation often diverges significantly from the video game and screenwriters altering storylines to fit the shorter format. The game’s name alone can’t save the film and it leads to box office failure.
To determine the worst video game film adaptations ever made, 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 June 2024, weighting all ratings equally.
This post was updated May 27, 2025 to reflect additional information.
Here are the worst video game film adaptations ever made:
40. Warcraft (2016)
- IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (31,752 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (31,752 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 28% (232 reviews)
- Directed by: Duncan Jones
39. Tomb Raider (2018)
- IMDb user rating: 6.3/10 (10,923 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 55% (10,923 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 52% (320 reviews)
- Directed by: Roar Uthaug
38. Resident Evil (2002)
- IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (250,000 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 67% (250,000 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 35% (131 reviews)
- Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson
37. Monster Hunter (2020)
- IMDb user rating: 5.2/10 (1,494 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 70% (1,494 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 45% (95 reviews)
- Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson
36. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)
- IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (436,928 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 58% (436,928 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 37% (229 reviews)
- Directed by: Mike Newell
35. Silent Hill (2006)
- IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (250,000 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 63% (250,000 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 32% (103 reviews)
- Directed by: Christophe Gans
34. Mortal Kombat (1995)
- IMDb user rating: 5.8/10 (311,944 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 57% (311,944 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 44% (43 reviews)
- Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson
33. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001)
- IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (141,665 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 48% (141,665 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 44% (144 reviews)
- Directed by: Hironobu Sakaguchi, Motonori Sakakibara
32. Injustice (2021)
- IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (350 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 41% (350 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 50% (6 reviews)
- Directed by: Matt Peters
31. The Angry Birds Movie (2016)
- IMDb user rating: 6.3/10 (29,514 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 46% (29,514 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 43% (161 reviews)
- Directed by: Clay Kaytis, Fergal Reilly
30. Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021)
- IMDb user rating: 5.2/10 (250 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 65% (250 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 30% (87 reviews)
- Directed by: Johannes Roberts
29. Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)
- IMDb user rating: 6.2/10 (390,643 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 58% (390,643 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 25% (101 reviews)
- Directed by: Russell Mulcahy
28. Need for Speed (2014)
- IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (59,609 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 57% (59,609 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 23% (186 reviews)
- Directed by: Scott Waugh
27. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016)
- IMDb user rating: 5.5/10 (59,594 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 48% (59,594 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 37% (102 reviews)
- Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson
26. Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004)
- IMDb user rating: 6.1/10 (408,048 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 60% (408,048 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 19% (134 reviews)
- Directed by: Alexander Witt
25. Hitman (2007)
- IMDb user rating: 6.2/10 (306,464 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 57% (306,464 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 16% (105 reviews)
- Directed by: Xavier Gens
24. Resident Evil: Retribution (2012)
- IMDb user rating: 5.3/10 (242,004 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 51% (242,004 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 28% (74 reviews)
- Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson
23. Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010)
- IMDb user rating: 5.8/10 (128,380 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 48% (128,380 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 21% (107 reviews)
- Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson
22. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
- IMDb user rating: 5.8/10 (556,311 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 47% (556,311 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 20% (163 reviews)
- Directed by: Simon West
21. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life (2003)
- IMDb user rating: 5.5/10 (421,060 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 44% (421,060 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 24% (176 reviews)
- Directed by: Jan de Bont
20. Ratchet & Clank (2016)
- IMDb user rating: 5.5/10 (9,621 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 42% (9,621 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 21% (81 reviews)
- Directed by: Kevin Munroe, Jericca Cleland
19. DOA: Dead or Alive (2006)
- IMDb user rating: 4.8/10 (472,695 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 36% (472,695 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 33% (46 reviews)
- Directed by: Corey Yuen
18. Assassin’s Creed (2016)
- IMDb user rating: 5.6/10 (57,555 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 42% (57,555 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 18% (225 reviews)
- Directed by: Justin Kurzel
17. Hitman: Agent 47 (2015)
- IMDb user rating: 5.7/10 (39,510 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 40% (39,510 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 8% (130 reviews)
- Directed by: Aleksander Bach
16. Doom (2005)
- IMDb user rating: 5.2/10 (333,651 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 34% (333,651 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 18% (138 reviews)
- Directed by: Andrzej Bartkowiak
15. Super Mario Bros. (1993)
- IMDb user rating: 4.2/10 (173,313 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 29% (173,313 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 28% (43 reviews)
- Directed by: Annabel Jankel, Rocky Morton
14. Max Payne (2008)
- IMDb user rating: 5.3/10 (230,569 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 29% (230,569 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 16% (135 reviews)
- Directed by: John Moore
13. Doom: Annihilation (2019)
- IMDb user rating: 3.8/10 (331 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 15% (331 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 43% (7 reviews)
- Directed by: Tony Giglio
12. Silent Hill: Revelation (2012)
- IMDb user rating: 4.9/10 (42,397 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 35% (42,397 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 8% (59 reviews)
- Directed by: M.J. Bassett
11. Postal (2007)
- IMDb user rating: 4.5/10 (81,878 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 34% (81,878 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 9% (46 reviews)
- Directed by: Uwe Boll
10. Tekken (2010)
- IMDb user rating: 4.8/10 (11,298 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 31% (11,298 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 0% (6 reviews)
- Directed by: Dwight H. Little
9. Double Dragon (1994)
- IMDb user rating: 3.9/10 (29,969 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 26% (29,969 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 13% (16 reviews)
- Directed by: James Yukich
8. Wing Commander (1999)
- IMDb user rating: 4.3/10 (19,885 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 25% (19,885 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 10% (51 reviews)
- Directed by: Chris Roberts
7. Street Fighter (1994)
- IMDb user rating: 4.1/10 (79,772 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 20% (79,772 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 13% (40 reviews)
- Directed by: Steven E. de Souza
6. Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997)
- IMDb user rating: 3.6/10 (88,363 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 25% (88,363 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 4% (50 reviews)
- Directed by: John R. Leonetti
5. In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale (2007)
- IMDb user rating: 3.8/10 (103,753 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 23% (103,753 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 4% (52 reviews)
- Directed by: Uwe Boll
4. Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (2009)
- IMDb user rating: 3.7/10 (207,464 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 18% (207,464 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 3% (61 reviews)
- Directed by: Andrzej Bartkowiak
3. BloodRayne (2005)
- IMDb user rating: 3.0/10 (135,993 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 17% (135,993 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 4% (54 reviews)
- Directed by: Uwe Boll
2. Alone in the Dark (2005)
- IMDb user rating: 2.4/10 (57,801 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 11% (57,801 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 1% (123 reviews)
- Directed by: Uwe Boll
1. House of the Dead (2003)
- IMDb user rating: 2.1/10 (46,870 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 10% (46,870 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 3% (61 reviews)
- Directed by: Uwe Boll
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Courtesy of Paramount Pictures .