Games that would make GREAT movies

Pick One: Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

This was a simple one. Nintendo may never let another movie be made from any of its franchises ever again (aside from Pokemon) but they really should give a thought to their Zelda series. The story to Zelda is a story line that’s always worked: the King Arthur-esque, coming-of-age tale. Zelda’s got it all, an aspiring and idealistic young boy with high dreams of saving his world, quenching his thirst for adventure, a damsel in distress, old wise men, back stories, history, destiny, talking trees and, of course, epic sword- clashing battles. It’s a failure free formula.

Some may argue, “We’ve seen that kind of movie before!”. They’re right, but between films like the classic Star Wars, the epic Lord of the Rings, the shitty Eragon and the upcoming Hobbit, Hollywood isn’t ready to drop the ‘take up your sword young warrior’ storyline just yet. We’ve also seen the battle between good and evil taking place in the medieval times before as well, but Zelda is a lot like Star Wars and LotR in that it all is taking place in its own little fairy tale world. Its earth but a different dimension of earth. Perhaps it can be earth in a time that history has forgot. Have you ever noticed that the medieval world is the same almost in every film? It would be cool to combine the castles and knights in shining armor world with a turn of-the-century slant with flying/gliding machines and early industrial machinery. Its something I’ve wanted to see, anyways.

As far as direction goes I think that filmmakers like Peter Jackson or Spielberg could do it, but with this film being based on a Nintendo game- it’s a safe bet they won’t go near reading the script. Perhaps the studios could go for a younger director or whomever did the Harry Potter movies. Its really about finding someone that can handle a LOT of special effects work because bringing to life the world of Zelda would be difficult and expensive. Perhaps this could be a Dreamworks animated feature and just do everything in CGI.

Zelda OoT was the best written Zelda story I’d ever seen and I revisit it anytime I play. That alone is the reason that this game gets SOOOOO much gushy press, even after 10+ years since its release on the Nintendo 64. As a film, the story should follow what was in the game 100% because seeing how it’s a world we may have seen before, the story would have to be able to keep audiences in their seats. There’s no need to bog everything down with action and sword fights, because even that can get boring after a few minutes (Matrix: Reloaded is a fine example of too much). Link needs interaction and advice from all the legends around him that are honing and crafting him into the statue of bravery needed to assemble the Tri Force (Ala Obi Wan and Yoda giving advice to Luke). Therefore, good screenwriting is a must- not just great stunt/fight choreography.

Who would play Link? that’s a toughie. I would love to see the Ocarina of Time storyline worked into a live action film but you would have to cast many different Links to get the sense of how he grows older as the story moves. I think just about any of those manufactured, bottle-blond, pop stars that Disney cranks out could perhaps play young link (only if he can fucking act, though). The final version of grown Link would have to be a dead-on perfect actor- I’m thinking perhaps someone that looks like Hayden Christensen but a little younger and more Shakespearian in his acting (unlike Hayden’s painful acting in Star Wars 2 & 3).

Last suggestion: Keep infamous game to film director Uwe Boll as far away from the making of the movie as possible. If he should arrive on set, the order to the catering crew is shoot to kill.