The Influence of Video Game mechanics and storytelling on Mainstream Cinema

The recent release of Predator: Badlands has shown a great example of how mainstream cinema use video game mechanics in their films. The director, Dan Trachtenberg has spoken about this in several interviews mentioning the similarities and how he was inspired by Shadow of the Colossus and Monster Hunter among others while making this film.

Companion-Based Mechanics in Modern Action Cinema

One of the aspects he mentioned was the companion-based mechanics found in games like God of War with Mimir accompanying Kratos or The Last of Us with Ellie and Joel. He adopts this when Predator begins carrying around Thia the android.

Direct Video Game Structures in Contemporary Films

Scott Pilgrim vs The World very directly uses many mechanics from video games. The whole movie is powered by the way a video game would be structured. There are seven boss battles, combat techniques, power-ups and even gold coins as rewards. Similar to this, movies like Free Guy, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Tron all present themselves as video games.

Then there are the time-loop movies. From Looper, Tenet, Edge of Tomorrow, Source Code to even Palm Springs and Groundhog Day. These films use the video gamer mentality where we try the same scenario in various ways and death becomes a form of data collection.

The Action Movie Blueprint: Tutorial to Final Boss

Action movies are the ones that most commonly use video game mechanics with how they present the plot. They usually start slow with a “tutorial” of sorts for the viewer, then move up by introducing the side characters and the equipment they offer you, holding back the best weapon for the climax and possibly a suit up scene where all the mechanics are seen.

This can be seen in any Bond movie, The Matrix, John Wick, The Expendables, Mission Impossible and so on. A lot of their inspiration comes from how early video games worked and they continue to draw on from then with Predator: Badlands finding success.