Movies I'd like to see Vol.3

Diablo

Continuing the series of fantasies concerning the movies I'd like to see in the big screen, this time I'm gonna jump medium, from comics to videogames, and switch genre, from action-adventure to horror.

I'm an acolyte of Blizzard and it's computer games. I believe all their three franchises have the potential to be turned into movies, since storytelling is something Blizzard puts emphasis with their games. There has been some talk of a live-action Warcraft movie, but shockingly they have said they plan not to make it a war movie but instead a quest movie. Personally, I think it would be a mistake, missing the opportunity to do something epic, and instead settling for something that might end up being like any other swords and sorcery story.


Anyways, Warcraft will always have the problem of resembling Tolkien's work, or even worse a Dungeons and Dragon movie. Starcraft, is undeniably similar to Starship Troopers but with an extra alien race. Of the three franchises, I believe that Diablo is the one that could become something unique.


It does have swords and sorcery, and it is set in a world clearly influenced by the Europe of the middle ages, but the real foundation of the story is the never-ending battle between heaven and hell. There are no colorful races like elves or hobbits, and all enemies are demonic in nature. Truth is that the only way to approach Diablo is as a straight-up horror movie. Sure, the games have heavy doses of action, and it wasn't slow-paced at all, but the idea behind it, with the soundtrack, all the darkness and the tension of not knowing what was coming around the corner, was all meant to spook you.


I'm not sure a lone hero against the forces of hell (from the first Diablo game) would work. You need some interaction between characters and dialogue to create tension, also it allows the possibility of having some victims along the way. So maybe a small group of mercenaries and glory-seekers should be the ones to enter the cathedral in Tristam, and venture deeper into the catacombs that lead to the gates of hell.


Movies based on videogames have a horrible track record, and there have actually been a few attempts to make horror movies out of games. The Resident Evil series, in my opinion, is unwatchable, and it might have zombies and try to scare you, but it truly is a series of lame action movies. Then there is Silent Hill, that some thought was above average, but I wasn't impressed, maybe because I never played that game. So experience says that making a Diablo movies might not be a wise idea, but Hollywood has to eventually make a fine translation so...