Every Video Game Movie That Broke Rotten Tomatoes’ Fresh Rating, Ranked From Best To Worst

Video game adaptations have carried a rough reputation in Hollywood for decades, with most entries landing squarely in “Rotten” territory on Rotten Tomatoes. That trend has quietly reversed over the past few years, and one recent release has now redefined what critics expect from the genre entirely.

A wave of adaptations, from horror reboots to family friendly comedies, has pushed the video game movie into genuinely respectable critical territory. Here is how the highest rated entries in the genre currently stack up on Rotten Tomatoes.

Resident Evil

Zach Cregger’s 2026 take on ‘Resident Evil’ currently holds a Rotten Tomatoes score of 97 percent based on 91 reviews, meaning nearly every critic who has reviewed it delivered a positive notice. That score comfortably makes it the highest rated video game movie in Rotten Tomatoes history, surpassing the previous record holder by more than ten percentage points.

The film stars Austin Abrams, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, and Paul Walter Hauser, and follows a medical courier named Bryan who takes an injured woman to a hospital in Raccoon City, Colorado, only to discover the outbreak that follows. It opened in the United States on September 18, 2026, on a 75 million dollar budget, and has grossed over 108 million dollars worldwide, becoming both a commercial success and the highest rated film based on a video game on review aggregators including Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic.

Critics have singled out Cregger’s horror instincts as the driving force behind the reception. In its review of the film, ScreenRant called it the most John Carpenter inspired film the outlet’s critic has seen, while praising how it balances audacious horror with unexpected humor. Since 1996, Capcom’s ‘Resident Evil’ has defined the horror video game genre, and the reboot marks the franchise’s first genuinely acclaimed cinematic outing after seven previous films all landed in Rotten territory.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ brought back Jim Carrey, Ben Schwartz, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, and Idris Elba, with Keanu Reeves joining the cast as the villain Shadow. The story pits Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles against Shadow the Hedgehog as he allies with Ivo and Gerald Robotnik in pursuit of revenge against humanity.

The film premiered in London on December 10, 2024, and opened in the United States on December 20, going on to gross 491.9 million dollars worldwide on a 122 million dollar budget. That made it the highest grossing entry in the franchise at the time, and its critical reception followed suit.

Before Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’ arrived, this was the genre’s reigning champion. ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ previously held the title of highest rated video game movie on Rotten Tomatoes, with an 86 percent critic score and a 94 percent audience score.

Werewolves Within

‘Werewolves Within’ sits at 86 percent on Rotten Tomatoes across 148 reviews, with critics praising the film as a rare horror comedy that offers equal helpings of both genres. The story follows newly arrived forest ranger Finn, played by Sam Richardson, and postal worker Cecily, played by Milana Vayntrub, as they try to keep the peace in the snowbound town of Beaverfield while a mysterious creature terrorizes the residents.

Directed by Josh Ruben from a screenplay by Mishna Wolff, the film is based on the video game of the same name from Red Storm Entertainment. It remains one of the more surprising entries on this list, given its low budget indie horror comedy roots compared to the blockbuster productions surrounding it.

The Angry Birds Movie 2

‘The Angry Birds Movie 2’ rounds out the upper half of the ranking with a 72 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. The animated sequel builds on the mobile game’s premise of birds and pigs, pushing the two warring factions into an uneasy alliance against a shared threat, and its reception marked a modest improvement over the first ‘Angry Birds’ film.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’ holds a 69 percent critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. The sequel expanded the franchise’s world considerably, bringing in Idris Elba’s Knuckles and setting up the larger mythology that ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ would later pay off with Shadow’s introduction.

That expansion paid off commercially as well as critically. The film’s box office success helped establish ‘Sonic’ as a reliable tentpole property for Paramount, paving the way for the franchise’s continued growth through its third installment and beyond.

Pokémon Detective Pikachu

‘Pokémon Detective Pikachu’ sits at 68 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. The film blended live action with CGI creatures in a noir tinged mystery, casting Ryan Reynolds as the voice of a talking Pikachu who teams up with a young man searching for his missing father.

It remains one of the more distinct entries in the genre, favoring a detective story structure over the action heavy formula that defines most of the other films on this list.

Gran Turismo

‘Gran Turismo’ is based on the true story of Jann Mardenborough, a struggling gamer played by Archie Madekwe, alongside David Harbour as a former racecar driver and Orlando Bloom as a motorsport executive, as the trio work together to take on elite competitive racing. Directed by Neill Blomkamp, the film was a number one box office hit in North America upon release.

The film opened in August 2023 on a 60 million dollar budget and went on to gross over 122 million dollars at the worldwide box office. Its Rotten Tomatoes score currently sits at 65 percent, reflecting a generally favorable but mixed critical response to its blend of sports drama and video game origin story.

Sonic the Hedgehog

The film that started the franchise, ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’, holds a 64 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. Its release followed a widely publicized redesign of the title character after fan backlash to the original trailer, and the finished product went on to outperform expectations at the box office, setting the stage for two sequels.

Mortal Kombat 2

‘Mortal Kombat 2’ holds a 64 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. The sequel stars Karl Urban as Johnny Cage, taking over as the film’s central protagonist, alongside returning cast members including Adeline Rudolph as Kitana, Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, and Ludi Lin as Liu Kang.

Directed by Simon McQuoid and produced by James Wan, the sequel finally brings the franchise’s signature tournament to the big screen, expanding the roster of fighters and pushing further into the Netherrealm. It is a loose adaptation drawing from the first three ‘Mortal Kombat’ game storylines, with costume design pulling directly from ‘Mortal Kombat 11’.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ holds a 59 percent critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, compared to a 96 percent audience score. The film stars Chris Pratt as Mario and Charlie Day as Luigi, following the Brooklyn plumbers as they fall into a pipe and emerge in a world populated by Bowser, voiced by Jack Black, and Princess Peach, voiced by Anya Taylor-Joy.

Despite its modest critic score, the film became a genuine box office phenomenon, ultimately grossing 1.248 billion dollars worldwide and ranking as the third highest grossing animated film ever at the time. It stands as proof that critical consensus and commercial success do not always move in lockstep within this genre.

With ‘Resident Evil’ now sitting comfortably atop the list, it raises the question of whether Hollywood has finally cracked the formula for adapting games without losing what made them work in the first place, and whether Cregger’s version of Raccoon City will hold its crown once the next wave of adaptations arrives.