The "Dead Rising" franchise has amassed a great deal of success working as a cash cow for Capcom, but even the most lucrative video game titles have experienced difficulties transitioning from the consoles to the movie and TV screens.
In "Dead Rising: Watchtower," the attempt is to reverse that trend and deliver a movie which draws attention not just to the name, but also found on the covers of video games.
The movie doesn't succeed on that front however, according to IGN.
One of the primary criticisms of the movie stems from its reliance on the source material found in the video game titles from the same franchise. On the surface, such a tactic should make sense, but with an openly absurd and oftentimes ridiculous game such as "Dead Rising," such loyalty to the script is not always a good thing.
In truth, "Watchtower" is more suited to fans who were already very committed to the franchise before this movie was even in the works, according to Games Radar.
Even though the movie aims to stand alone from the franchise, going so far as to conjure up its own protagonist in Dallas, played by Jesse Metcalfe, it still cannot help but call back to the "Dead Rising" canon.
Rob Riggle, of the "Daily Show" and several other cinematic cames, appears in the movie briefly as the recognizable Frank West. Unfortunately, his beats fall flat and his appearance seems more like a throw-in than a brilliant nod to fans.
Others appearing in the movie, such as Dennis Haysbert, Virginia Madsen, and Meghan Ory, attempt to bring some humanity to their roles, but they too are thwarted, according to the New York Times.
Some may see the movie's biggest sin as being too dedicated to bringing the game to life, and that would be fine if the product were as entertaining and engaging. It, unfortunately, is not, and all people are left with it is a film most will probably forget an hour after viewing and one loyalists to "Dead Rising" may enjoy, if they try hard enough.
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