Rockstar’s most controversial game is getting a fan-made movie, and it’s even more brutal than its inspiration

Rockstar Games has made many controversial games in its history. One might even argue every game it has ever produced has been controversial. But none ever reached the levels of Manhunt and its brutal, horrifying displays of violence. Now it’s coming back, not as a game, but a fan-made movie.

As shown by IGN, Manhunt is the title of the upcoming fan-made movie adaptation of the eponymous 2003 game, whose release was covered in controversy and even forbidden in certain countries. Never has a title generated so much bad rep and anti-gaming press, which is not least because there was a strong crowd at the time advocating for banning video games because they were “teaching” kids to be violent and cruel.

Rockstar’s output was particularly targeted due to the nature of its sandbox titles, where one could take out a chainsaw and cut down an entire city of people, or, as was the case in Manhunt, play as a brutal serial killer going after people in the most despicable ways possible, all while making sure it’s all filmed and documented. Essentially, players were tasked with making snuff films, and while the game has many merits and thematic depth, that fact alone caused quite the stir.

Over two decades later, it’s getting made into a movie. And that, of course, means even more blood, gore, guts, and violence on full display with no artistic compromise.

The style of the movie appears to closely follow that of the game, with a retro camera filter over the entire screen, emulating the sense of “snuff” in question. In just 40 seconds of footage, we can see heads split open, blood flowing in rivers, and chainsaws going to work. It takes what Manhunt the game is and elevates it to a whole different level, making significant use of our advances in technology and practical and digital effects, as well as of the fact that this is a movie and not a game.

All the limitations of the original seem to have been overcome, allowing for a true R-rated horror fest that is bound to be a super fun splatterpunk flick.

Now I’m not saying I particularly love horror movies like this (even though I am a fan of Rob Zombie), but this seems to be quite a faithful, thoughtful, and, most importantly, fun adaptation that turns a game that hasn’t aged so well into something worth watching.

If the story has been expanded or refined, we could be looking at the ultimate way to experience Rockstar’s most controversial game, now in a better time when there are no groups of politically motivated gaming haters trying to shut it down.