Rockstar once tried to make a movie based on GTA. It didn't work out well

When considering whether Rockstar could adapt one of its Grand Theft Auto games into a film, we probably think of productions such as Scarface, Pain & Gain, or Fast and Furious. No wonder, after all, the atmosphere of these films closely resembles what we experience as players. What if Rockstar really made a movie about GTA? Although it's not a full-length film, but rather a collection of scenes, the developer made a short film to depict what awaits us in the game, specifically in Grand Theft Auto 2.

The less than 10-minute material served as an opening cutscene for a new game. We were able to witness action scenes on the screen, designed to immerse us in the right atmosphere and showcase specific aspects of the gameplay, such as repainting a car to evade a police chase. Claude Speed was portrayed by Scott Maslen.

Dialogue are absent in the film, so we'll have to make educated guesses about many things, based on the realities of GTA 2. The movie eventually ended up on the internet, form where it can be downloaded without any problem. If someone owns the original game, they will also find the scenes of the film in the game files. Below we outline the plot of the film.

The plot of GTA 2: The Movie

In the opening scene, the main character is fleeing from a group of Rednecks. That's why he steals a van to get away from the pursuit. During the drive, Claude discovers several crates of drugs inside the van from the Zaibatsu Corporation.

After obtaining the illegal loot, the protagonist decides to switch vehicles and breaks into a dark sedan. After loading a few crates into the trunk, he drives off in the stolen car, abandoning the van. Unfortunately, the driver of the Zaibatsu van reports an incident, and an unidentified informant, pretending to be homeless, gives the Zaibatsu corporation details about Claude's location and the vehicle change. In response to this, the Zaibatsu Corporation quickly obtains information about Claude and sends a paid assassin to handle the matter.

Meanwhile, Speed loses the chase, driving into a paint shop and swiftly changing the car's color. Later, Claude visits the Russians, whom he asks for help. He is in conflict with a certain gang, whose members pursued him at the start of the film. When the Russian mafia boss rejects a plea for help, Claude bribes him with stolen drugs. Besides, he also do drugs.

Claude ends up in a basement where the Yakuza is torturing some man. Speed is asked by the Yakuza boss to assist in finding and saving a coworker in exchange for money. Claude agrees and leaves, while the tortured prisoner is hit in the head with a hammer by the boss.

Speed finds the driver whom he is supposed to kill on behalf of the Yakuza. Basically, it's just about stopping the vehicle, but Claude commits a cold-blooded murder and marks it by spitting on the body of the victim. Later, he liberates the Asians being transported inside the van, extracts the man he was meant to rescue, and transports him to a safe house.

At the end, Claude finds the bar where Elvis Presley is performing. Inside, the Yakuza are having fun with the Rednecks, with whom the main character has a beef. Therefore, he decides to send the Russians after them, transporting them in a van obtained during the last heist. A shootout ensues, from which Claude withdraws, pleased that he has turned all three gangs against each other. However, in the end, he is killed on the street by a hitman from the Zaibatsu Corporation because he was unaware that the drug producer had hired an assassin to go after him.

Tone and Reception of GTA 2: The Movie

The movie was entirely produced in New York in 1999 and actually differs greatly from the source material. It doesn't display the events we can expect in the game, but it depicts the world of GTA 2 and what players can make use of. So, certain gameplay elements have been preserved, which closely resemble those found in games from this series. Claude handles affairs for different gangs in a distinctive manner, carrying out tasks for them just like the player. The same criminal groups also operate in the game.

Today we won't find many artistic values in the film. If it weren't for the music accompanying the tasks and some sounds added in post-production, we could say that it is essentially a silent film, where the minimal plot is being conveyed solely through visual means. Assessing it from a perspective of time is extremely challenging, but it's undeniable that this short film could have been impressive back then. It should also be noted that we cannot compare these clips to actual movies, as the material was meant to depict the game content in terms of gameplay, which it indeed accomplished.

Since then, Rockstar hasn't tried to make any more films. There's no doubt that in today's age of possibilities, it would turn out much better.