Recently, we were tasked with adapting a game to a movie. After pondering some games with strong story lines, I decided to go instead with Minesweeper, the classic puzzle game that has provided countless hours of fun for PC users worldwide.
The movie Minesweeper features Ethan, a cop who has devoted his life’s work to studying mines and tracking a particular criminal group known as the Planters. Flashbacks early in the movie reveal that Ethan’s father died from a mine explosion when Ethan was just a kid, thus providing motivation for his intense interest in mines.
After a routine detonation exercise goes terribly wrong, Ethan questions his expertise and resigns from the force, sending his life spiraling out of control. At his lowest point, the police chief visits him, requesting his assistance with the latest lead on the Planters, who are planning to plant a massive mine field in the Vancouver harbor for a fireworks festival.
Reluctant, Ethan hangs on to a copy of the Planters’ encoded map but promises nothing. Another flashback later that night reveals the map’s connection with Ethan’s late father, and suddenly, the numbers and symbols on the map begin to make sense.
The map leads him to a warehouse where he confronts Simon, the leader of the Planters. After some questioning, Ethan realizes that he and Simon share more of a past than he could ever have imagined.
Who would’ve thought that such a seemingly simple puzzle game could yield such a complicated story line? Sony and Paramount – if you’re interested, let’s talk.