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Ebert the moron: Uses Hitman movie to continue his 'games aren't art' crusade photo

Roger Ebert has something to prove to the world it seems, as he continues his asinine viewpoint that videogames "will never" be art. You know what art is, right? It's that completely subjective thing that by its very nature can't be exclusive to certain medium just because some out-of-touch hack says so. In his review of the Hitman movie, Ebert continues his tirade:

"The movie, directed by Xavier Gens, was inspired by a best-selling video game and serves as an excellent illustration of my conviction that video games will never become an art form - never, at least, until they morph into something else or more ... The troopers spring into sight, pop up and start shooting, and he has target practice. He also jumps out of windows without knowing where he's going to land, and that feels like he's cashing in a chip he won earlier in the game."

Apparently, this movie's style is proof that games will never become art, despite the fact that this is a movie which he says isn't art ... and yet he calls movies art ... except this one is not ... and ... and ... and shut up, for Christ's sake, Ebert. His use of this movie is as illogical and arbitrary as his founding argument, and I wish he wouldn't pluck random points from the sky, essentially setting his stance in a make-believe world where he picks and chooses the rules. Stating games, for example, will never be art because they're interactive is akin to me saying that planes can't fly because they have wheels ... the arguments and the reasons given simply have no correlation and nothing is proven.

Ebert claims that the movie might have been more like his utopian view of art if it did not have to fulfil "obligatory videogame requirements." I personally fail to see how this is different from a James Bond or Die Hard film, and yet movies are given far more respect by this man. What he needs to do is shut up, play some Half-Life 2, play a little BioShock maybe, and then stuff a sock down his throat so he can't keep expressing his jealousy that there's a new art medium in town.


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51 comments | showing # 1 to 50

Professor Pew's Avatar
Professor Pew at 11/26/2007 07:37
He should play Mass Effect, it would be the perfect game for him what with the cinematic storytelling and all that.

On the other hand, I'm still waiting for that David Lean game.
Fanatism's Avatar
Fanatism at 11/26/2007 07:38
But what about games based on movies? :<
Bus's Avatar
Bus at 11/26/2007 07:46
I love Ebert. He's one of the few movie critics I enjoy reading. And it pains me to see him this ignorant. I wish he could just stop talking about video games entirely. He's an old man with little to no concept about what gaming is today and I somewhat pity him.

I do wonder: are we doing ourselves a disservice in continuing to pay attention to Mr. Ebert while he repeats the exact same complaints over and over again? Are we not simply empowering his opinion by reacting to it constantly? I think we've confirmed that he's got no idea what he's talking about so why waste more time telling him off? Surely, there are other critics out there. Ones that are more receptive to change and new forms of art.
Noah's Avatar
Noah at 11/26/2007 07:57
I like Ebert's reviews often....but when he says silly things like that it just reminds me that he's an out of touch old man...his argument doesn't really make sense.
SchickOuttaShape's Avatar
SchickOuttaShape at 11/26/2007 08:00
Whatever...he and his screenplay for Beyond the Valley of the Dolls can go choke on their own fat-butter a'la that Animaniacs episode. I don't see why he is so crotchety angry Ebenezer Scrooge on this one topic. It's surprising to me, a bit, considering his rather open-arms view of anime and that whole world of film. Maybe he had a traumatic incident in his childhood involving Burger Time?
Knives's Avatar
Knives at 11/26/2007 08:03
WTF? To some extent I can respect his opinion about videogames (even if i don't agree with him) when he IS talking about videogames, but this?

Shit, thats like me criticizing "The Perfume" book just because the movie sucked.


The troopers spring into sight, pop up and start shooting, and he has target practice.
I wonder what he thought of Star Wars
TheDude234's Avatar
TheDude234 at 11/26/2007 08:04
Jackass!
tehArtist's Avatar
tehArtist at 11/26/2007 08:06
When a film is converted to game, does that depreciate it's artistic value? By Mr. Eberts explanation it sure does.
uptonogood's Avatar
uptonogood at 11/26/2007 08:12
no one is reacting to to his reaction really. he never hears these arguments because it's in one corner of the internet universe, and really, if you have someone presenting this type of argument to you, you'd probably dismiss it. let's face it -- this site isn't exactly academia central. ebert doesn't argue that movies are art -- he argues some movies are art. other movies -- not so much.

present an academic argument instead of this tripe of a post, and maybe one day, he'll hear the rest of the community out.
DeusPayne's Avatar
DeusPayne at 11/26/2007 08:15
Did you know that carrots aren't bombs and stars eat mice? I felt we needed to keep in line with the randomness that comes out of that hacks mouth.
JACK of No Trades's Avatar
JACK of No Trades at 11/26/2007 08:17
Games take art to a whole new level and Ebert can't grasp change. Same thing happened when Elvis, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, & Jimi Hendrix interduced themselves into rock. Many critics hated them because they brought "freshness" and "change to a stagnant genre. Now days people praise their music and consider them gods of rock. Games will get there dont worry.
Cyberxion's Avatar
Cyberxion at 11/26/2007 08:41
His opinion that games are not art seems like something he simply thought sounded good one day, and so without any sort of logic or reasoning to back up the point, decided to crap it out all over the world, because hey, he's Ebert for crap's sake! If he doesn't think that it's art, it doesn't matter if what little reasoning he has for it is tenuous at best, he's qualified to determine what's art and what's not because someone pays him to tell them what he thinks about films!

Fat fuck.
marsu's Avatar
marsu at 11/26/2007 08:42
ofc its not art, but some random guy shooting naked kids is (shoot as in with a camera) (there was some exhibition that got ALOT of media attention a few years ago with just that) And the one who put up blenders and blended goldfishes was also art. This guy is a dumbass and i wouldnt be surprised if he still denies rock'n'roll and think its the devil.
Debeo Laurus's Avatar
Debeo Laurus at 11/26/2007 08:46
I personally am right behind you, I don't think this could have been said any better Jim.
TorpedoTed's Avatar
TorpedoTed at 11/26/2007 08:55
Art is what you make it, no one can tell you either way, its your own opinion!
Nuff said, fuk off random old man!
JACK of No Trades's Avatar
JACK of No Trades at 11/26/2007 09:03
This is whats wrong with the world. To many old people trying to dictate their beliefs on a new generation.


Like TopedoTed said "fuk off random old man!".
MaxVest's Avatar
MaxVest at 11/26/2007 09:08
Congratulations on your restraint; I was sure the phrase f****ng sk*******ed lu*****x-c*** a**f***er was going to appear.

I've been saying that bit about planes with wheels for years, but just figured I'd sit back and let those morons plunge to a fiery final end in their "flying" wheeled deathcraft. Idiots. The two can never coexist.
Trevor McGee's Avatar
Trevor McGee at 11/26/2007 09:23
The quote on the picture should have said "Who has two thumbs and is a dumb fuck? Me, Roger Ebert, that's who."

Two thumbs up and his fat head lodged in his ass.
brad drac's Avatar
brad drac at 11/26/2007 09:27
->bus: The best way to combat ignorance is by exposing it. Giving him exposure by pointing out the flaws in his reasoning is a good thing. What you or I consider common sense is often startling uncommon among the general populace.

->uptonogood: If I were to make the statement "grass is the tastiest substance in the world" without any qualifiers, it would be difficult to argue against it other than saying "no it isn't, you idiot". It's difficult to employ logic against someone who ignores it. The problem is he simply has no understanding of the medium, so all his arguments sound utterly ridiculous to most of us. Considering this is very much a niche/hardcore gaming site, that won't get very much attention from the public at large, I don't think this kind of post is entirely inappropriate, nor is it the first covering this particular topic, so a more academic approach would be a little repetitious.
Origim's Avatar
Origim at 11/26/2007 09:31
Ebert seems to take the same stance in every video game movie he reviews. He compares certain scenes to the game and then use that basis for low grades. The fat bastard hasnt been worth anything since his butt buddy Siskel kicked the bucket.


Jack of No Trades said "This is whats wrong with the world. To many old people trying to dictate their beliefs on a new generation."

That could be said about anybody's generation in talking about an older one.
Garbz's Avatar
Garbz at 11/26/2007 09:31
As much as it bugs me that he keeps bringing up the 'Games Aren't Art' thing, isn't he one of the very few film critics and reviewers who gave Hitman a half way decent score?
williambraski's Avatar
williambraski at 11/26/2007 09:32
Ok first of all, I don't feel games trend towards being "art." I don't think most MOVIES tend to be art either. Especially these days. No sir, it's all simply mass produced entertainment. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

But second, WHO FRIGGIN CARES what Ebert thinks? If anything this is Ebert's "problem", let him to it and move along already. Some fossil says your form of entertainment is less important than theirs? ZOMGWTF N00B FRAG HIM 1337LMAO...

Stop whining.
JACK of No Trades's Avatar
JACK of No Trades at 11/26/2007 09:35
Orgim

Why do you think there are so many wars?
Origim's Avatar
Origim at 11/26/2007 10:06
Jack of No Trades

Ha, that and the fact that we humans are a pretty violent bunch to begin with.
Barcode's Avatar
Barcode at 11/26/2007 10:15
"He also jumps out of windows without knowing where he's going to land"

So that means that action movies such as Live Free of Die Hard and many others are not considered art?

Ebert is indeed a moron.
Sniper BoB 13's Avatar
Sniper BoB 13 at 11/26/2007 10:22
that's a nice picture of him.

a very nice one of him indeed...
Mustin's Avatar
Mustin at 11/26/2007 10:22
What a bitch.

Someone strap this mothafucka down and make him play Shadow of the Colosuss.

I'LL KILL HIM
foxhound009's Avatar
foxhound009 at 11/26/2007 10:39
ohh... I hate that kind of bullcrapp... what in the world give this old fuck right to tell me what's art and what's not?? let me decide... the consumer.. people decide what's art and what's not... every single individual has the right to tell what is and what isn't art for this particular individual... not some ass... ff10, tes: morrowind, obliv, bioshock, halflife 2, silent hill 1,2,3 and so much more... :/ how can he speak about something he doesn't understand in first place..... he may understand an form of art.. but that doesn't mean he understand art.. and know what art is. :/ if you really want some attention old guy go strip on reed carpet or something leave the things you will 'never' understand alone...
liqideos's Avatar
liqideos at 11/26/2007 10:39
Games will never be an art form...well shit.

Then I guess my Art History degree that landed me that job as a VIDEOGAME degree is worthless now!

-jumps out of building, knowing where i'll land-
Feigro's Avatar
Feigro at 11/26/2007 11:26
It's been a few years now, and I'm still trying to figure out why we're even pushing for "video games as art" in the first place. Who the hell cares? They make money, so they're going to be around for a looooooooooong time. Just like everything else that makes money. If the games are awesome, then sit down, shut up, and play them. I don't see what's the point in trying to say something that to me seems like our community is jumping out and saying, "But but! they're MORE than just games!!"

Who cares if they are? We certainly don't, we already play them. Stop trying to push for pop culture/social acceptance of our entertainment medium. It doesn't matter what the retards in Hollywood think. Our games are fun, some are just straight shooters, others have intriguing storylines, plotpoints, and character development. Some are about war, some are about love. Some are about pokémon, some are about real world issues. Either way, if all, some, or none of them are art - who gives a shit. Play them and rejoice in the fact that you spent an hour having fun. Not an hour watching what really is a 40 minute progam, with 20 minutes of commercials.

That was a rant if I ever wrote one...

Also, cocks. Something Ebert is probably familiar with. Unnecessary? Sure. But a rant is no good without a baseless derogatory remark! Back to you, Internets!
timtheterrible's Avatar
timtheterrible at 11/26/2007 11:40
What about Mario Paint?
The-Excel's Avatar
The-Excel at 11/26/2007 11:41
Saying this movie isn't art is like saying paintings of bowls of fruit aren't art either. It's been done before but no one questions it.
Mxyzptlk's Avatar
Mxyzptlk at 11/26/2007 12:00
Look everyone, Ebert is trolling gamers again!

Anyone who doesn't like Blade Runner = instant fail in my book. That book is called "In Which I Make Personal Judgements About People Solely Based on Their Enjoyment of Blade Runner". It didn't sell many copies.
vexed alex's Avatar
vexed alex at 11/26/2007 12:19
Guys, leave him alone. He's just ticked off because more people read IMDB than his washed out ass.

Do we really need movie critics? I mean, really. We're talking about a $10 investment. Plus, the douche rates movies on a 5 point scale where as IMDB (formed by many people's opinions) is on a 10 point scale. Anyone who rates on 5's is asking to get hit in the teeth with a spoon.
neveranything's Avatar
neveranything at 11/26/2007 12:28
And another person, spouting opinion only, is taken as some form of authority.

Look, this guy is a CRITIC, a person who gives their professional OPINION. No matter how well formed his movie reviews are, it's still his opinion of a movie, just like it's his opinion of videogames. Ebert is by no means the end all be all authority on movies, or videogames for that matter. He should leave the designation of "art" to the real learned authorities on art. The only reason this is getting any kind of real coverage is because Ebert is popular. If he were some nobody schmoe from a small town local newspaper it would be something completely different.
neveranything's Avatar
neveranything at 11/26/2007 12:29
And another person, spouting opinion only, is taken as some form of authority.

Look, this guy is a CRITIC, a person who gives their professional OPINION. No matter how well formed his movie reviews are, it's still his opinion of a movie, just like it's his opinion of videogames. Ebert is by no means the end all be all authority on movies, or videogames for that matter. He should leave the designation of "art" to the real learned authorities on art. The only reason this is getting any kind of real coverage is because Ebert is popular. If he were some nobody schmoe from a small town local newspaper it would be something completely different.
Sharpless's Avatar
Sharpless at 11/26/2007 12:48
Wait, he's a moron for having an opinion? Elaborate.
neveranything's Avatar
neveranything at 11/26/2007 12:58
@Sharpless

It's convoluted. He took what he thinks is a bad movie, which is based on a videogame, and used that connection to say that videogames are not art. Also, he's taking well known action movie conventions (bad guys as target practice, jumping randomly through windows), which have made for some extremely awsome actions movies (The Matrix), and used them as "proof" that videogames are not art.

Yes, he is a moron.
Samit Sarkar's Avatar
Samit Sarkar at 11/26/2007 13:14
It just occurred to me that Ebert, especially in that picture, looks like Jim Sterling + 40 years. OH SNAP, I WENT THERE!!!

Seriously, though, he’s simply a man with an opinion, like anyone else. Just because yours differs from his doesn’t make it any less important, so just leave the old man to his devices. I mean, I like his reviews otherwise, but you can’t really blame him if he’s woefully out of touch with regards to video games. I mean, my parents see them as a complete waste of time, and Ebert has at least 10–20 years on them.
neveranything's Avatar
neveranything at 11/26/2007 13:23
@ BrOnXbOmBr21

This time he's stretching, really stretching, and making an idiot out of himself in the process.
Bus's Avatar
Bus at 11/26/2007 13:47
@BradDrac
It's probably too late and everyone has moved on from this post but you're right about needing to expose ignorance. However, is that really what's being done here? Putting a story up on this site is just preaching to the converted. What Clive Barker did, now that was actually combating ignorance. It was public and directed squarely at Ebert. And, it did actually force Ebert to think and, in response, change his argument slightly. Not enough of course but a good start on chipping away his prejudices.
brad drac's Avatar
brad drac at 11/26/2007 13:52
->Feigro: While I'm never one to argue with a STFUAJPG, I'm not always able to play games when I want to, for example when I'm at work or someone else is using my tee vee. In these instances, I like to read and discuss all facets of gaming, because I find it to be a particularly interesting nascent culture. Obviously, seeing as you spent time reading an article about a critic saying games aren't art, and took even more time writing a response to it, you care a little about it too. I kind of think you redundify your own argument.

->Sharpless: The problem with his opinion is that he doesn't seem to know jack shit about games, but is still publicly and authoritatively expressing a completely uninformed opinion about them. Games as a medium have enough to contend with with some pompous ignoramus ragging on them too.
brad drac's Avatar
brad drac at 11/26/2007 13:58
->Bus: I'm sure if jim could have got this article on the front page of every major newspaper on the planet, he would have. You work with what you've got. The main problem with clive barker's response is that it was kind of dumb. His heart was in the right place, but I didn't think his arguments were all that great. Unfortunately, noone around here is cared enough about for such an effort from us to have any resonance. Everyone has opinions, but none of them matter to the masses unless you're famous.
loki d20's Avatar
loki d20 at 11/26/2007 15:51
Art is subjective. Who gives a crap?
Jim Sterling's Avatar
Jim Sterling at 11/26/2007 18:25
Sharpless: Oh come on. A moronic opinion is still moronic, and what's more, it's that he's spouting off falsehoods and arbitrary, illogical statements as pure fact. Also, he's going out of his way to put down games now, seemingly looking for excuses to keep it going. He's an asshole.
Necros's Avatar
Necros at 11/26/2007 18:30
The sooner gamers stop listening to a film critic's opinion of games, everyone will be a lot happier.
Cyberxion's Avatar
Cyberxion at 11/26/2007 18:52
I thought that art is supposed to be a subjective thing, in that each viewer can take from it something different. So then, does it matter that you have direct control over your video-games? Doesn't that still allow for everyone to take something slightly different from the experience? So can they still be art by Ebert's lame-ass definition?

To hell if I know.
Richaod's Avatar
Richaod at 11/26/2007 20:28
He's certainly a fantastic movie reviewer, but who can blame him for being part of his generation?

Has he ever actually talked about playing video games, though?
Trevor McGee's Avatar
Trevor McGee at 11/26/2007 22:01
@ Richaod

Actually, as far as I know he's reviewed at least one PC game in the past. I saw it before, but I don't know where to find it anymore sorry.
Sharpless's Avatar
Sharpless at 11/26/2007 22:52
I never actually said he wasn't an idiot. :) I just think he's entitled to his opinion, regardless of how unreasonably he reaches such a conclusion. And you say that he keeps dragging the argument out, but he just reviewed a movie that's based on a video game - of course he mentioned the argument. Ultimately, though, art is subjective. He doesn't need to agree and we don't need him to agree and, frankly, his opinion will never have any effect on us or our industry.
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