Every now and then movie studios accidentally (or deliberately) release almost identical films. Whether it is a race to get the idea out to cinemas first or just a phenomenon, I don’t exactly know. Regardless, here is a top 11 list of our favourite movie matchups, also known as “twin movies”.
11. BATTLE: LA | SKYLINE
So similar that apparently Sony, the creators of “Battle:LA”, later sued the producers of “Skyline”.
WINNER: Battle: LA
- Skyline was hard to watch. Very poor actors and it clearly didn’t have the polished touch that Battle:LA had.
10. THE EQUALIZER | JOHN WICK
Released a month apart, these two films are one-man-army kill-’em-all mobster films.
WINNER: The Equalizer
- Even though I’m glad Keanu is back from the abyss, Denzel fits the role so well.
9. BOOK OF ELI | THE ROAD
Set in matching post apocalyptic worlds, the protagonist only has one job and that is to survive.
WINNER: The Road
- Denzel is amazing in The Book Of Eli, but Viggo takes the cake for his less biblical portrayal. Plus Guy Pearce is in The Road and that’s a bonus.
8. SURROGATES | GAMER
These two films are based around the world of virtual reality (VR). Surrogates features ordinary citizens living out their daily lives in VR, whilst Gamer pits prisoners against each other in a ‘Call Of Duty’ type game zone and creates an alternate VR experience much like “The Sims” with every real life character controlled by a ‘Gamer’.
WINNER: Gamer
- Spot the fantastic Michael C Hall dance scene.
7. OBSERVE AND REPORT | PAUL BLART: MALL COP
Both released in 2009, they feature an overweight shopping mall security guard that ignores the police and takes it upon himself to defeat the villains.
WINNER: Observe and Report
- Because the creators had the decency to not make a sequel.
6. DEEP IMPACT | ARMAGEDDON
Released two months apart in 1998, each movie’s villain is a giant meteor coming to destroy the earth.
WINNER: Armageddon
- You just can’t go past a chart-topping Aerosmith anthem.
5. THE PRESTIGE | THE ILLUSIONIST
Two films about a magician running from the law.
WINNER: The Prestige
- The Prestige features Batman, Alfred, Wolverine AND David Bowie… what more do you need?!
4. OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN | WHITE HOUSE DOWN
The white house is under attack and the president needs saving.
WINNER: Olympus Has Fallen
- More like Die Hard than Die Hard 4 and 5.
3. JUMANJI | ZATHURA
Both films feature a board game with magical dice and no way out other than to finish the game.
WINNER: Jumanji
- Jumanji was an original idea when it came out. Zathura is just a cheap knock off with the guy from Hunger Games and the girl from Twilight.
2. AVATAR | DANCES WITH WOLVES
Both feature a white western war hero that encounters an indigenous tribe, eventually becoming one of them only for his past to catch up with him.
WINNER: Dances With Wolves
- Apart from the buffalo heart eating and mass animal slaughter, it will hit you right in the feels.
1. BATTLE ROYALE | THE CONDEMNED | DEATH RACE | THE HUNGER GAMES
A four way rip off – Battle Royale, a year 2000 film from Japan, features school kids fighting to the death as their ankle bracelets will kill them anyway. The Condemned, set in the jungle where contestants on a TV show have to kill the others to survive. Death Race, where prisoners race cars decked out with weapons as they try to kill their opponents to win their freedom. And finally The Hunger Games, a romantic teenage death match.
WINNER: The Hunger Games
- I love Vinnie Jones as a villain but The Condemned has terrible acting and a low budget vibe. Whilst The Hunger Games might have terrible acting, at least it has some excellent production value.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.