Real-world adaptation of Watch Dogs retains what's gross about games

Director Thomas Falcon created a short film inspired by Watch Dogs.

Two notes before you watch:

1.) If you're like me and only speak English (and what remains of my high school-level French (and yes, I'm aware this video isn't in French)), you will want to turn on closed captions.

2.) Like Watch Dogs itself, the short is a mixed bag of good and bad ideas. Feel free to skip the pick-up artist opening. It's awkward and plays the manipulation of a woman's privacy as a meet-cute. The interesting section begins about halfway through, when the short becomes an action film, recreating the gang hideout side mission. That's kind of neat.

But come on, how does this happen? How does this gamification of women — this idea that the female character is a winnable object, if you play your cards right —  make its way from video games at large into a short film inspired by games? I mean, I know this is a universal problem, transcending games and media. But with a short film, the story could be anything. And the story here is: "She's vulnerable, time for everyman Aiden to MAKE THAT MOVE!"

Barf.