Rating of
3/4
Gamer, a Mr. E Movie Review
Mr. E Movie Review - wrote on 09/24/09
Gamer, a Mr. E Movie Review
(Run time: 95 min. - Directed by: Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor - Starring: Gerard Butler, Amber Valletta, Michael C. Hall, and Ludacris)
If you want to see a cool action-packed flick that's gonna just kick your butt from beginning to end then check out Gerard Butlers new movie Gamer. I loved the concept and actors so much that for the first time, in a long time, I actually wish a movie was longer!
In the not so far off future the world has gone through some desperate changes. The health care system has collapsed, the country's on the verge of bankruptcy, and everything has begun to fall apart. Then, one day a man named Ken Castle, played by Michael C. Hall from Showtime's Dexter, comes along with a solution. Virtual video games that give the user the ultimate control over real humans! Innocent at first the game was just a full scale version of the popular Sims style games. But, when the prison system needed financial rescuing a new version of the game was born. "Slayers" violent combat style play was an instant hit throughout the world and its star is a man named Kable, played by Gerard Butler. Behind the scenes Kable's controlled by a 17 year old kid named Simon, but, as the movie quickly plays out everyone is truly being controlled by Castle and his vast empire of technology.
Kable's motivation to stay alive is based on the notion that after he survives 30 sessions he'll be released to be with his wife, played by Amber Valletta from Transporter 2, and daughter.
Although most of the world is falling into Castle's trap of giving up control of their lives out of desperation, not everyone is so ready to conform to selling their souls to the devil. Enter Humanz Brother, played by Ludacris, and his underground movement of genetic cyber hackers who plan to free Kable and the rest of the world from Castle's evil grasps.
This movie has a strong tone for our society. Subliminally playing into the whole end of days prophecy's that Satan will return and unite the world only to forcefully brand us all with his 666. (In this case a promise for a cure to all disease using the same mind and body controlling genetics Castle uses to control Kable and his other "game pieces".) They even touch on the collapse of health care to make the point.
I think the story was entertaining and original. All of it complimented well with the movies face-paced, action-packed visuals, and a pretty believable possible future. (All except puking recently drank alcohol into a gas tank to get a truck running? That's one for the Myth-Busters!) I just wish that it had more of an ending cause I left the theatre thinking "it's over already?" Not that they missed anything, I just wanted more.
I really recommend this movie to anyone looking for a good movie going experience. All the POW's and BOOM's you want while being just long enough that you don't run out of popcorn and soda!