The Game (1997) directed by David Fincher
I'm typically pretty forgiving when it comes to whether or not something is believable or even possible in a movie, it is a movie after all, but sometimes something is just so absurd it cannot be ignored. The Game is such a film. The premise is promising in its tense mystery but soon you begin to realize, "There's just no frigging way." This is one of the most ridiculous and contrived movies I have ever seen in my life.
Michael Douglas plays Nicholas Van Orton, a powerful business man in complete control of his life and the world around him. He is talked into participating in a mysterious game run by an equally mysterious company named Consumer Recreation Services. We have no idea what this game is other than it will teach Van Orton a valuable lesson. "I once was blind and now I can see," someone tells him. Soon everything starts to go wrong for him as his world starts to fall apart. The stakes of this game are much more than Nicholas bargained for. As the movie progresses, Nicholas finds himself in increasingly ridiculous situations that you just have to pause for a second and ask yourself, "What is going on?"
The problem is that I sort of guessed what was going on, but I refused to believe that the film would be so stupid as to actually try to pull it off. The whole point of the game is to try to teach Nicholas about what is really important to him, but the whole concept of the game being played is just so grandiose and absurd. Did I mention that it is absurd? The last fifteen minutes of the movie is typical movie BS that seems like a test to see how stupid they think the viewer is.
SPOILER: The fact that the game is actually real is predictable Hollywood nonsense that you can see a mile away but that is not even what really bothers me. (The whole rooftop confrontation has been done so many times and they almost always suck.) That the game is made to be some huge life affirming reality check for Nicholas is beyond retarded. That is the problem with these types of movies with such grand ideas; the pay off almost never lives up to the expectations set by the premise. Oh, so you mean to tell me that Nicholas's first reaction when the ordeal is all over is to thank his brother and not be super pissed? Please. END SPOILER
David Fincher is a great director, there is no question about it, but the material he works with here is just so weak. Yes, there are tense suspenseful moments, but when these scenes are so wildly unbelievable to begin with, they no longer become suspenseful and only add on to your incredulity. End rant.
Grade: D
I'm typically pretty forgiving when it comes to whether or not something is believable or even possible in a movie, it is a movie after all, but sometimes something is just so absurd it cannot be ignored. The Game is such a film. The premise is promising in its tense mystery but soon you begin to realize, "There's just no frigging way." This is one of the most ridiculous and contrived movies I have ever seen in my life.
Michael Douglas plays Nicholas Van Orton, a powerful business man in complete control of his life and the world around him. He is talked into participating in a mysterious game run by an equally mysterious company named Consumer Recreation Services. We have no idea what this game is other than it will teach Van Orton a valuable lesson. "I once was blind and now I can see," someone tells him. Soon everything starts to go wrong for him as his world starts to fall apart. The stakes of this game are much more than Nicholas bargained for. As the movie progresses, Nicholas finds himself in increasingly ridiculous situations that you just have to pause for a second and ask yourself, "What is going on?"
The problem is that I sort of guessed what was going on, but I refused to believe that the film would be so stupid as to actually try to pull it off. The whole point of the game is to try to teach Nicholas about what is really important to him, but the whole concept of the game being played is just so grandiose and absurd. Did I mention that it is absurd? The last fifteen minutes of the movie is typical movie BS that seems like a test to see how stupid they think the viewer is.
SPOILER: The fact that the game is actually real is predictable Hollywood nonsense that you can see a mile away but that is not even what really bothers me. (The whole rooftop confrontation has been done so many times and they almost always suck.) That the game is made to be some huge life affirming reality check for Nicholas is beyond retarded. That is the problem with these types of movies with such grand ideas; the pay off almost never lives up to the expectations set by the premise. Oh, so you mean to tell me that Nicholas's first reaction when the ordeal is all over is to thank his brother and not be super pissed? Please. END SPOILER
David Fincher is a great director, there is no question about it, but the material he works with here is just so weak. Yes, there are tense suspenseful moments, but when these scenes are so wildly unbelievable to begin with, they no longer become suspenseful and only add on to your incredulity. End rant.
Grade: D
Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
ReplyDeleteWow. So you loved it then?
I have always liked this movie, but I admit I haven't seen it in like a decade.
Speaking of not doing something in a decade, did you know it has been a decade since the Raiders even made the playoffs?!?!?
ReplyDeleteHow sad!!!!!!