Gamer melds action and death
Gamer
While much like Death Race, Gamer provides more depth by addressing societal issues and has an equally strong lead, played by Gerard Butler.
In the not too distant future the world is in utter shambles. The government is in debt and is unable to pay for the prison system. Desperately they turn to Ken Castle (Michael C. Hall), creator of a Sim- like world called Society where people can be paid to be controlled or can pay to control others, for a solution. Castle creates the game “Slayers,” which people can pay to control actual convicts in a war like arena, where they can actually die and if they survive 30 rounds they get set free, with the profits paying for the prison system. The world is completely fixated on the entertainment provided by the great Ken Castle. Kable aka Tillman (Butler) is the best slayer there is, winning 27 rounds when the movie starts, and is controlled by a 17 year old boy. With a wife and daughter on the outside, Kable is willing to do anything to be free and Castle will do everything to try to prevent that from happening.
While the core of this movie is very similar to Death Race, convicted criminals competing with others for freedom, it brings a new edge to the table: The idea of how far people will let themselves be controlled by someone else, either through a game or by a corporation. Once you accept that this is what the world has come to, the desperation of what people will do all makes sense. This movie is more than just a shooting action movie because of the societal issues it portrays.
While this movie has the occasional cheesy moment, it stays pretty consistent with lots of action, some appropriately placed gore, and the occasional crude moment. Butler (300) does phenomenally well in this movie, stealing the show as our strong, determined hero, who is also convict. Hall (Dexter) can play a creepy character better than anyone. In fact, I found this character more disturbed and unnerving than Dexter the serial killer, in the series he stars in by the same name. The movie also starred Alison Lohman, Amber Valletta, Kyra Sedgwick, and Ludacris. I recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys action movies with a creepy twist.
Final Words: Saw it. Liked it. Don't ever agree to have your brain cells replaced with anything else… It will only end horribly.
While much like Death Race, Gamer provides more depth by addressing societal issues and has an equally strong lead, played by Gerard Butler.
In the not too distant future the world is in utter shambles. The government is in debt and is unable to pay for the prison system. Desperately they turn to Ken Castle (Michael C. Hall), creator of a Sim- like world called Society where people can be paid to be controlled or can pay to control others, for a solution. Castle creates the game “Slayers,” which people can pay to control actual convicts in a war like arena, where they can actually die and if they survive 30 rounds they get set free, with the profits paying for the prison system. The world is completely fixated on the entertainment provided by the great Ken Castle. Kable aka Tillman (Butler) is the best slayer there is, winning 27 rounds when the movie starts, and is controlled by a 17 year old boy. With a wife and daughter on the outside, Kable is willing to do anything to be free and Castle will do everything to try to prevent that from happening.
While the core of this movie is very similar to Death Race, convicted criminals competing with others for freedom, it brings a new edge to the table: The idea of how far people will let themselves be controlled by someone else, either through a game or by a corporation. Once you accept that this is what the world has come to, the desperation of what people will do all makes sense. This movie is more than just a shooting action movie because of the societal issues it portrays.
While this movie has the occasional cheesy moment, it stays pretty consistent with lots of action, some appropriately placed gore, and the occasional crude moment. Butler (300) does phenomenally well in this movie, stealing the show as our strong, determined hero, who is also convict. Hall (Dexter) can play a creepy character better than anyone. In fact, I found this character more disturbed and unnerving than Dexter the serial killer, in the series he stars in by the same name. The movie also starred Alison Lohman, Amber Valletta, Kyra Sedgwick, and Ludacris. I recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys action movies with a creepy twist.
Final Words: Saw it. Liked it. Don't ever agree to have your brain cells replaced with anything else… It will only end horribly.
