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The action thriller "Gamer" — with its video-game-like camera angles and fast-paced action — is clearly tailored for the gaming generation. Fortunately, audiences get more than a dose of excitement; the script also provides a thoughtful commentary on freedom and the lengths to which some will go to achieve it.
Set in the not-too distant future, a free-spirited media mogul, Ken Castle (Michael C. Hall, "Dexter") creates an online game called "Society," where real people are paid to be controlled by players.
Castle spins the vastly popular game into his next endeavor, "Slayers," where players control death row inmates, known as slayers, in kill-or-be-killed encounters. Inmates who survive 30 encounters are released from their sentence, but no slayer has ever come close to that feat — except for Kable (Gerard Butler, "300").
Kable, who is serving time for killing his best friend, is the most popular slayer and is just a few wins away from freedom. He is fighting to expose the truth about his friend's death and reunite with his wife, Angie (Amber Valletta, "Transporter 2"), and daughter. However, that dream might be shattered once he goes up against Hackman (Terry Crews, "Terminator Salvation"), a slayer who — unlike the other slayers in the game — is not controlled by a player, giving him an unfair advantage.
The plot thickens as a group of radicals, called Humanz, led by rapper-turned-actor Chris "Ludacris" Bridges ("Max Payne"), seeks to expose deceitful actions of the multibillion-dollar gaming empire.
Butler does well conveying a lot of emotion despite little actual dialogue, making him the ideal lead in a thriller that hinges on action. Crews, whose facial expressions speak volumes, also excels.
The film-making style of co-directors/screenwriters Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor maintains a fast-paced momentum, similar to their other collaborations, "Crank" and "Crank: High Voltage," where they bombard viewers with choppy scene transitions to give the appearance of something new happening at all times.
Their frenetic style makes "Gamer" play out like a video on fast-forward, which works well since they're basically catering to those interested in playing similarly paced games.
Even in the few conversation-heavy scenes, Neveldine and Taylor constantly shift the camera and change the perspective.
In the online "Society" game, it's not uncommon to see performers walking in a stilted manner, wearing skimpy PVC outfits or bizarre accessories such as pig noses. It makes for a unique visual experience unlike any other film this year.
The action scenes are exactly the over-the-top, adrenaline-filled, explosion-laden spectacles one would find in most summer movies, but in this case, it fits within the film's context and isn't just violence for the shock factor.
"Gamer" will easily be embraced by video-game enthusiasts, and its high-action, high-concept style is sure to appeal to other audiences, as well.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Gamer
R, Action/Adventure, 95 minutes
Directors: Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor
Cast: Gerard Butler, Michael C. Hall, Terry Crews, Amber Valletta, Kyra Sedgwick, Logan Lerman, Aaron Yoo, Ramsey Moore, Alison Lohman and Ludacris
