Movie Review: Gamer (2009)
Gamer, directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, is a science-fiction action thriller starring Gerard Butler. The film is set in the near future where Ken Castle (Michael C. Hall) has designed a technology that allows a third party to control someone for the sake of video-gaming. Nanotechnology is implanted in each death row inmate’s head and they are forced to play a deadly real life shoot em’ up video game called “Slayer”. Each inmate is assigned to a gamer who can literally control his every move. Kable (Butler), controlled by a 17-yr old gamer (Logan Lerman), is the game’s most recognizable face as he is closing in on surviving the 30 matches required to set him free, a feat no one has accomplished so far.
Neveldine and Taylor’s trademark hyper-editing is definitely apparent in the movie, which may be very annoying to some (most?) viewers. Although the film markets itself as an action movie, the action sequence are unoriginal, repetitive and unspectacular and pretty much amount to Butler running around, firing a weapon. Mix in some shockingly obvious social commentary, gratuitous shots of breasts and backsides, a boring and suspense-less plot line and you have a sloppy film that tries to be more than it should be. Let’s face it, people coming to watch a movie of this kind only want to see over-the-top action for the entire length of the film much like in Crank, Death Race and the likes and Gamer cannot even deliver that.
As always, it never feels right when a movie is not pre-screened for the press before its release and you can see why. Gamer attempts to be thought-provoking but it becomes almost laughable, sort of like being preached by a 6-yr old kid who still wets his pants. The characters are uni-dimensional if not completely non-existent. Gerard Butler doesn’t do much but look dejected and his character is given almost no background information whatsoever. This is the main character of the movie I’m talking about here. The rest of the characters are even more sketchy and unlikable with forgettable supporting appearances by … everyone not named Gerard Butler.
I’m feeling generous today but obviously, it’s a below average, barely half-decent movie . There is some clever premises that could have made for an interesting movie but it ends up being a gratuitous, unspectacular and overly edited mess that tries really hard to excite its male teen demography and fails miserably.
C-
Notes: Rated R for frenetic sequences of strong brutal violence throughout, sexual content, nudity and language. 95 minutes.
16 Comments
I wasn’t nice to it either and I watched it by myself on two glasses of wine and still could find little redeeming about it. I waited a few days and was still rather harsh in my review as you were. I did expect a lower grade. What is Gerard Butler doing to his career? Is he purposely flushing it down the toilet? It’s insanely dejecting because he’s so frigging likable.
I’m with you though. The worst part was this film took itself seriously. I’m more likely to give a pointless yet entertaining and fun action movie with good characters four stars than probably any other genre, and this one simply pooped in my cheerios.
You obviously know how I feel about Butler and even I refuse to see this movie, so that says a lot! I haven’t seen any Neveldine/Taylor flick – and I don’t know if I ever will – and even with the promise of seeing GB in almost every scene, I just can’t bring myself to see it!! My friends actually walked out of this movie and went to see … get this: The Ugly Truth!! And they told me they liked that one, well maybe in comparison to this.
In any case, Heather, take heart, any good actor (yes, I’m in the camp who think GB is in that category) is allowed a couple of duds (I mean Colin Firth did some abysmal stuff before he was nominated for Oscar!) His next two projects (Ralph Fiennes’ Coriolanus and The Machine Gun Preacher) look quite promising, I keep my fingers crossed that he’s done with this kind of vapid action stuff AND silly rom-com!!
What about Michael C. Hall? He’s awesome in this.
I totally agree. He wasn’t necessarily what I thought was right for the role, but he plays such a likable villain. I dig it.
Lol, I restrained myself Ruth because I know you are a big fan of Butler, but I was going to say exactly what Heather said about his career. After his big 300 breakout, he has been on a disappointing streak and his next flick with Jennifer Aniston looks like the epitome of fail. I could see how he is caught between between a rock and a hard place, having to be this big hunky action movie star that people expect him to be but yea…:(
I love him AND he’s talented, and hunkified, but……it’s difficult watching him, and as I’ve said Jennifer Aniston is a sign of someones career going nowhere. Here are some examples of people plateauing or taking steps back:
Aaron Eckhart
Owen Wilson
Ben Affleck… See More
Vince Vaughn
Kevin Costner
Ben Stiller
……..and that’s all in the last five years……..
Since each of these men have offended film by being in a movie with her (Clive Owen is at least a hit and miss right now) have done nothing with their careers. They are all bottom scrapping. I hope Eckhart doesn’t have the same issue. He’s too good, and you know I love Gerard…..but time will tell……….the trailer for Bounty Hunter is terrible.
I have to say, you are being nice by giving it a C-. My favorite part — in other words, the part I thought was most ridiculous — was that the movie’s “grand finale” took place on an empty basketball court. Could they have thought of anything more anticlimactic? I will, however, speak highly of Neveldine/Taylor’s Crank High Voltage. My senses were beaten in a good way there, bad way here.
I have to humbly disagree about Michael C. Hall. I wrote a post at the time this came out, giving Hall the seemingly counter-intuitive compliment that he was a great TV star who should stay on TV. Gamer fulfilled all my worst fears for his attempt to cross over to movies. Let’s hope his next outing is more promising, too.
Wow, you’ve been harsh! I’m a big fan of Taylor/Neveldine and so far I’ve seen every one of their films. I’d say they’re my favorite new directors and both Crank films are brilliant, in my opinion – but they’re appealing to a small niche. Their “Pathology” was a great thriller, where they proved they can do a “normal” feature without the frenzy editing, too. And the upcoming “Jonah Hex” which they scripted, starring Josh Brolin, John Malkovich, Michael Fassbander and Megan Fox is gonna be awesome for sure.
True, “Gamer” is their weakest work, and I agree in the part it took itself too seriously and wasn’t really as over-the-top as I wanted it to be. About the message/social commentary – sure, it wasn’t exactly a brain-wrecker, but does it lose its power if it’s kept simple instead of some complicated mumbo-jumbo?
Plus, the “gratuitous shots of breasts and backsides” is always gets a thumbs up from me. And the scene where Kable walks in the room and breaks Milo Ventimiglia’s GODDAMN SPIIIIIIIIIINEEEEE was hilarious! Certainly not a flick to remember, but I had good fun.
I just want to get the Blu Ray of this because the sound is supposed to be phenomenal, like ‘one of the best mixes to date’ phenomenal! Didn’t have high hopes for the actual film though, especially since Crank is probably the worst film I’ve ever sat through.
http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/2789/gamer.html – Gamer BD review
http://paragraphfilms.wordpress.com/2009/07/13/crank/ – Crank review.
I know replying to yourself is sad, but having watched the Blu Ray of this it’s not all bad and the sound is absolutely stunning! Well worth paying a little extra if you have the equipment.
Who makes an action flick with no action! I’m suddenly reminded of Max Payne. *shudders with fear*
@ Vance: Thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment. Welcome! Completely agree about the ending. Way too talky and almost no action whatsoever. As for Michael C. Hall, I thought he was decent but nothing great. His bad guy persona did not really fit with the movie and it would have been better had he been darker and more evil, instead of trying to be that joke-ster
@ Ventilation Shaft: Ahaha yea, the spine snapping scene was cool but like Vance said, the ending was a big let down. Nothing spectacular happened which is all you expect from this kind of movie.
Wow… Jennifer Anniston is like career napalm… I’m convinced now!
I give this film a pass… I dig Nevaldine and Taylor. It’s not great but it’s fun. I’m bummed the plot of this film is similar to Death Race but I don’t think it’s their fault. If I’m not mistaken, they were written around the same time!
P.S. Just put up a new post, Castor… your Keys to a Successful movie blog has got me trying to do 2 a week. That’s all I can do, cuz of the job and kids, but I’m trying, man!
Seen it,I also thought that the storyline was promising. However it turned out be a rushed,no motive film.
I thought I’d never say this but this poor remake/spinoff of the Running man make me actually miss that old Arnold bomb. I actually liked that original novel.
Trackbacks