The Gamers (2002) (V)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Matt Vancil

Writer:

Matt Vancil (writer)

Release Date:

3 November 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Short | Adventure | Comedy | Fantasy

Tagline:

Honour. Valour. Gloury. Dourks.

Plot:

Sent on a quest to rescue a princess, four clueless players must guide their players through dangerous forests, ancient ruins, and past the girl next door.

Plot Keywords:

Geek | RPG | Role Playing | Role Playing Game | Dungeons And Dragons

Cast

Matt Cameron	...	The Gamemaster
Chris Duppenthaler	...	Mark
Justin MacGregor	...	Ambrose / Magellan
Scot McIntosh	...	Bandit King's Lieutenant
Emily Olson	...	Paula / The Princess
Phil M. Price	...	Nimble the Thief
Nathan Rice	...	Newmoon the Elf
Matt Shimkus	...	Rogar The Barbarian
Evan Shimono	...	The Shadow
Mark Thomason	...	The Bandit King
Matt Vancil	...	Hunk

Runtime:

USA:48 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

Dead Gentlemen Productions

Goofs:

Factual errors: After the adventurers killed the Shadow the Gamemaster states that Nimble finds a secret trapdoor. When the characters open the door it is a door in the wall, not a trapdoor. It has to be said, anyway, that "find secret trapdoors" is a D&D gaming term including any kind of secret passageways, be it on the floor, wall or even roof.

Quotes:

Rogar, The Barbarian: Am I still unconscious?

Movie Connections:

Spin off The Gamers: Dorkness Rising (2008)

Well, I thought it was funny.

I am a gamer, and this movie had me cracking up for the entire 48 minutes. It's short, but it gets its point across. From the looks of things, a comedy troupe made this movie. They obviously had a very low budget. The sets looked very fake, but it was okay. It sort of added to the humor.

Sometimes, with higher budget movies featuring big stars, the actors seem wrong for the parts. The guys in "Gamers" seemed exactly right for their roles, as if they really ARE gamers in real life. Each actor played two roles: a gamer, and his character. The gamers were funny at times and argumentative at others, just like real live gamers. The characters - a barbarian, an archer, a mage and a thief - were cheesy and overdramatic, just like the characters played by a lot of real live gamers. The film might as well have been a documentary about players of role-playing games. As I watched the silly drama unfold, all I could think was "This is how my gamer friends and I look to outsiders!" The idea made me laugh.

I'd bring this movie to a party or friendly gathering. It's not too long for the subject, it's funny, and it's almost true to life.