Gamer (2009)

Directors:

Mark Neveldine
Brian Taylor

Writers (WGA):

Mark Neveldine (written by) &
Brian Taylor (written by)

Release Date:

4 September 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

In the near future, you don't live to play... you'll play to live.

Plot:

Set in a future-world where humans can control other humans in mass-scale, multi-player online gaming environments...

Plot Keywords:

Online Gaming | Shootout | Fictional Game Show | One Word Title | Prison

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Gerard Butler	...	Kable
Amber Valletta	...	Angie
Michael C. Hall	...	Ken Castle
Kyra Sedgwick	...	Gina Parker Smith
Logan Lerman	...	Simon
Alison Lohman	...	Trace
Terry Crews	...	Hackman
Ramsey Moore	...	Gorge
Ludacris	...	Humanz Brother (as Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges)
Aaron Yoo	...	Humanz Dude
Jonathan Chase	...	Geek Leader
Dan Callahan	...	Backup Geek
Brighid Fleming	...	Delia
Johnny Whitworth	...	Scotch
Keith Jardine	...	Mean Slayer

Also Known As:

Citizen Game (USA) (fake working title)
Game (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for frenetic sequences of strong brutal violence throughout, sexual content, nudity and language.

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #44947) | Norway:15 | UK:18 | Ireland:18 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba) | Finland:K-15 | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Hong Kong:III | Portugal:M/16

Filming Locations:

Albuquerque Studios - 5650 University Boulevard SE, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Lionsgate

Trivia:

The opening montage of time-lapse shots and other scenes of the world where we see ads for Kable and/or graffiti of Ken Castle overlaid on buildings or walls are mostly taken from Ron Fricke's wordless film Baraka (1992), for example, the shots of the Giza Pyramids, India, homeless man sleeping under a bridge among others.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Another mistake of writing "kable" using Arabic letters is that they are not connected. In languages where Arabic letters are used for writing, letters of a word should be connected otherwise it is not readable (or very difficult to read).

Quotes:

Simon: What's the matter with you, Kable? Kill something!

Movie Connections:

References Blade Runner (1982)

Soundtrack:

I've Got You Under My Skin

Plug In and Power Up

The duo of Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor make movies that pummel, pound, and race with a freewheeling liveliness and attention-deficit style that is simply and utterly FUN. I find myself throwing out my usual stingy, nit-picking criticisms when it comes to the creators of the unapologetically sexist and blood-soaked "Crank" films. And their latest, "Gamer," is like a cocktail of pure cane sugar and Red Bull injected right into the viewer's nervous system. In the not-so-distant future, video games have been taken the next level: instead of controlling characters on a screen, gamers command flesh-and-blood human beings whose brain cells have been spiked with the latest in nanotechnology. On one end of the spectrum, there is the candy-rave-colored "Society" (think "The Sims" with a ramped-up sleaze factor); and on the other, "Slayers," an ultraviolent shooter where death row inmates are set loose in an enclosed area to annihilate anything that gets in their way. What makes this old concept seem fresh and vital (in addition to Neveldine/Taylor's starbursts of visual ingenuity) is how the phenomenon has consumed a society that gets off on the vicarious thrill of voyeuristic sex and sadistic violence, and the ironic relationships between the players and those who control them: Gerard Butler (seemingly standing in for the similarly inexpressive Jason Statham) plays Kable, the top "Slayer" who has seen his way through 27 of 30 deadly levels; his controller is a jaded, spoiled brat who is almost the equivalent of his celebrity (his game room is a panorama where video messages from eager groupies overlap with the gameplay); Amber Valletta plays Angie (Kable's estranged wife), who is decked out in skimpy attire on the "Society" set, and controlled by an obese, mouth-breathing slob. Elsewhere, billionaire game designer Ken Castle (a wonderfully over-the-top--if slightly underused--Michael C. Hall) is reaping the benefits of his creations while setting in motion his own shadowy agenda, and the anarchic underground group Humanz (headed by rapper Ludicrous) attempts to expose the slaughterhouse secret of the gaming industry to the oblivious, indulgent masses. While Neveldine/Taylor lay the groundwork for a social commentary about mankind's lust for thrills in the face of boredom, apathy, and the sloth of modern technology, they never get carried away to the point where it's a preachy downer (indeed, the exposition never goes on for too long); and while the ultraviolence directly contradicts a condemnation of such, "Gamer" delivers in spades on its multiplex promise: a fast, frantic, and fun flick with some food for thought thrown in. Plug in and power up.

7.5 out of 10