Gamer

Released: 2009 Run time: 95 mins. Directors: Mark Neveldine & Brian Taylor (Crank) Rated: R

Starring: Gerard Butler, Michael C. Hall, Amber Valletta, Kyra Sedgwick, Logan Lerman

Gore, sex, shaky cam action sequences and Michael C. Hall lip syncing and dancing. Another day at the office for Crank (2006) directors and writers Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor. On the surface, the same formula as Crank, but more satirically crass and seizure-inducing.

Gamer is lead by Gerard Butler (300), who plays John Tillman, gamer tag “Kable”. He is in a live-action Battle Royale game called “Slayers”, created by billionaire tech psycho Ken Castle, played by Michael C. Hall (Dexter) and his southern (?) accent. The players are made up of death row inmates that can earn their freedom by surviving through 30 matches, which no one has ever done. The inmates are controlled by a player that controls them through what Castle calls “Nanex”, nanites in the cortex of the brain. These Nanex give complete control over the host brain to the player. Kable is the only one to make it as far as he has with just 3 games to complete for freedom, with a rich 17-year old at the controls.

“Society”

“Society” was the first mainstream use of the Nanex that Castle used to profit off of and allows its users to live out their fantasies by controlling real people in the world. Some of it innocent, much perverse and degrading, even physically harmful. The interface that the users access is much in the way of many games today: picking the outfits, hair, accessories. Kable’s wife Angie is one such employee of “Society” and is at the whim of many a sick pervert, as she lost Kable/Tillman to the prison system and their daughter was taken out of her custody. This world that Neveldine and Taylor created is sensationalistic, over the top, goes no deeper into society and gaming culture. Introduced is a hacker group that goes by Humanz, lead by Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges. They are attempting to subvert Castle, Society, Slayers and the sinister implications behind him and the technology.

Castle’s plan for world dominance is hilariously dumb, as his drawn out cartoon villain evil scheme explaining. There are multiple characters in this film that are forgettable as well as actors that are wasted. Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer) plays Gina Parker Smith, a media personality looking to get her next big story or interview, is somehow roped into this conspiracy. Terry Crews (Idiocracy) plays “Hackman”, a psychotic killer that is brought into Slayer by Castle to kill Kable.. But is a complete failure. John Leguizamo (Spawn) plays “Freek”, another inmate and literally is collateral damage. The worse of the notable and that I really want to forget is three time Emmy nominee Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes) who plays “Rick Rape”. Yup.

Gamer is a film that is visually screaming for specific reactions, and the screams are grating, gross and could make you sick. Stay for the scene when Kable vomits and pisses into the tank to gas it up for a get-away. Or not…Available on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video.

Sammy Davis Jr.’s version of “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” dance sequence epitomizes the film

In Retrospective ★★1/2 stars