Gamer

This was a nice surprise. Neveldine and Taylor keep on making the same films, but they’ve finally put their frenzied audiovisual style into the world where it belongs. I take back what I said earlier because this wacky aesthetic fits the game plot very well, and from my point of view, it projects more than I counted in both Crank films. True, the "society game" gives vent to their fetishistic perversions (I can't help but wonder how well they’d do at porn), but "Slayers" gets some positives. Butler's undeniable charisma and Hall's wacky sleaziness contribute to this. The ending makes you think. On the one hand, the filmmakers are filming in an exaggerated style that demands the audience’s brain to be in "stand by" mode, but at the same time, they have inserted criticism of the system and social attitudes towards games, the death penalty, etc. So when these two directors stop moralizing next time, maybe they’ll even get 4 stars. 3 ½. (22.11.2009)

A demented film about demented things, which tries to be relevant and to be above things, until it becomes completely tangled up in all-encompassing dementia... the only thing worth seeing in it is the musculature of Gerard Butler and the slow-motion off-road flying. Other than that, I'd rather see the Taylor - Neveldine directing duo in a soulless action film again, because this dystopian satire is ridiculous. It belongs somewhere in the preserve of Casper Van Dien and Canadian D productions. (09.09.2009)

So this was a bit of a disappointment. They could’ve gotten much more out of Gamer and you can clearly see that in some scenes. Neveldine and Taylor are literally bursting with ideas, sadly not all of them are good and some crossed the line of good taste (I get it with the Crank franchise, but this was meant to be a movie for the wider public, dammit). The whole part where they’re playing “Society" came across as unnecessary and very, very over the top. On the other hand, Hall’s puppeteering finale (amazing dance scene “I’ve Got You Under My Skin") is perfect and so fresh. It’s a shame the movie is so self-contradictory. It’s a wasted opportunity. (22.11.2009)

Yes, this is how I imagine an action-packed ride that is not afraid to show blood spurting in all directions, doesn't let up and doesn't get boring for the whole 90 minutes. Especially compared to the yawn-inducing Crank, Gamer is almost a masterpiece. Three and a half stars - one for Butler, one for Michael C. Hall, the third for the perfectly (although the editor was probably the devil himself) staged battles conceived in a precise video game style... Half a star for the fact that the filmmakers tried to squeeze in some criticism of society. P.S. The final "dance number" is really a must see. (24.04.2010)

I did get the message the creators wanted to pass on to the viewers. I enjoy playing and I know quite well how addictive gaming can be. It's also clear to me where online gaming is going, but the form seemed rather unfortunate. The film had its bright moments, but most of the time I wasn’t all that impressed, and the ending was schematic and ineffective. (27.10.2020)

I like Gerard Butler, which is automatically a factor that adds something extra to the movie for me. This is, however, quite an interesting reflection on where excessive technology can take us. Yes, the ending is completely messed up and denies any deeper thoughts, but I still quite enjoyed it. At the time I saw the film, I had already watched several movies with Butler, so I was simply riding the right wave. (30.12.2013)

A silly and terribly impersonal film that rivals that master audiovisual megalomania Michael Bay. Formally, it's a clean and professional affair, but in terms of content, story... I'm afraid it's going to be hard to do better in the future with films like this. The digital production, camera filters, and the impact of slow motion or sped up shots will probably always be improved. Long gone are the days of action movies that had heart and where you deeply sympathized with the main character and experienced his every emotion with him. (01.12.2011)