The Game A review by David Wilcock (C)1997 David Wilcock
Starring Michael Douglas and Sean Penn
Directed By David Fincher
A Polygram Pictures Release
Following the dark and disturbing Seven, David Fincher brings us this dark and disturbing comedy about a man driven to the edge over a dumb game. The man is Nicolas Van Orten, (or Gorden Gekko) played by Douglas, who is invited to play a game by his slightly mad brother, played by Penn. Douglas, bizzarely, accepts, and his life is turned upside down. While for Douglas, the game is a scary experience, for the audience, it's all a bit silly. One of the problems with this film is that it inserts far too many twists into the tale, some of them making no sense at all. Whenever the film feels like it, it will put a twist in. This is fine for some movies, but in The Game, it frankly gets really dumb. Also, the ending can't hold up to explain why there are all these twists!
Also, the ending is awful. I've seen this bad endings (like Halloweens) but this one's is really pathetic. After having releative fun (I just ignored the twists after a while) the ending just spoiled the whole thing. Tragic.
So, what are the high points? Well, the film is reasonably good fun (if a bit overlong) and it is bound to keep you entertained until the last ten minutes. Douglas gives us a fine performance (even though he had already played the same character in Oliver Stones Wall Street) and Penn is good as the brother. Douglas's 'girlfriend' during the film is alright, and the supporting cast are all OK as well. The direction is adequete, if occasionaly a little dull, but it never reaches the dizzy heights of Seven. Fincher has given us a film that is a little better than Alien 3 (although I quite enjoyed that movie) but nowhere near as good as Seven. Overall, then, The Game is a silly film, yet's it fun, but with the worst ending of 1997. Which is a shame.
Overall Rating=**1/2 out of ***** (Silly, and with a poor
ending, yet quite enjoyable. Overlong, though, aswell.)
Review By David Wilcock
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