Free Guy Review
No matter how they are packaged, video game movies are a tricky proposition. From adaptations to riffs on gaming (see: Wreck it Ralph), there are usually more misses than there are hits and not a lot of originality on display. Ryan Reynolds’ Free Guy tries to bring something new to the video game movie by taking a very specific element of games and creating a 2-hour action movie out of it.
The idea behind Free Guy is simple. What if an NPC in a violent multiplayer video game became self-aware? What type of unique revelations would that include and how would that lend itself to both action sequences and comedy bits? Truth be told it’s the type of material that is perfect for Ryan Reynolds, so it only makes sense that he would produce Free Guy and play the lead.
Free Guy Might Be The Only Video Game Movie The World Needs
There is still some of that surface-level understanding of video games on display in Free Guy but it doesn’t treat the subject matter like it’s taboo. It embraces the wackiness of video games and the endless possibilities presented by these digital worlds. The film also muses on ideas like taking ownership of one’s story and not letting others walk all over you. Mind you, it’s still a popcorn action flick at its core, but it has a sweet message and a compelling relationship created between Guy and Millie (Jodie Comer), a real-life player who doesn’t realize she’s falling for a digital character at first.
With the Millie/Guy relationship as its anchor, Free Guy takes a fantastical concept and makes it endlessly watchable. The film has some fun action scenes that only work because video games have no rules and a sense of humor that is peppered with tons of Easter eggs and references. The movie doesn’t ever take
Read more on gamerant.com
