Gamer

Roadshow

R4 DVD

Gamer is an impressive dystopian science fiction film exploring a world where computer gaming has moved to the next level. Through the use of nanotechnology Ken Castle has been able to make himself richer than Bill Gates. It all began with Society, a new and improved version of “Second Life or Sim City”. Here human beings actually control human beings on a truly massive scale in a real world setting. Through the use of avatars an individual in any part of the world can safely experience the life of another within a virtual-real world interface created by Castle’s technology. Every pleasure can be indulged as can every vice, as clearly shown in the bizarre and suitably perverse sex clubs and rave events.

As Castle’s fortunes rise, he decides to take his gaming empire to the next level and develops Slayers. For Slayers to work Castle has made a deal with the government and taken over the financing of the prison system. In return he gains access to prisoners to use in his new game. In a war like environment they fight as pawns in a life or death battle. They are given their freedom if they survive thirty rounds of the game but none have made it so far. While Slayers seems like an opportunity, vast numbers of prisoners are used as cannon fodder in an environment which becomes the equivalent of a virtual Roman arena.

Kable is a prisoner who has survived twenty seven rounds of Slayers but Castle has no intention of letting him go. At the same time there are those who see Castle’s empire for what it is. They realize that now he has got control of the prisons and is already recruiting the sick and poor to use in his games, it is only a matter of time before he moves on to control the medical system and perhaps even the government. They encourage 17 year old Simon, Kable’s controller, to not only talk directly to Kable but to let him take control of his destiny. Soon Kable breaks free of the game and must rescue his wife from her role as a sex worker in Society and together find their lost child.

Gamer is a powerful depiction of a world in which virtual reality has taken precedent over human interaction. It is the year 2034 and while Castle has gained success with his voyeuristic virtual world, it is with Slayers that the world is galvanized into the ecstasy of rioting football hooligans. The blood lust it has engendered has made Castle very rich but reduced the world to the lowest common denominator.

There is lots of action, violence and sex as would be expected in a virtual world where every desire can be explored and expressed without reproach. While I have always argued against censorship and for free expression, Gamer does bring home the question of personal responsibility in a time where computer technology can offer untrammelled freedom with limitation. At the same time I have some misgivings. The depiction of the fat neutered man controlling Kable’s wife doesn’t sit well and the inference that people who enjoy sex in the virtual world of Society will automatically move into extreme sex and violence is questionable. It is very trendy today to get all moral about violence and sex in computer games and link it to violence in real life, though there is little evidence to prove such a connection. At the same time the whole concept of controlling other human beings within a virtual environment is unpalatable to say the least.

Gamer certainly has some great ideas behind it, taking current trends in interactive gaming and moulding a challenging storyline. In style it has been influenced by everything from Blade Runner to Death Race and Running Man. It has excellent cinematography mixing real-time with CGI. At times it is hard to tell what is “real” and what is “virtual” and this is part of the visual texture of the film. The score is extremely using a range of hard edged driving rock.

The quirkiness of Gamer makes it an unusual work of cinema, from Castle singing I've Got You Under My Skin in the final showdown to the ultra-violence of the game scenes. This is certainly an innovative and creative science fiction film.

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This review will appear in Volume 3 No.2 of the digital and print edition of Synergy Magazine.

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