Wealthy financier Nicholas Van Orton receives a very strange birthday gift from his brother Conrad. A gift certificate for CRS which creates a live-action game, this begins to consume Nicholas’ life.
From the moment this film starts you know your going to be in for a strange ride when Nicholas first goes to CRS and know one will really tell him much about the game. But when he fills everything in and then a phone call to say his application as been rejected, followed by a strange clown doll on his drive when he returns home. This is when we know it is all going to be a confusing game, with different characters to really mess with Nicholas’ head.
Although everything is in fact part of the game it is so difficult to tell and being unsure of what is going to happen next, a brilliant thriller as I really was on the edge of my seat and found myself very on edge watching. Especially moments when everything was quiet and you know that music when something is about to happen. It kind of catches your breath and you find yourself taking a deep breath at times as well.
I think Michael Douglas is the perfect choice for this role as he really is brilliant to watch and carry a film. Such a strong actor with brilliant on-screen presence. He keeps you entertained and you cannot help but route for him and want him to beat this strange game that is ongoing. His brother Conrad occasionally appears and this really affects Nicholas as we find out that his brother has had addiction problems over the years.
It really is such a fantastic thriller which you cannot help but become engrossed in from the very start. It really does have everything you want from a thriller and such a brilliant idea of a live action game which takes things from your normal everyday life and pretty much turns it all upside down to find out how you react and cope with different changes. It really does make you think and wonder what you would do if anything happened to you. What would you do if your life became a game? You thought people were trying to kill you and they are taking all of your money? It just shows that everything about the game was linked to Nicholas’ life as everything was about his money and he was quite the loner.
Would you want to play the game?
