In the mid-1980s, there was a computer game on the market called “Hacker.” It came with no directions, no rules, and no information other than how to get the disc to play in one’s computer. After the program was started, it was up to the player to determine what the game was about, how one should play, and, eventually, how one would win (or “die” in the attempt). David Fincher’s The Game is in many ways reminiscent of that old computer program. Rules seem nonexistent, the game may or may not be ever-present, and one is never sure when the contest is at an end. For three-quarters of its running time, The Game is a brilliant, suspenseful tour de force, but it stumbles as it approaches the finish line.
The Game (Blu-ray)
Directed by David Fincher
Studio: Criterion
Year: 1997
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1 1080p AVC codec
Running Time: 128 minutes
Rating: NR
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 English
Subtitles: SDH
Region: A
MSRP: $ 39.95
Release Date: September 25, 2012
Review Date: September 23, 2012
The Film
4/5
Billionaire investment banker, cold-hearted Nicholas Van Orton (Michael Douglas) is given a birthday turn in “The Game” designed by a mysterious corporation called CRS by his wayward brother Conrad (Sean Penn). Van Orton is told nothing about how the game operates or even what it will encompass. All he knows is that it has started (after being told he's been rejected as a player) and once it has, he’s on a seemingly desperate collision course with destruction, personal ruin, and even potential death.
Like the leading characters in such games-playing thrillers as Sleuth and Deathtrap before it, neither Van Orton nor the viewer is ever quite sure what’s real and what’s part of the game. Fincher wrings quite a bit of tension out of the John Brancato-Michael Ferris screenplay, and it’s a good thing he’s got a good sense of pace since even a moment’s rest would allow us to start to piece together just how many holes the plot of this intriguing but ultimately outlandish picture has. The Game works better if you basically turn off your brain and simply let the picture happen. Fincher’s previous film Se7en featured a grainier, darker look and a more dour tone than The Game does, though it’s clear he’s going for some of the same raw anxiousness for the mood of this piece. He handles all of the stunts well and scores one amazing piece of staging: Van Orton jumping up in a projection room with the film projector shooting out awesome rays of white, yellow, and green light that his body distorts. Much like Gloria Swanson’s leaping into the projector light in Sunset Boulevard vowing she would make a comeback, Van Orton’s leap upwards startles immediately, and the light gives him his own demonic glow that suits the insensitivity that he has been displaying toward his fellow man. The Game finally runs out of steam right before the end, its ingenious twists and turns ultimately spinning out of control and becoming a trifle ludicrous. For the first 110 minutes of its running time, however, we are treated to a wonderfully taut and tantalizing thriller that keeps the audience guessing as much as it does its formerly expressionless leading character.
Michael Douglas does wonderfully playing the initially smug, robotic Van Orton and later the frustrated, terrified victim. Though he’s pitted against a seemingly all-powerful, indestructible entity like a corporation rather than a flesh and blood antagonist, he still manages to keep viewer interest on him and his predicament for a slightly overlong 128 minutes. Though Sean Penn is second-billed and plays his role well, his part in the proceedings amounts to little more than a cameo. The screenwriters could have used his shifty eyes and hyperactive body language to make him a more suspicious participant in the murky proceedings, but they strangely chose not to. Deborah Kara Unger has some choice moments as Douglas’ partner in the chase (though one can never be sure of anyone’s loyalty for long), but she’s a little too staid in some of the scenes, and thus she loses our sympathy long before her role in the game is revealed. Carroll Baker is almost unrecognizable as Douglas’s loyal cook, and Armin Mueller-Stahl has one electric scene as Douglas lowers the boom on him and he vows vengeance. For a movie with hundreds of extras doing bits of business around the star, the film seems remarkably empty of people to focus on apart from our hero.
Video Quality
4.5/5
The film’s original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.40:1 is faithfully reproduced in this 1080p transfer using the AVC codec. It’s a very controlled transfer in every respect with sharpness consistent but not cutting edge and color modulated and never out of kilter. Flesh tones look very realistic if a trifle brown. Black levels are fine but not cutting edge either, and with the number of nighttime scenes, deeper blacks might have accentuated the image a bit more. The film has been divided into 29 chapters.
Audio Quality
4.5/5
There are two DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 English tracks on the disc. One is the theatrical sound mix and the other is a mix created for home theater viewing (called a “Near Field” surround mix). Both offer excellent fidelity. The theatrical mix seems bit more robust in the action scenes while the Near Field mix seems a little sharper in more intimate scenes. You can’t go wrong with either one, however, with a fine placement of Howard Shore’s brooding music with the plentiful ambient sounds of the city and environs in the total soundfield. Dialogue has been expertly recorded and placed in the center channel.
Special Features
4/5
The audio commentary is an edited together set of comments from director David Fincher, star Michael Douglas, screenwriters John Brancato and Michael Ferris, cinematographer Harris Savides, production designer Jeffrey Beecroft, and others. They cover all the basics plus let their feelings about the work, both good and bad, rise to the surface: an excellent commentary track.
Unless otherwise noted, the bonus material is presented in 1080p.
The alternate ending runs 1 ¼ minutes.
There are four storyboard-to-film comparisons which must be watched separately: Dog Chase (3 ¼ minutes), The Taxi (3 ¼ minutes), Chris’ house (photos to storyboard to film running 4 ¼ minutes), and The Fall (1 minute).
There are five sequences featuring behind the scenes footage (in 1080i) with optional commentary on them (though the comments are repeated in the edited commentary mentioned above): Dog Case (4 ¼ minutes), The Taxi (12 minutes), Chris’ house (4 ¾ minutes), The Fall (7 ¾ minutes), and other backstage footage of the home movies being shot (9 ½ minutes).
The psychological test film which is shown in bits and pieces in the film is presented in its 1 ¼-minute entirety.
A teaser trailer runs 1 ½ minutes. A render test teaser runs 1 minute. The theatrical trailer runs 2 ½ minutes. These all come with optional commentary as well (as heard in the above commentary track).
The enclosed 17-page booklet contains and cast and crew list, the chapter listing, some stills from the movie, and film critic David Sterritt appreciation for the enterprise.
The Criterion Blu-rays include a maneuvering tool called “Timeline” which can be pulled up from the menu or by pushing the red button on the remote. It shows you your progress on the disc, the title of the chapter you’re now in, and index markers for the commentary that goes along with the film, all of which can be switched on the fly. Additionally, two other buttons on the remote can place or remove bookmarks if you decide to stop viewing before reaching the end of the film or want to mark specific places for later reference.
In Conclusion
4/5 (not an average)
The Game may have some holes in its storytelling, but it’s been directed so expertly that they’re hardly noticeable especially with an initial viewing. The Blu-ray is a lovely video and audio package with some interesting comments and behind the scenes material to offer. Recommended!
Matt Hough
Charlotte, NC
