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(210 votes, average: 4.60 out of 5)
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SYNOPSIS
GAMER is a high-concept action thriller set in a near future when gaming and entertainment have evolved into a terrifying new hybrid. Humans control other humans in mass-scale, multi-player online games: people play people…for keeps. Mind-control technology is widespread, and at the heart of the controversial games is its creator, reclusive billionaire Ken Castle (Michael C. Hall). His latest brainchild, the first-person shooter game “Slayers,” allows millions to act out their most savage fantasies online in front of a global audience, using real prisoners as avatars with whom they fight to the death.
Kable (300’s Gerard Butler) is the superstar and cult hero of the ultraviolent “Slayers.” Kable is controlled by Simon, a young gamer with rock star status who continues to defy all odds by guiding Kable to victory each week. Taken from his family, imprisoned and forced to fight against his will, the modern day gladiator must survive long enough to escape the game to free his family, regain his identity and to save mankind from Castle’s ruthless technology.
GAMER stars Gerard Butler (300, THE UGLY TRUTH), Michael C. Hall (“Dexter”), Amber Valletta (TRANSPORTER 2), John Leguizamo (RIGHTEOUS KILL, ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13), with Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges, and Kyra Sedgwick (“The Closer”).
Lionsgate and Lakeshore Entertainment present a Lakeshore Entertainment/Lionsgate Production. GAMER is a Neveldine/Taylor Film.
LATEST NEWS
Monday, February 8, 2010 Gamer 2009 (Blog)
Date Added to GB.Net: 02/08/10
Publication: The Movie Perspective
Saturday, February 6, 2010 Gamer (Blog)
Date Added to GB.Net: 02/06/10
Publication: Unbored
Monday, February 1, 2010 Gamer (Blog)
Date Added to GB.Net: 02/01/10
Publication: Upcoming Discs
Friday, January 29, 2010 'Gamer' blasts to the top of DVD charts
Date Added to GB.Net: 01/29/10
Publication: Examiner.com
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 'Gamer' scores win on video charts
Date Added to GB.Net: 28 Jan 2010
Publication: Hollywood Reporter
Thursday, January 14, 2010 DVD release finally puts GAMER under my skin (Blog)
Date Added to GB.Net: 01/14/09
Publication: Quiet Earth
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 The Top Ten Movies of 2009 (Blog)
Date Added to GB.Net: 12/22/09
Publication: Heretical Ideas
Sunday, September 6, 2009 Final Destination sustains fear factor with $12M
Date Added to GB.Net: 09/06/09
Publication: Associated Press
Friday, September 4, 2009 Gerard Butler reveals why he likes being a muscle-bound man of action
Date Added to GB.Net: 09/05/09
Publication: National Examiner
Thursday, September 3, 2009 Exclusive Interview: Writer/Director’s Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor GAMER
Date Added to GB.Net: 09/04/09
Publication: Collider.com
REVIEWS
Wednesday, September 30, 2009 Gamer Movie Review (Blog)
Date Added to GB.Net: 09/30/09
Publication: SpeedM
Tuesday, September 29, 2009 Movie Review: Gamer (Blog)
Date Added to GB.Net: 09/30/09
Publication: Elder Geek
Monday, September 28, 2009 Movie Review – the Gamer (Blog)
Date Added to GB.Net: 09/30/09
Publication: International Business Times
Thursday, September 10, 2009 Gamer is Deviant Fun
Date Added to GB.Net: 09/10/09
Publication: East Tennessean
Gamer: The Movie Review )Blog)
Date Added to GB.Net: 09/10/09
Publication: Online PC Gamers
Wednesday, September 9, 2009 'Gamer' is An Action Film With A Message
Date Added to GB.Net: 09/10/09
Publication: Tiger Weekly
'Gamer' Should Be Played Again and Again
Date Added to GB.Net: 09/10/09
Publication: Silver Chips Online
Tuesday, September 8, 2009 Movie Review - Gerard Butler's Gamer
Date Added to GB.Net: 09/08/09
Publication: BSC
Monday, September 7, 2009 "Gamer" Review
Date Added to GB.Net: 09/09/09
Publication: 411 mania
“Gamer” As a Lens For the Future (Blog)
Date Added to GB.Net: 09/07/09
Publication: The Inquisitr
CAST
Gerard Butler ... Kable/John Tillman
Michael C. Hall ... Ken Castle
Kyra Sedgwick ... Gina Parker Smith
Logan Lerman ... Simon
Brighid Fleming ... Delia
Alison Lohman ... Trace
Amber Valletta ... Angie
Terry Crews ... Hackman
Logan Lerman ... Simon
John Leguizamo ... Freek
Zoe Bell ... Sandra
Chris "Ludacris" Bridges ... Humanz Brother
TRAILER
INTERNATIONAL TRAILER (released June 2009)
Directors Neveldine and Taylor talk about casting Gerard Butler:
New Clip from Gamer (source: CinemaBlend)
GALLERY
Complete Gallery: Gamer Gallery
Latest Additions:
PRODUCTION NOTES
This film was filmes in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
What if you weren't in control of your own actions? What could you be forced to do against your will? Have sex with a complete stranger? Kill the people you love? In GAMER, a techno-themed action-thriller set in the not-too-distant future, co-creators Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor (CRANK) have taken simulated reality into a terrifying new dimension.
Following the success of the CRANK films, which Neveldine and Taylor describe as "pure ADD candy," the duo wanted to tackle a deeper story featuring bigger ideas and more complex characters. The filmmakers create three unique worlds within GAMER, each with its own filmic style and design. "The simulated reality game, ‘Slayers,' is a massive, multiplayer battlefield; ‘Society' is a tripped-out, fetishistic social-networking community; and then the real world exists outside the games," explains Neveldine. "Each one has its own look and feeling, its own set of visual rules - from color to camera movement to effects to set design."
"GAMER has all the hallmarks of Neveldine's and Taylor's sick, yet genius minds," says actor Gerard Butler, who stars as Kable, a gladiator who fights to regain his identity within the gaming system that holds him captive. "They really have an innate, natural ability to create these kinds of concepts without over-thinking them, while creating great characters and keeping this element of freshness, youth and progressive thinking. They're very talented."
Like most successful science fiction, GAMER's speculations about the future have a firm basis in present day reality. According to producer Tom Rosenberg, that's part of its appeal. He says, "Although the story is far out, it's grounded in reality. In fact, everything in the game, although set in the future, is really taking place right now, just to a lesser degree."
Producer Gary Lucchesi agrees. "I think all the best science fiction is an extension of what you're currently seeing. You speculate on what's happening now and exaggerate it. I remember listening to the radio one day coming to work," he recalls. "There was a young woman playing an online game who changed her avatar, her online alterimage, into this 6'6" tough guy who carried a gun or a knife, and terrified people. Her alter ego was able to express itself through that video world. I think those fantasies certainly live within all of us."
After watching his physical, emotionally rich performance in Zach Snyder's 300, Neveldine and Taylor knew Gerard Butler was the only actor to play Kable. "There are so few true action stars left on this planet, and Gerard is the best," says Taylor. "He has incredible physical presence and is willing to do the homework to make the action look real and visceral, as we saw with 300. But at the same time, there is a soul and humanity to his performances that draws you in and involves you emotionally."
Apart from the originality of the story, Butler was also attracted to the cutting-edge approach of the filmmakers' style. "I like to take risks," he says, "and I want to think that any project I do is going to affect people either because it's a new way of filmmaking, or because of the emotion behind it, or how unusual the story is. GAMER satisfied all of those requirements."
For the part of Angie Tillman, Kable's wife who is ensnared in the fetishistic ‘Society' game, model and actress Amber Valletta faced considerable physical and emotional challenges. "When I first read the script, I thought, ‘Wow, I've never seen anything like this,'" Valletta says. "The genre yes, but not this kind of material. Nothing has ever been made that sounded, looked or felt like it. I'd never seen a woman in a role like this. It felt very modern."
"Angie is a tough role," Neveldine admits. "There's the pain Amber has to go through being controlled, the sexual things the script put her through and the emotions and grief and all that stuff. But she tackled it so well. She surprised us everyday. She was amazing."
Taylor adds, "I don't think we really knew how good Amber was until she started working. It was pretty awesome, and she's just a sweetheart."
Playing living avatars controlled by other people, Butler and Valletta grappled with the challenge of not being allowed to react intuitively to a given situation, a dynamic that is in direct conflict with naturalistic acting. Valletta had to practice being utterly powerless in some of the film's most difficult scenes, while Butler had to modify every aspect of his physical work. "Basically, the directors wanted the warriors in the ‘Slayers' game to move differently, like a character would in a video game," explains stunt coordinator Darin Prescott. "So guys will march ahead, kind of turn their guns, and then they'll turn with it. It's not as fluid as if guys were just running through battle. There's also a little delay, or "ping," as it's called in the story, which happens when the controlling character makes a move and then the controlled character will make the same move a fraction of a second later."
The unlikely controller of global action star Kable is Simon, a rich, sequestered teenage boy played by Logan Lerman. For most of the story, Simon is able to control the brutality of the game from the comforts of his high-tech gaming room, which Lerman describes as "working with little orange dots everywhere, which is a little complicated, but you get used to it. You get the flow of things and you adapt to the different style. It's cool."
In one particular scene, Simon actually appears on the battlefield with Kable, which was an intimidating experience for Lerman. "It was just so overwhelming," Lerman says, laughing. "I give a lot of credit to Gerard to be able to focus with explosions going off and people getting shot right in front of him. It's crazy stuff. I felt more at home in the studio."
The real mastermind of GAMER's virtual worlds, however, is Ken Castle, played by Michael C. Hall, the star of Showtime's hit series, "Dexter." "Michael was the ideal actor to play Castle," Taylor avows. "This is one of those performances that people are going to talk about."
A man who has grown up in the world of video games and the internet, Castle is the creator of the gaming technology in the film's story. Sequestered in his house, Castle has no need for the outside world, having created a virtual environment of which he is the sole master. Taylor describes Castle as merely one part of a greater dystopian future landscape. "Castle's basically trying to control everything," he explains. "He's trying to get his hands on everything and make everybody march in step and do exactly what he wants them to do. We're moving toward a world, I think, where all of us can be Castle."
For Hall, Castle's egomania was the most appealing aspect of the part. "Castle believes he's enlightened in a way that no one else is, that he's super-human. He doesn't see himself as evil. He's like a kid playing in a sandbox." The role also gave Hall the opportunity to break away from the somewhat repressed characters he's played on television. "The part was like getting on a funhouse ride. I got to be unashamed, lascivious, do a Sammy Davis Jr. soft shoe, beat up the action hero of the year while controlling him with my mind, and have a really strange and severe hairstyle all in the same movie."
Despite GAMER's dark, cautionary story, Neveldine's and Taylor's vision of the future is not completely without hope. A rebel group called the "Humanz" recognizes that Kable has become more popular among the fans of the game than the game itself, and if they can get his support, they stand a chance of tearing down the rapidly growing threat to humanity. At the head of this organization is a man called "Humanz Brother," played by Chris "Ludacris" Bridges.
"I took on the role because I play the voice of reason in the story," explains Bridges, who is an avid gamer himself. "It seems like video games get more and more interactive, and it's just crazy to sit here and think how games will evolve over the next decade. If you allow evolution like this to continue where you're toying around with human beings, it can become something very dangerous. But I think this movie is all about how much influence each individual has on the future and how we can make things change for the good and not for the bad."
Rounding out the cast of GAMER is Kyra Sedgwick in the role of media star Gina Parker Smith, a celebrity who is instrumental to the Humanz's mission to overthrow Castle. A fan of CRANK, Sedgwick signed on to the project having limited exposure to the world of gaming. "It was a leap of faith in that way," she says, "but I really liked their first film and I liked this character. I thought she was fun. I liked the fact that she changes in the film. At first, she's just completely out for herself, out to get the story. She doesn't care who she hurts along the way. But ultimately she realizes that she does have to make a decision between whether to fight this underground grassroots Humanz fight or to be on the side of Ken Castle."
Based on the strength of Neveldine and Taylor's vision, GAMER also inspired a crop of notable actors to appear in a range of cameos. Among those who lent their talents to the project are John Leguizamo (ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13, THE HAPPENING), Alison Lohman (WHITE OLEANDER, MATCH STICK MEN, BIG FISH), Johnny Witworth (3:10 TO YUMA, "CSI: Miami"), Keith Jardine (American mixed martial artist [MMA], Ultimate Fighting Championship [UFC]), Milo Ventimiglia (NBC's "Heroes," STAY ALIVE), Zoë Bell (ABC's "Lost," ANGEL OF DEATH), Richard "Mack" Machowicz (host of Discovery Channel's "Future Weapons"), Keith David (CRASH), James Roday and Maggie Lawson (USA's "Psych"), Lloyd Kaufmann (Co-Founder and President, Troma Studios), and Efren Ramirez (NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, CRANK).
Neveldine's and Taylor's partnership extends to every aspect of the filmmaking process. Two halves of a single creative force, they share directing responsibilities equally and are most often seen together on set rapid-firing ideas at a breakneck speed. The pace of their work can be destabilizing for the crew and actors; yet it consistently yields results. "Mark and Brian are very unique, very smart, very talented, and they're completely dead-straight honest," says Rosenberg. "There's no manipulation. If they say they can do something, they always do it."
Neveldine's and Taylor's love of cutting edge technology, featured prominently in the film's story, also extends to the filmmaking itself. To further define the unique look of each of the film's fictional environments, the directors chose to use a revolutionary new camera system developed by RED. The RED camera is a digital system that incorporates compact flash cards instead of digital tape. While the system had not been tested to withstand the extreme rigors of an action film production, Neveldine and Taylor, who also serve as camera operators, were willing to take the risk. "Every movie we've shot, we've shot on a different format," Taylor explains. "We're always trying to find the latest, most technological thing like these RED cameras. We were almost beta testing these cameras in the field."
"We've always wanted to move from the film world into new technology," Neveldine adds. "We've been HD guys from the beginning. We love to push those cameras to the limit; we love what they can do. RED isn't HD though. It's RED. It's a whole different format; it's its own beast. It's beautiful. It's the most silky image you'll ever see. When we tried it and saw how compact the camera was and how cool it was, there was no other option but RED."
As camera operators, Neveldine and Taylor regularly incorporate unorthodox camera techniques to achieve a desired effect. Neveldine, who was on rollerblades from the time he could walk, will commonly pick up a camera and take off in a tracking shot, which is one of the real advantages of the smaller RED camera.
"The picture looks awesome," says Butler. "It's never really been done before, and you just have to see two seconds of this film, and you go, ‘Wow. What is this? This is really cool.' It's beautiful."
The directors and production designer Jerry Fleming took a similarly innovative approach when designing GAMER's futuristic world. Rather than build entire sets on a soundstage, the filmmakers made it their mission to find real, working locations and transform them into strange new environments. "We wanted our future to look practical, lived in, grounded, not something dreamed up on an art table," explains Taylor. "So we took real places and repurposed them, such as turning a functioning gypsum mine into a prison. What you get is a location that looks like something people would actually exist in. Jerry is a genius at that."
Fleming had to create twenty major sets with some sixty essential set lines. "There's no such thing as knowing what they're going to shoot," Fleming says. "You have to dress everything pretty much 360?, which my very first director that I ever worked with, Robert Altman, taught me. I didn't have that opportunity again until Mark and Brian. With these guys, I dress sets as much as I can so that they can do whatever they want to do. You just have to assume that it's going to be on camera, and that's much more exciting than building two-wall sets."
For Butler, the varied, creative use of locations made production an endlessly exciting process. "Unlike 300, where we used green screen technology, here we were actually in many different environments," explains the actor. "You're in the big train station or you're in the prison or you're up there in the gypsum mine at an altitude of 7,000 feet. You're in these incredible locations that really help you buy into the feel of being in this messed-up future. But it still feels very organic. It's just like today's world, but 20 years away."
Whether it's the story, the filmmaking technology or the production design, Neveldine and Taylor are committed to discovering new, unique ways to develop and execute their projects, with the hope of helping to expand the possibilities of the medium itself. Rather than choosing between high-tech innovations or guerilla-style pragmatism, the directors embrace both in equal measure, resulting in filmmaking that's continually surprising and teeming with vitality. "We're not trying to take something familiar and push it to the next level by spending more money, piling on more and more effects, and marketing it down your throat," says Neveldine. "We want to give audiences something totally new and original, something they haven't seen before."
This film is in post production. It was filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico from November 2007 - February 2008. The title of the film is a "working title" and may be retitled for release.
Interesting Trivia: Mark Neveldine played a cameraman in Ariel Vromen's short film, Jewel of the Sahara, in which Gerard had the starring role.
RELEASE DATES
Greece - 3 September 2009
Finland - 4 September 2009
Italy - 4 September 2009
Norway - 4 September 2009
Singapore - 4 September 2009
Spain - 4 September 2009
Sweden - 4 September 2009
UK - 16 September 2009
USA - 4 September 2009
Belgium - 9 September 2009
Estonia - 9 September 2009
France - 9 September 2009
Russia - 9 September 2009
Cyprus - 11 September 2009
Denmark - 11 September 2009
Czech Republic - 17 September 2009
Hong Kong - 17 September 2009
Austria - 18 September 2009
Brazil - 2 October 2009
Netherlands - 8 October 2009
Croatia - 22 October 2009
Germany - 7 January 2010
LINKS
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January 25th, 2010 at 7:55 am
I am a huge Gerry fan…..and anxiously awaited the dvd sale of Gamer. Gerry Butler is amazing….a complete package actor. The depth of emotion in his face tells so much without a word and the action scenes were amazing!
The negative points on this movie….sexual content. I know, I know it is rated R but I don’t think that enough was warned about the sexual content in this movie. Guess I am a prude….but the video game concept definitely lead me to thinking my teenage sons could handle the “violence” but I was not expecting the “girls gone wild” scenes.
Still love Gerrys work and will always “snatch-up” his new movies as they come out!!
September 22nd, 2009 at 8:54 am
I completely agree with Claudia, who made a post on September 7. Where has publicity been? I feel like Gerry is one of the best and most versatile actors out there. He has the combination of all the elements that make an actor a star. There’s no role that Pitt or Clooney can play that Gerard Butler could not do better. He is truly talented and dedicated.
I saw Gamer and did not know what I was going to get. Big surprise! It reminded me of the first Matrix,an excellent movie, but I think it was better. People see the “action” factor of this film as its facade, but I see the plot as a thought provoking one because , although it is science fiction, it is not totally hard to believe that these things could at any moment take place. The movie delivered. Gerry, as always, delivered.
September 20th, 2009 at 7:37 am
i went to see gamer again last night as i always see gerrys films twice, sometimes like with 300 to give it another go because the first time i didnt know what i was in for, a bit like gamer, and sometimes because its so good, i have to have another look. i was very surprised on the length of the film because i thought it was a two hour film and not an hour and a half. i still feel it should have been a bit longer, and shown more of what happened after he escaped, for example the humanz, his family and especially with castle. with 300, which by the way, was brilliant they had a more laid back approach to the story and it wasnt all fighting. in gamer, although the action was really good, especially the beginning, which i thought was the best bit in the film as you came straight into a video game and felt like you were right next to gerry deep in the explosions, fighting etc. it seemed it was all fighting and only a little bit of other stuff, if that makes sense. i did enjoy it slightly better second time around and it is a very thought out film and a brave new concept like 300, but it wont go to the top of my gerry film list, but it makes it more normal that im not going to love all of his films.
September 16th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
ive just been to see gamer and wow the action was fantastic but very in your face, because you feel as though you are right next to gerry playing the game. gerry worked really hard in this movie and had to put a lot into it, action wise. i was worried about the gruesome parts, but they were not as bad as i originally thought. im not sure if its my sort of film, but i wanted to see it as im a great gerry fan and enjoy his varied films, and i think it needs another look maybe in a few days time. its definitely yet again, a different sort of film, like 300 was, but not everyone will like all his films. i think the people who are mad on video games will enjoy it greatly as it is definitely up their street.
September 8th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
This movie was electrying!!!! Gerry look so sexy like other movie and I will watch over and over and over
September 8th, 2009 at 8:08 am
I roped three other friends into seeing it (two girls and a guy). I was the Gerry fan of the lot – the other three were just along for the ride. I was a tad dissapointed – I wanted a little more development in the story between Kable and Angie and the whole Ken Castel empire but hey, it worked for me, it contained Gerry. Afterward, one of the girls asked “So did you like it?” I responded that I did and she said “No, but did you like it because of Gerard (who they have affectionately dubbed my “baby daddy”) or did you like it because it was a good movie?” I just responded with “Seriously? Total Gerard factor you know that!!” Don’t get me wrong, I love a good action move and the violence is fine but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. As a previous poster said, can’t wait until “Law Abiding Citizen”. I think that will be more my speed.
September 8th, 2009 at 5:30 am
I went to see Gerry, but I stayed for the awesome movie! Loud, violent, gratuitous EVERYthing, but as long as you know that’s the kind of movie you’re in for (I mean, come on. It’s not exactly P.S.I Love You), it’s fantastic. Kudos to everyone in it. Check out my review: genevieve-thewritemove.blogspot.com
September 7th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
I really enjoyed this movie and will be seeing it again in the theaters. If you like a good action movie – go see it!
September 7th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Bottom line: I thought GAMER was GOOD!!! Generally, I don’t like this genre of film but I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. It was also a very coherent story, which I did not expect, and the entire cast gave a very good performance. Gamer is violent, hence the R rating. The film is a cross between the MATRIX, TERMINATOR AND SIN CITY. And for people (young and old) who enjoy playing video games, they would LOVE this movie! I think the real problem here is the lack of publicizing or selling the film to the public by the producers or LionsGate. To start, they should have really sold GAMER at ComicCon and then advertised it heavily leading up to its release Labor Day weekend. There was no premiere and even Gerry’s public appearances for the film were limited. I’m a huge fan of Gerry and I would see any film he makes, but as in the case of so many of his previous films, most of the U.S. has yet to discover him outside of 300. Picking the right film to do is a crap shoot for any actor and I know that Gerry doesn’t want to be typecast. It’s also true that every actor is at the mercy of the director, editor or film studio. In my opinion, THE UGLY TRUTH and ROCKNROLLA should have been big hits for Gerry. And like those films, if people just go see GAMER they would be pleasantly surprised. As a side note, my son just graduated from Harvard with a minor in Film Studies. When he was last home, I actually forced him to watch ROCKNROLLA and to his astonishment, he thought that Gerry’s performance and the film were really good. So for those of you who are fans of Gerry and saw GAMER spread the word. This film, like many of Gerry’s previous films, deserves a chance.
September 7th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Love, love, LOVE Gerry but the movie was a bit disappointing. Someone already mentioned it was geared towards teenage boys (who like violent video games) and I think thats true. The movie could have gone into more depth on the relationship with the friend he murdered or with the “anti Castle society” etc. instead of focusing just on the violence….300 had lots of violence but the story line was deeper so it worked really well. Loved The Ugly Truth and looking forward to Law Abiding Citizen but Gamer didn’t live up to my expectations…
September 7th, 2009 at 9:06 am
I adore Gerry and only saw the movie becuase as a huge fan, I feel I need to support all of his efforts. This movie, was however, geared towards a very small segment of the population. I think 14 year old boys might enjoy it, but that’s about it! Gerry is smart and funny as well as well as wonderful to look at. He does better in more intelligent roles. Looking forward to the release of Law Biding Citizen in October. Love you Gerry – keep safe and be happy.
September 6th, 2009 at 11:59 pm
I saw Gamer with my two younger brothers. I thought this was an excellent film with an original plot. Gerard Butler was great in it as always. The only negative to me was the nudity. Of course, my brothers loved the action.
September 6th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
Gamer was awesome. I went twice and hope to attend again next week. It’s not showing in our town, so I have to travel 45 miles to see it. (That is what burns me the most) Great job Gerry. Your hard work paid off with one wicked film.
September 6th, 2009 at 11:35 am
I did not like this movie at all. He was great to look at, but it was lame..not at all my favorite movie of his. Lets hope he does not do amymore like this…
September 6th, 2009 at 2:39 am
i have seen Gerard in every film, but this is not Gerard’s….love the man dissapointed in the flick…., but will go to every film he stars , hope there are no more like this…give credit where credit is due let him do Bond, no there’s a Gerry film!
September 6th, 2009 at 1:22 am
GB.net, you all are wonderful for keeping us updated on gerry. where would i be without you? aside from sitting in my comfy chair watching GB movies all afternoon.
this is by far one of the best and hysterical interviews he has done.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
I also went and saw Gamer this morning. I am a 60+ fan and only went to see it because of Gerry being in it. I was taken back by the violence and nudity. Watching the first part was so unnerving that I had a hard time concentrating on what was going on. The second half was much better where it showed the more human side of Kable. The only other decent actor was Michael C. Hall. Kyra Sedgwick was awful. I liked The Ugly Truth so much better. Can’t wait for Law Abiding Citizen in October.
September 5th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
I would normally never see a movie such as Gamer, but since it was a Gerry movie, I went.
It was quite interesting, after the movie the discussion was very lively.
It was not fluff. The theme was Quite an interesting concept. As a teacher, I know that students are
really into all this technology, I feel most of them don’t have empathy for each other. So really
this world in Gamer is very believable to me. Sadly, this is the future. Gerry was quite good in the movie An action role for sure.
September 5th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
I saw Gamer last night – drove 2 1/2 hours each way to see it! Man there is something about a guy in military gear that is very sexy! Loved Gerry in the film, I did find the movement of the film a little hard to take – or it could have been the theatre. Anyway, I liked the little bits of humour throughout and LOVED Michael C. Hall’s dance number – just downloaded “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”. Will definitely buy the DVD, so I can see parts that I probably missed. It is a little scary to think how easily this could become our world. How much control are we already under that we have no idea about? SCARY!
September 5th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
I saw Gamer today. I did not like it. Very superficial. There wasn’t enough development of the characters. I was disappointed to say the least. Most of the acting, except for Gerard’s and the boy that played Simon, was terrible and not believable. Of course, it could have been poor direction.
September 5th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Gerry made the movie! Intense, tough, with challenging and thought provoking storyline. It’s never easy to see the worst side of things. Gerry is the best at bringing a character to life. You really go on the journey with him. Too much for under 17 for sure.
September 5th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
Just saw it. Gerry was as usual perfect. Awsome preformance. Fantastic visual effects. A bit let down
by the ending. Seemed to end to simply. Otherwise cant take my eyes off Gerry. Michael C Hall was
also enjoyable to watch.
September 5th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
I saw the first showing at 2pm Eastern time in my home town. I along with husband and son were 3 of 8 people there. I know it was a work day (were on vacation), but I was a bit surprised with the head count. Maybe the night and weekend will be better. I love my Gerry. The language was a bit much and too much naked woman. Really……and Gerry only had a shirt off. Ugh that will have to do. I have to say I loved it only because Gerry was in. The Ugly Truth rocked and I cannot wait to see Law Abiding Citizen. My guys liked it though, Thanks Gerry
September 5th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Gamer had all the violence I expected. It submerged you in it and then began taking you to the real reason behind it all. As the story unfolded, the previous violence made more sense. I do hope the writers are wrong about our future. To think that the world would sink so low is disheartening. But, through it all, Gerry’s character held out hope for us. Tillman always rememberd his real name when he was called Kable. He kept hold of reality and that is what may save humanity.
September 5th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Right off…too much foul language and nudity. There are other ways of showing how society is at the time. Filming style was good. Butler did a GREAT job! His portrayal was INTENSE! Michael C. Hall was the perfect villian. It is such a fast moving film with all the action, etc. that I found myself wishing it had lasted longer! I hope this film serves not only as great entertainment but as a warning to us about what the future could be.
September 5th, 2009 at 7:22 am
I was very disappointed with Gamer. While I am a big Butler fan (and he was candy to the eyes), I thought that the movie could have been SO MUCH BETTER! I love the premise- video games taken to an unethical level. I would have liked to see the movie focus more on the battles, his regaining consciousness of what Castle did to him, and Butler and the “freedom fighters” working together to stop Castle. I wish that they dumped the Society shots–only used them to show how corrupt, greedy and inhuman Castle/society could be. This would have been fine in his interview with Kyra/Gina. I felt getting the anti-Castle computer geeks into the prison, their conspiracy with Simon and Kable, and his ultimate battle against Castle could have made a suspenseful and action-packed film. I didn’t feel that Kable even needed to have a wife and daughter to return to–his becoming aware of how Castle forced him to murder his good friend (and the dire implications of how people could kill for fun whenever and whereever they wanted to) would have been enough of a reason to destroy Castle.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:18 pm
Love Gerry….Will support him in any movie he comes out in because he is fantastic in whatever he does. I watched this movie twice today and of course he was just awesome. Will buy the dvd as soon as it comes out.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
BOY OH BOY!!! Intense is one word to describe this movie…fast paced, non-stop action, and Gerry is kicking butt through the whole thing! Overall, a good movie! Lots of language and “stuff” being shown.
He is showing his range for sure as far as a departure from some of his more recent roles…NO FLUFF here.
September 4th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
Saw Gamer today – Gerard is FANTASTIC. He’s a FANTASTIC action hero. The woman playing his wife was BLAH – no chemistry but he was SUPER. WTG Gerard.
September 4th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
I won’t beat around the bush.. too much violence for me. Gerry’s performance was of course steller. I guess he has his reasons for accepting this type of a script,if you can call it that. It will certainly appeal to the gamer freaks out there. My Son being one of them. I loved “300″. It was with great taste.
This is one I won’t see again or buy DVD.
September 4th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
A surreal portrayal of human anguish- in the grays, blacks and reds.
Reminiscent of Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” or the statues without arms
The question is, how easily will folks slip into irrational anguish hidden behind or
“beneath the iron superficial foot” of advertisement and…….
Which reminds me; I wanted to write Gerry a little note, asking him to do some
research and take responsibility for his own health beyond not smoking and drinking.
So much- let’s not take ourselves too seriously- lurks with those factory farmed animals
under the blues, longing for the green, in the browns, blacks and reds
Gerard’s performance is quite excellent-
May our superstar live forever!!!!!
September 4th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
I just saw “Gamer” …twice…My reactions were similar to the first two above… The first part of the movie was MTV-type quick camera angles…quick shots of the action..explosions …fire…action…and I had a hard time focusing on the prize: Gerry. I would think that this high-adrenaline rush would be intoxicating to many…the saecond third of the movie was more of a storytelling type..and less frenetic. We get to see Gerry in “regular” shots so we can actually look at him. The third part of the film I loved…
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
At tone point he takes on about 10-12 henchmen at once!!! A la Bond or Bourne, but 10x faster and more deadly!!!! I’ll have to slo-mo that on the dvd since it, too, was so fast it was hard to really focus. He did all this with a tight blue tee on…and he is body beautiful!!!! SIgh!!!! REally!!!! There is also a tri–part series that show increasing by increments what happens in a room with a table and two chairs..it all makes sense in the end. There’s also a UGHHH moment..that actually is cool…concerning a gas tank, shall we say. Another “fun” part if you like brtual action from a hunky Gerard: he dispatches Rick Rape in a unique way…suffice to say, it is like breaking a stick over one’s knee. I lovead Gerry in this…and I cannot wait to get the dvds for TUT and this; TUT for the dance,elevator, and bed scenes..and this one for half of the movie that was too fast-paced for me!
September 4th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
I saw it this afternoon and I loved it! I was a little leery because I was afraid I wasn’t going to (I, too, am 60) but I loved how it was filmed, the message/story, the characters and Gerry was incredible as Kable. For me there was enough ‘back story’ to make it work, enough narrative to make it comprehensible and plenty of realistic-style action to make you feel Kable’s dilemma. That the same totally believable Mike is also Kable is amazing. I honestly know of no one else who can so firmly ground a traditional action hero and a light comedic turn with such authority and grace. The sky is the limit, Gerry!
It is pure Neveldine and Taylor which means it has plenty of action but with a brain if you’re open to it and a bit of sly humor when you least expect it. Camera work alone makes it unique and fresh unlike any other routine action flick I saw this summer.
Good luck with Gamer, Gerry!
September 4th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Just saw the movie. Obviously, as a 60 year old woman, I’m not exactly fitting the demographic; but I enjoyed the message. And, funny to say–my older eyes couldn’t keep up with the flash formula of the movie, so I missed alot of the gore. Gerry is a great actor, and he’s paired with an awesome cast and directors. I think women of all ages can still like, not exactly love, the film.
September 4th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Just got back from seeing Gamer at my local theater here in San Antonio, TX. As I expected, Gerry’s performance was insightful and dead on point. His usual depth and emotion was in high gear. Worth seeing it just for his performance. Amber Valleta surprised me with her performance. Much better than I expected. The emotion and pain on her face when she was being controlled was very good. Don’t want to be a spoiler… That being said I know the producers wanted the film to have a ‘video game’ feel but at time it was a bit too much. Too frenetic, you couldn’t focus. Too much going on. Too much forest, couldn’t focus on a tree. Reminded me of Alien when the lights were flashing, noise going off, just about the time you thought you saw something, the camera moved. Don’t know if that makes sense. But AFTER he escapes the game, things really get Gerry great. That is when you see his real masterful performance. The balance of the movie was really great. There is a really scary message in here. I thought about my grandsons and their video games. I can so seeing this happening. I will see it again…
September 4th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Really not my kind of movie, but I went anyway because I want to support Gerry’s work. If I did like this type of movie, I would rate it high. And as always, Gerry was awesome….would’ve like to have seen more “back story” for his character, though.
September 3rd, 2009 at 5:59 pm
I live in the UK and have been so looking forward to seeing Gamer and was so pleased that it had a release date of 4th September. Great opportunity for my other half to take me to see it as we are both off work this week. Only to find that when checking out the cinema listing guide for showing times, it was not listed. To my disappointment, the date had been changed at short notice to Wednesday 16th September. Why, I ask? Why do we the people that pay to see these films, have to wait. It is ridiculous that the date keeps on changing. Bring it on!!
Even more disappointing is that while checking out the IMDB a few weeks ago “Law Abiding Citizen” was scheduled for release in the US in October and then in the UK in March 2010 (a whole 5 months gap) and then to my surprise as I type this, I checked the IMDB again and luckily we get a release date for November 09. Lets hope this sticks and they don’t keep changing it, like they are screwing around with the release of “Gamer”.
September 3rd, 2009 at 7:31 am
Jep, I’m also waiting for to see the movie, but since I live in a tiny-tiny-tiny village in Finland, I guess it’ll take another year for me to see the film in our theatre. So until that -just have to keep on waiting =) …and get a life! =D. Cheers!
September 3rd, 2009 at 7:24 am
Not sure when they changed it, but they did. It will be out on September 16. That’s the call for the UK distributor.
September 3rd, 2009 at 7:04 am
i know this is probably not the right place to write, but i dont know where to, but i am very upset as i have been waiting for gamer for a long time, and it was filmed so long ago now, back in 07. all our posters in the uk are saying 4th september , and i have checked with every cinema, and they have not got gamer on their lists at all for the 4th september. i cant see, myself, whats happened as it has been delayed so many times for various reasons. i have now looked on butler.net and find its not out now until 16th september. what has happened, as so many people are going to be disappointed about this. what possibly can be the holdup now. i thought once the posters were advertising a film it would come out. i would love to hear from you.
September 2nd, 2009 at 1:20 pm
I for one, cannot wait for GAMER. What’s interesting is that you have a B-movie actor like Jason Statham who has appeared in the Taylor-Neveldine bros Crank movies, where suspension of disbelief is the prerequisite of the day; whereas here, we have A-lister Gerry Butler and maybe soon-to-be A-Star, Michael C Hall, delivering some potentially serious acting chops; along with Kyra Sedgwick. I cannot imagine this will be as bad as Death Race, and with tie-ins for X-Box Live, this in theory should be a winner all the way.
August 30th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Of course I haven`t see the movie, I`m waiting, but for sure it deserves the five (5) stars. Love
August 30th, 2009 at 12:17 am
Cant wait to see the movie, If movie is as exciting as trailer, I would say that this one is a winner
August 29th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
I saw a Gamer trailer on TV for the first time tonight. It looks just wonderful, especially big on TV rather than small on my computer! I can’t wait until Friday. On a movie screen, I think it’s going to be madness. Just WOW. I’ll likely be seeing it more than once. Oh, heck, I know I’ll be seeing it more than once. LOL.
August 27th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
At last an action movie for Gerry, for sure it will be a great success. Congratulations Gerry. Love
August 21st, 2009 at 3:22 am
Does anyone know if Australia is going to get a release date for “Gamer”?
I can’t find one and we’ve had ALL of his other movies released in Australia.
This one looks awesome!!
July 30th, 2009 at 11:53 am
Gerard was one of the coolest, kind and funny actors I’ve ever worked with, and the film is going to ROCK! Mark and Brian are extremely cool to work with as well. Look forward to hearing about their next film.
July 29th, 2009 at 3:26 am
Is it going to be released in Australia and when!!!!!!!
July 7th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
I am so anxious for this movie to come out not only because I am a huge fan, but also because it looks incredible. I can’t believe I live in Albuquerque and didn’t even know he was here during that the filming. I know some local folks fortunate enough to have worked with him, including his PA and they all say he was totally awesome.
June 18th, 2009 at 7:25 am
Check out this link for the official German site as well: http://www.game-derfilm.de
June 12th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
Looking forward to this movie, but it takes so long for GB’s movies to come out! This movie started filming in Nov 2007. Gerry, quit making your fans wait so long for your releases! Also, can’t wait for The Ugly Truth in July. Finally, I have a movie I can go see with my son. I am sure he will like to see Gamer. September seems such a long time to wait! Watched the trailer numerous times. I even watched the German version which I liked even better. I love Gerry when he is rugged and a fighter. He is so versatile and I look forward to all his new films. Hope the Burns project works out for him.
June 10th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
loved the trailer of Gamer….Gerry looks tough, as he is his best this way….Hope he does not die at the end….sure hope this up to his talent quota…He is so talented & handsome, we just hope he has chosen the right way for his career…..
looking forward to the release this year…GO GERRY— & CHEERS BIG GUY…..
May 9th, 2009 at 7:52 am
this film will be a nice change for gerry going into the future instead of the present or the past. it looks very technical and we will have to have our wits about us when watching it but im looking forward to it greatly. the poster looks terrific and gerry looks great but quite sinister in it, especially his eyes.
April 12th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
I have been looking forward to seeing this movie and have wondered why it’s taking so long to be released. I don’t care for the name “Citizen Game”–it sounds too much like “Citizen Kane”. It needs to have a catchy, more original name–something that stands out and makes people want to see it.
Gretchen
April 5th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
It sounds a lot like the Arnold Schwartzenegger movie, “Running Man.” But if GB is in it, I’ll watch it! :->
April 2nd, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Game is a great name for this movie it seems, but Michael Douglas did a movie called Game a few years back and maybe they don’t want to confuse anyone. As long as GB is in the movie, that’s all I care about. Gerry’s #1 Fan
April 1st, 2009 at 5:03 pm
I would like to know when is going to be release in Mexico!!!!!
Someone can tell me???
Thanks
April 1st, 2009 at 12:22 pm
can’t wait to see this film but like the name Game–why screw with a already good title?
April 1st, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Looking forward to seeing this movie but think name change will be a mistake. Game is a good name doesn’t need to confuse things by changing it.
April 1st, 2009 at 7:33 am
Thanks for the feedback Joe! Glad to hear some first hand impressions of the film! Thanks for stopping by!
April 1st, 2009 at 2:41 am
At last some news about it and a release date, I love Sci-fi and action so Gerard Butler IN a scific -action movie, absolute BLISS !!!!!!!!!!.
April 1st, 2009 at 12:30 am
I just saw the movie screening of this movie. It was AWESOME!!!! Such a cool idea for a movie. I’m sure they will change some things for the true release but I am already telling my friends. Gerard Butler is really good too.
March 27th, 2009 at 4:39 am
I just seing so mutch forward to it comes to Denmark. But it would problemly go a yer.
March 15th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
I can’t wait to see this movie!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope it gets released into theaters real soon:)