Review: The Game
Blu-ray: The Game (1997)
Nicholas Van Orton (Michael Douglas) is a wealthy investment banker, he is somewhat scrooge-like, lives alone in a huge mansion, is divorced and hasn’t seen his ne’er do well brother Conrad (Sean Penn) for years.
Nicolas is haunted from having seen his father commit suicide on his 48th birthday, now for his own 48th birthday Conrad appears with an unusual gift: a voucher for a “Game” offered by a company called Consumer Recreation Services (CRS) and Conrad insists he try it because it will change his life.
After Alien 3 got a bumpy reception, the huge success of Se7en meant that money was no object on David Fincher’s next project. He got the stars, he got the sets, he also got a story as bonkers as Se7en, but… it’d didn’t prove to be as successful.
It is quite difficult to put your finger on just what it is about The Game that makes it NOT as good as Se7en or his next film, Fight Club. But I have a theory: Fincher makes a good film, then a mediocre one.
Se7en, The Game, Fight Club, Panic Room, Zodiac, Benjamin Button – see what I mean?
All the performances are great, you can’t beat an on form Douglas, and it’s an enjoyable romp, but despite this, it’s just not….great. For me the problem is, knowing the ending. I saw it when it came out and loved it, having watched this glorious Arrow release, knowing the end of the film spoilt my enjoyment of it (I’ll emphasize if you haven’t seen it before, you really are in for a treat). I was …waiting. And when the film finished, instead of thinking ‘well that held up well and I enjoyed it’, I nit picked at all the gaping plot holes (which don’t matter, this is a fantasy film) and just wanted to get onto the extras.
However Dave watched with me had forgotten the ending and thoroughly enjoyed it all.
Another incredibly detailed release from Arrow and the extras yet again are worth the price alone.
TWO-DISC LIMITED DELUXE EDITION CONTENTS
- Limited to only 3,000 units
- Deluxe packaging including a 200-page hardback book housed in a rigid slipcase, illustrated with newly commissioned artwork by Corey Brickley
- 200-page book exclusive to this edition includes a newly-commissioned full-length monograph by Bilge Ebiri, and selected archive materials, including an American Cinematographer article from 1997, a 2004 interview with Harris Savides by Alexander Ballinger, and the chapter on the film from Dark Eye: The Films of David Fincher by James Swallow
- Arrow Academy Blu-ray including new bonus features and UK home video premiere of director-approved 2K restoration
- Universal Special Edition DVD featuring archive extras with cast and crew
DISC ONE – BLU-RAY
- 2K restoration from the original negative by The Criterion Collection supervised and approved by director David Fincher and cinematographer Harris Savides
- High Definition Blu-ray™ (1080p) presentation
- Original 5.1 & 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio
- Isolated Music & Effects track
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
- New audio commentary by critic and programmer Nick Pinkerton
- Fool’s Week: Developing The Game, a newly filmed interview with co-writer John Brancato
- Men On The Chessboard: The Hidden Pleasures of The Game, a new visual essay by critic Neil Young
- Archive promotional interview with star Michael Douglas from 1997
- Alternatively-framed 4:3 version prepared for home video (SD only), with new introduction discussing Fincher’s use of the Super 35 shooting format
- Theatrical trailer
- Teaser trailer
- Image gallery
DISC TWO – DVD
- Standard definition DVD (PAL) presentation
- 5.1 Dolby Digital audio
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Audio commentary with director David Fincher, actor Michael Douglas, screenwriters John Brancato and Michael Ferris, director of photography Harris Savides, production designer Jeffrey Beecroft and visual effects supervisor Kevin Haug
- Behind The Scenes featurettes – Dog Chase, The Taxi, Christine’s House, The Fall (with optional commentary by Fincher, Douglas, Savides, Beecroft and Haug)
- On Location featurettes – Exterior Parking Lot: Blue Screen Shot, Exterior Fioli Mansion: Father’s Death, Interior CRS Lobby and Offices, Interior Fioli Mansion: Vandalism, Exterior Mexican Cemetary (with optional commentary by Fincher, Savides, Beecroft and Haug)
- Theatrical trailer (with optional commentary by Fincher)
- Teaser trailer
- Teaser trailer CGI test footage (with optional commentary by designer/animator Richard Baily)
- Alternate ending
- Production design and storyboard galleries
The Game is released on 27th July 2020.
Review by Tina from a disc kindly supplied by Arrow Films via Fetch Publicity.