Video games and movies have had a turbulent relationship - for every film like ExistenZ which comes along and successfully merges gaming concepts into film narratives there are a dozen more which only skim the surface of the concept's potential. Gamer, starring Gerard Butler as a participant in a game in which real humans can be controlled by the participants, certainly sets up an interesting premise which poses questions about the nature of responsibility for our actions in a world where technology leads to increasing detachment. That ultimately all the film delivered was mindless thrills is perhaps an unintentional irony lost on the filmmakers themselves. Still, despite its failure to offer any commentary on violence, it's just about earns a recommendation for Michael C. Hall's OTT turn as the main villain.
