I just saw Angry Video Game Movie and as a long time fan, I have to say that it was underwhelming. It had its moments, however its flaws really drag it down. The movie is basically the offspring of two people with completely different ideas trying to piece up a script together.
Spoilers:
I understand it's hard to come up with a script for a movie rendition of AVGN. It's just about a guy yelling at his TV with occasional guest appearances of fictitious characters (relevant to whatever game he's playing); but this lack of intricacy in original material, to my belief, should also mean that it's open for interpretation and building on what's already established. Well, all characters are new, all environments are new, and some stuff feel a little too unfamiliar. I don't get the character traits given to Nerd. He's very sympathetic with people, understanding, open to argue with, and such. He's "the protagonist", basically a blank slate for the audience to relate to. This is problematic for three reasons:
1. AVGN has gained popularity over the years by the sheer factor of his personality aspects. His reactions to things going on should have been one of the major selling points. People like the Nerd because he overreacts. It doesn't mean he should be closed for any character development, but he doesn't even get any; throughout the movie he acts as an innocent puppy thrown in a circus, trying to understand the plot.
2. This COMPLETELY throws away what the web series has established about his personality! In many episodes, he is shown to be dismissive and mean to people upfront; which makes other characters cut their act and turn out to be equally mean. Here, Nerd is less angry and more of a self-insert of James Rolfe's own mannerisms.
3. This characteristic doesn't makes sense WITHIN the movie, because Nerd is also a bit childish. He's only arrogant and angry when confronted with EeeTee, or if he's presented the idea of girl gamers. For the first half of the movie he's conflicted that Mandi is both a girl and a gamer and he expresses discomfort for being around her, which is a form of anonymity that wasn't established in the web series before. He's the straight man except these traits, which makes them even more confusing.
The two supporting characters are gleaming reasons to why this movie couldn't become something groundbreaking. Cooper and Mandi, created solely for this movie, are supposedly included to satirize old 80s and 90s movies of the same adventure vein, and both characters were made to be simple tokens much like those movies; guy sidekick being weak and coward -and he does bring in heavily clichéd, bad black guy jokes here and there- and the girl being the GIRL; having sexual tension with both male characters, and also acting both as the Daphne and Velma of the group; in glee and smarts department. This entire joke falls flat by virtue of there being no punchline other than one or two "look we are self-aware" moments. The movie didn't attempt to break the mold, and became the same thing it tried to satirize. The character of Mandi, despite all that, was acted well and had a good synergy with Nerd. Cooper however was an annoying, whiny, unfunny lackey who had no reason to be there other than to spout exposition and make Nerd seem more like the straight man.
The other characters, however, were shockingly amazing! Time Winters had a great role in which he gave his all. The cameo appearances were well made, and it was usually anyone but the main trio who brought in the real laughs or interesting bits in this movie. Even the EeeTee alien was a really nice touch despite his cheesy lines.
The script is decent. The main plot was actually great. Many do complain about the movie turning into a different one halfway; however the choppy and exaggerated elevation of events makes the Nerd humor shine. It feels like they tried their best to have their petty video game-related problem to elevate into a giant robot threatening the entire universe and that's fantastic! It's supposed to be escapist fantasy, in terms of doing stuff that big blockbuster movies would never attempt to do because of the sheer silliness. What script fails to deliver however, is to find things for the sidekicks to do once they are separated from Nerd. Mandi gets captured early up and spends 12 hours in movie's time being tied up by a lesser villain, and this situation does not alter even after plot resolves enough that there is no longer a reason for her to be there! And Cooper just mops around and drives around in the van whining. By the end of the movie the three reunites, only for them to be completely useless. Then Cooper awkwardly kisses Mandi despite there being no hint of them being interested in each other and Mandi just goes with it. Mandi is a company representative and Cooper is a Youtuber that lives with an overprotective mom, and the movie did nothing to make this thing any means of believable.
The movie packs two plot twists, one being really predictable because of bad foreshadowing (alien foil being used for game cartridges), and other being really coming out of nowhere. The latter I actually very enjoyed. The actual E.T review is in the credits sequence and it was also low key, sadly. The references to web series were made to be understandable in a subtle manner, for those who hasn't seen the episodes before, and that is a plus.
Give it a watch if you're a longtime AVGN fan, yet still proceed with caution, and maybe go for the Vimeo renting option instead of download -because I personally don't see this as worthy of watching a second time.
Spoilers:
I understand it's hard to come up with a script for a movie rendition of AVGN. It's just about a guy yelling at his TV with occasional guest appearances of fictitious characters (relevant to whatever game he's playing); but this lack of intricacy in original material, to my belief, should also mean that it's open for interpretation and building on what's already established. Well, all characters are new, all environments are new, and some stuff feel a little too unfamiliar. I don't get the character traits given to Nerd. He's very sympathetic with people, understanding, open to argue with, and such. He's "the protagonist", basically a blank slate for the audience to relate to. This is problematic for three reasons:
1. AVGN has gained popularity over the years by the sheer factor of his personality aspects. His reactions to things going on should have been one of the major selling points. People like the Nerd because he overreacts. It doesn't mean he should be closed for any character development, but he doesn't even get any; throughout the movie he acts as an innocent puppy thrown in a circus, trying to understand the plot.
2. This COMPLETELY throws away what the web series has established about his personality! In many episodes, he is shown to be dismissive and mean to people upfront; which makes other characters cut their act and turn out to be equally mean. Here, Nerd is less angry and more of a self-insert of James Rolfe's own mannerisms.
3. This characteristic doesn't makes sense WITHIN the movie, because Nerd is also a bit childish. He's only arrogant and angry when confronted with EeeTee, or if he's presented the idea of girl gamers. For the first half of the movie he's conflicted that Mandi is both a girl and a gamer and he expresses discomfort for being around her, which is a form of anonymity that wasn't established in the web series before. He's the straight man except these traits, which makes them even more confusing.
The two supporting characters are gleaming reasons to why this movie couldn't become something groundbreaking. Cooper and Mandi, created solely for this movie, are supposedly included to satirize old 80s and 90s movies of the same adventure vein, and both characters were made to be simple tokens much like those movies; guy sidekick being weak and coward -and he does bring in heavily clichéd, bad black guy jokes here and there- and the girl being the GIRL; having sexual tension with both male characters, and also acting both as the Daphne and Velma of the group; in glee and smarts department. This entire joke falls flat by virtue of there being no punchline other than one or two "look we are self-aware" moments. The movie didn't attempt to break the mold, and became the same thing it tried to satirize. The character of Mandi, despite all that, was acted well and had a good synergy with Nerd. Cooper however was an annoying, whiny, unfunny lackey who had no reason to be there other than to spout exposition and make Nerd seem more like the straight man.
The other characters, however, were shockingly amazing! Time Winters had a great role in which he gave his all. The cameo appearances were well made, and it was usually anyone but the main trio who brought in the real laughs or interesting bits in this movie. Even the EeeTee alien was a really nice touch despite his cheesy lines.
The script is decent. The main plot was actually great. Many do complain about the movie turning into a different one halfway; however the choppy and exaggerated elevation of events makes the Nerd humor shine. It feels like they tried their best to have their petty video game-related problem to elevate into a giant robot threatening the entire universe and that's fantastic! It's supposed to be escapist fantasy, in terms of doing stuff that big blockbuster movies would never attempt to do because of the sheer silliness. What script fails to deliver however, is to find things for the sidekicks to do once they are separated from Nerd. Mandi gets captured early up and spends 12 hours in movie's time being tied up by a lesser villain, and this situation does not alter even after plot resolves enough that there is no longer a reason for her to be there! And Cooper just mops around and drives around in the van whining. By the end of the movie the three reunites, only for them to be completely useless. Then Cooper awkwardly kisses Mandi despite there being no hint of them being interested in each other and Mandi just goes with it. Mandi is a company representative and Cooper is a Youtuber that lives with an overprotective mom, and the movie did nothing to make this thing any means of believable.
The movie packs two plot twists, one being really predictable because of bad foreshadowing (alien foil being used for game cartridges), and other being really coming out of nowhere. The latter I actually very enjoyed. The actual E.T review is in the credits sequence and it was also low key, sadly. The references to web series were made to be understandable in a subtle manner, for those who hasn't seen the episodes before, and that is a plus.
Give it a watch if you're a longtime AVGN fan, yet still proceed with caution, and maybe go for the Vimeo renting option instead of download -because I personally don't see this as worthy of watching a second time.