5.0 out of 5 stars THE GAME-This couldn't happen in real life, could it?

K.M. · March 15, 2008

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } THE GAME is another wonderful Michael Douglas film and I rate it at 5 stars. This film will really be appreciated by fans that enjoy dissecting a complex plot. The story, although hard to swallow and farfetched, was exceptionally engaging and kept my interest from start to finish. I thought on my first viewing that this film would have a sequel, but was proven wrong by events.THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION COULD RUIN ENJOYMENT OF THE PLOT:Nicholas Van Orton played by Michael Douglas is a wealthy banker, but a loner who even spends his birthday away from people. In the year of his 48th birthday (the age his father committed suicide and on the verge of classic mid-life crisis) his distant brother gives Nicholas a card giving him entry to unusual entertainment provided by something called Consumer Recreation Services (CRS). Giving in to curiosity, Nicholas visits CRS and all kinds of weird things start to happen to him. Prior to admitting him to participate he is required to take a series of mental and physical tests which were apparently run to determine his strengths, weaknesses, and perhaps map out some sort of efficient "game plan" tailored just for him. One statement I remember CRS telling him is that if you don't go to THE GAME, it will come to you.He receives a phone call telling him that he failed the tests and is rejected by the organization. He forgets about CRS, but then overhears several people talking about "the game" and what life-changing opportunities it provides. He notices several such "loud" conversations in public, and goes to the trouble of introducing himself and speaking with a couple of apparently new members of his private club. All they will tell him is they wish they were just starting "the game" and one man quotes the bible saying "where I was once blind I now can see". Once he is certain he has actually been admitted to THE GAME, he tries to return to the offices of CRS where he received his tests, only to find that no signs of their facilities remain and for all effects, this organization never even "existed".This initially "mild" form of harassment (i.e., being misinformed of his membership status, having drinks spilled on him in restaurants, strange people banging into him, folks behaving very strangely in rest rooms and other public places, empty toilets overflowing, his attaché case jamming at important business meetings, the pen CRS told him to keep leaking on his shirt, individuals collapsing in the street at his feet, etc.), gradually transitions to increasingly overt and often potentially life-threatening experiences which slowly work on his mental condition. All the more strange is the fact that he is provided the means of barely escaping his next experience by receiving an item or remembering a fact he learned during a prior event. Some examples of these increasingly life threatening events include: his estate being broken into and ransacked, being stranded in a darkened elevator, his cab driver driving his CRS taxi into the river almost drowning him, large crowds of people disappearing in a coordinated way from public places, being drugged, attacked by hooded gun men emerging from a large van marked Cable Repair Services, abducted and ultimately waking up in a crypt and stranded without cash, credit cards or passport in Mexico).The mental harassment is designed at first to merely embarrass or make uncomfortable, mildly inconvenience, then to be serious and painful, and after enough repetition and conditioning for him to associate these strange events, to effectively torture and eventually drive insane. Since almost every detail is staged redundantly there are no correct decisions left for him to make, and no avoiding the sequence of painful situations. He is ultimately like a caged animal walking wall to wall in a classic avoidance-avoidance conflict leading to insanity. The issue of the cost-effectiveness of this game plan is something the film never addresses, but we are too engrossed to think about this during the movie.One thing is certain, these people do not want to publicly kill him or leave any permanent record of injury due to anything other than a random event. The purpose of THE GAME seems not to be simple murder, but to professionally destroy, discredit and cause a very gradual physical and mental breakdown which will result in his being either jailed because of acting out displaced aggressions, hospitalized or institutionalized where he can "die" or be subjected to something while well out of public scrutiny.In his former professional life he could certainly have made enemies, and what better means could they use to destroy him with impunity? While his financial and mental conditions still enable him to investigate CRS, he believes he acquires "evidence" that one of the office workers at CRS was a hired professional actor, more likely to have been provided by Actors Equity than some private detective or intelligence agency (CIA?). As the story unfolds this evidence was probably "fed" to him as part of the plot which is just full of strange twists and complications, all leading him no place.His entire personality changes as he undergoes transformation from a strong business-world predator to the cowering subject of physical and mental harassment. It is sad but interesting to watch his gradual disintegration as forces outside of his control consume him. The ending was a bit strange and is the reason I thought there would be a sequel.IF THE ABOVE MATERIAL CAN RUIN THE ENDING THE FOLLOWING IS WORSE:The film can only be said to have a rediculous ending when Van Orton confronts his brother who he now believes is in on the game plan on the roof of the CRS building. At the end of the story after Van Orton believes he has shot his brother he actually jumps off the roof of the high rise CRS building intent on suicide because of his grief. He is surprised to learn after smashing through the break away glass of a fake skylight, that he safely lands on a huge airbag carefully placed to break his tremendous fall. He then sees his resurrected brother and all the other people dressed up in black tie to celebrate his birthday. It was, after all, just a "harmless" gag.At the end of the story there are no hard feelings and all gracious smiles as he is presented with the check for the elaborate hoaxes that CRS has staged for his "entertainment". Even though he has probably aged over 30 years as a result of continuous mental trauma in just a number of days, he goes from table to table thanking the guests for making it a very special party. He even asks out the very beautiful and treacherous lady who slipped him a mickey during the ordeal. Well, the film was too entertaining for that very weak and silly ending to ruin it, but it did erode what I thought was (up until then) a very well done and thought out thriller.

5.0 out of 5 stars underrated classic as relevant as when it first hit screens decades ago

C.c.a.s.s. · May 4, 2025

An underrated classic, touching on themes of 'awakening', conditioning, trauma, woundedness, environment as a foundational aspect of our beliefs and behavior, and just a great flow of action and surprising twists you don't see coming. I first watched this years ago and rented it again recently and it was just as powerful, relatable and touching.

5.0 out of 5 stars This product is Excellent!

A.C. · May 31, 2025

This product is Excellent!

4.0 out of 5 stars A glorious round of cat and mouse (Or, maybe mouse and cat?)

C.R. · January 7, 2021

The Game is a 1997 American thriller film directed by David Fincher, starring Michael Douglas and Sean Penn, and produced by Propaganda Films and PolyGram Filmed Entertainment. It tells the story of a wealthy investment banker who is given a mysterious gift by his brother - participation in a game that integrates in strange ways with his everyday life. As the lines between the banker's real life and the game become more uncertain, hints of a large conspiracy become apparent.So, a bit of a confession on my part;I brought up the fact that I was watching this with some friends of mine, and the first thing they said was “You should tell me if you can guess the plot twist before the end!”I don’t know about anybody else, but I’m not really one of those people that...tries to guess plot twists? Not intentionally, at least?Some people might disagree, but in hindsight I honestly don’t feel like the “ultimate” plot twist is that hard to figure out. The harder part is making sense of the journey Nicholas (Douglass) finds forced upon him; it’s almost impossible to guess what could possibly happen next! As the description suggests the most intricate and intimate interactions in his life are invaded by an almost omniscient force that threatens his sense of security. Douglas - so intent on having control over his life that his standards cause much of the contempt other characters have for him - is metaphorically consumed by this loss of autonomy and changes into what is almost a completely different person as the plot develops alongside him.MIchael Douglas is the ultimate iceberg of emotional expression - and this makes him the perfect candidate for the role of Nicholas; there is an intensity about him that is always present that is buoyed by a sensitive amount of vulnerability and charm lying underneath the surface. The tiniest fluctuations in his voice and body language are indicative of the slightest amounts of terror, anger, and confusion that plague him. The feelings and elements that are most central to him at the time - anger, sadness, charisma, the works - are present in the most meticulous of amounts and create a well-balanced (but, slowly deteriorating) character that is easy to empathize with while still deserving what might be some pretty harsh snap-judgements.The “final reveal” of ‘The Game’ is equivalent to that of a shrug; more specifically, it’s a little underwhelming when the larger context of the story is taken into consideration (and, not to mention, the hell we know Nicholas had to go through to get there!). There isn’t much of a effort beyond the bare minimum to provide insight as to why Nicholas gets involved in this game, but I do see at least two recurring themes/elements that I find myself ruminating over:A) Money/GreedDoes Nicholas come off as greedy and materialistic? Anyone would be hard pressed to say no, but perhaps it is worth taking into consideration what money means for him in the long run. Money is a consistency in his life that can’t consciously abandon him and is a tangible representation of the power he believes that he has in the most insignificant of social situations. Without it Nicholas has to make meaningful connections with other people in a way that he isn’t familiar with: by paying them the respect and dignity they deserve as an equal as opposed to someone he would otherwise deem inferior.B) Humanity/HumilityIt’s of no coincidence to me that as Nicholas’ journey comes to an end the relationship he has with other people changes significantly as well. When the film begins Nicholas is the clean cut definition of vain: even the tiniest of inconveniences (like, ink from a pen getting on one of his shirts) set him off in ways that makes his character distinguishably disagreeable. His stupor (in spirit) constantly seems to be the direct result of his inflated sense of self-importance and conceit.Typically I would be a bit upset about so little effort being put into answering questions related to “the why” of this game that Nicholas participates in, but in this case I can make a much needed exception. ‘The Game’ has a bit of a grandiose pride about itself that makes some of its attempt to “twist” seem overzealous, but it touches on key subjects that are thought-provoking and can naturally cause some introspection.“𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒃𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒃𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒂𝒎𝒆.”A glorious round of cat and mouse (Or, maybe mouse and cat?)I would recommend!

5.0 out of 5 stars Intense, intriguing and enthralling. An awesome movie that is well worth watching.

P. · May 1, 2025

Truly, this is one of Michael Douglas's best movie. The movie is well conceived, well directed and well acted. An awesome cast. Thumbs way up.👍🏾

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing to the end

b. · April 27, 2025

An incredibly nerve-racking movie that kept our interest for the full two hours.

5.0 out of 5 stars My Dad Sent Me This Movie Again

v.l. · January 19, 2025

I saw this movie in theatres when it first came out. I recalled it being great. Fast forward, 2024, and the movie kept coming up in my consciousness to rewatch. I finally did at end of year and sobbed. I realized my dad (who took his life in 2010) sent me this movie, sharing with me: it’s all a game. 💙🪷🙏Likely won’t me sense for you, but for me - it is a game changing moment in my own reality.Sending curiosity , play, joy on your inner quest.

5.0 out of 5 stars Thanks!

R. · April 2, 2025

Thanks!

Una excelente lección de vida no apta para todos los públicos

R. · February 12, 2018

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } Ante todo, para evitar confusiones, este comentario es de la edición española en Blu ray (ASIN B0055KOJZC) de "The Game", lanzada por Universal en versión 1 disco (con lo cual no hay un maldito extra de interés, como de costumbre). Varios idiomas (inglés y castellano incluidos) así como subtítulos (castellano igualmente incluido). Muy buena calidad de imagen, especialmente interesante considerando el gran trabajo del director de fotografía Harris Savides que construye un ambiente frío, gélido e inquietante pero en escenarios habitualmente en penumbra o nocturnos, con lo cual la diferencia de calidad entre el DVD y el Bluray es notable. El sonido, por contra, aun siendo bueno, no brilla a la misma altura a mi juicio, pero en conjunto el nivel de calidad es alto.En relación a la película en sí, es el tercer largometraje de Fincher, rodado en 1997 entre dos de sus grandes éxitos, "Seven" y "El Club de la Lucha". En contraste, el recibimiento de "The Game" fue mucho menos entusiasta, pero con el tiempo la película, pese a estar un tanto olvidada, ha demostrado su valía. Cuenta como un rico, duro y solitario hombre de negocios (Michael Douglas) recibe un regalo de su hermano (Sean Penn) consistente en la participación en una especie de "juego de rol" sobre el que no le da ninguna pista para mantener la sorpresa. La cosa se complica cuando el juego en cuestión empieza a resultar inquietante y progresivamente angustioso, a medida en que Douglas comienza a sentirse espiado, perseguido y acosado.El problema de "The Game" es que se vende como un thriller de acción, una especie de "Con la Muerte en los Talones" de Hitchcock, y aunque tiene algo de ello, no es eso exactamente. Por eso muchos espectadores se sintieron engañados al comprobar el lento ritmo de la película (pasa al menos media hora de metraje hasta que el juego comienza verdaderamente) y el tiempo que emplea en analizar la existencia del protagonista, un triunfador que lo tiene todo a nivel material pero carece de cualquier vínculo afectivo real, habiendose endurecido y deshumanizado como consecuencia del suicidio de su padre cuando él era un niño, que le obligó a madurar antes de tiempo. El juego a que se ve sometido pone su ordenada vida de ejecutivo patas arriba y le hace pasar por situaciones angustiosas, pero también le revela lo vacía, frágil e insegura que es la posición de hombre poderoso, respetado y rico que él creía intocable. La interpretación de Michael Douglas es excelente (en la onda de su personaje de gran financiero de "Wall Street", solo que aquí obligado por las circunstancias a humanizarse paulatinamente) y sobre todo el trabajo de Fincher y su equipo técnico es excepcional, creando un magnífico ambiente de frialdad y amenaza soterrada en callejuelas solitarias, grandes edificios o lujosos despachos que va haciéndose progresivamente inquietante hasta alcanzar la desesperación de un hombre que se siente, a su pesar, convertido en una marioneta sometida a un perverso juego que no controla, sino que le controla a él. El final de la historia (que no voy a contar, claro) también resultó decepcionante para muchos espectadores, pero a mí me parece, aunque algo rebuscado, acorde con el verdadero espíritu de la película. Una película que requiere paciencia por parte del espectador en su pausada y minuciosa construcción de la telaraña argumental que envuelve a Douglas poco a poco, pero que, una vez vista y reflexionada adecuadamente, se revela como una de las joyas más infravaloradas de ese gran cineasta que es David Fincher.

アホか！

k. · June 3, 2020

ヨーロッパ規格の観れない、dvdを売るな

NO LO ABRÍ

G.F.H. · August 29, 2024

No saqué de su envoltura el producto por qué leí antes en la caja sus prestaciones, y no está subtitulada al español, el producto se mantiene nuevo. Califico con 5 estrellas porque es una joya de película, la vi hace muchos años! Saludos.

dvd blu ray parfait

m.s. · February 17, 2024

merci a Bolo est bpost

Un des meilleurs Thriller de tous les temps !

T. · July 24, 2023

À voir absolument.C'est un film de suspense comme j'en ai rarement vu. Parmi mes films préférés.