Is there just no stopping Gerard Butler? This guy is a director’s dream, willing to take on just about any style of movie even without the benefit of being a great character actor. I mean really… how many actors can within the course of a couple of years go from “The Phantom of the Opera,” crooning Andrew Lloyd Webber songs to being a bare-chested King Leonidas taking on the Persians at Thermopylae? It seems every time I turn around Butler is popping up in action thrillers, romantic comedies, and even doing voice over work for animated projects for both adult (“Tales of the Black Freighter”) and child (“How to Train Your Dragon”) fare. Recently, Butler threw his hat back into the sci-fi action thriller ring as Kable, a death row inmate who doubles as a participant in “Slayers”, an ultra-violent reality based video game. Somewhat reminiscent of “The Running Man,” Kable has to fight his way through levels of the game and ultimately win 30 matches in order to gain his freedom.

The catch (aside from the obvious) is that he does not get to control his decisions, tactics or movements. Instead he is at the mercy of a real life video game player who commands him at every turn. In this case, Kable is at the mercy of a 17-year old boy (Logan Lerman). But what they, and the other players, aren’t aware of is that the game’s designer (Michael C. Hall) has an far greater plan for his technology than game play.

The storyline surrounding “Gamer” has a tremendous amount of potential in terms of not so secretly taking pot shots at various worlds of online gamers and reality show junkies. Realistically, we all know that playing “World of Warcraft” for any length of time is in and of itself a waste of time. Players who are generally uninvolved with the real world around them escape into a fantasy online realm and ‘live’ an alternate life where they can be ‘heroes,’ ‘villains’ or even simple farmers. What they don’t realize is the more they get drawn into the game, the further they retreat from real life, which I grant you is terrific fodder for ridicule… but ultimately sad for the individual.

Much the same can also be said for those ‘addicted’ to Reality TV. These shows allows the average person to live vicariously through someone else’s problems, the worse the problems are the higher the ratings. Perhaps they can feel safe knowing their problems are not as bad as those they watch. Then in the matter of the subjects of these shows, they come away with the misguided feeling that they are somehow celebrities, albeit celebrities with no actual talent or reason for breathing.

That said, I was hoping the film would go further into this area by shedding light on this very real issue. Instead it chooses to go pretty much completely the action route to make sure viewers are given awesome visuals, lots of killing, and a plot to overthrow the world. However, this is a personal nit about the fact that I prefer a heavy plot. Even without this depth of plot, “Gamers” does succeed on the action front. Everything about the film looks amazing, from the cool set pieces within the game to the fight sequences. For a ‘popcorn’ movie, “Gamers” gets high marks for delivering loud and abrasive action.

Lionsgate’s Bluray release of “Gamer” offers one of the most outstanding video and audio transfers I have seen to date in this medium. We see three different worlds within in this film, and each has a distinct look and color palette. The details are sharp and clear, even in the darkest scenes. The audio mix puts you so far into the film, that you almost feel like one the competitors and the temptation to duck pops up occasionally.

This is also one of the cooler releases when it comes to special features. There is a commentary by writers/directors Brian Taylor and Mark Neveldine, who along with actors Amber Valletta, Alison Lohman, and Terry Crews ramble a bit back and forth about various aspects of making the movie. Anecdote filled, the commentary is kind of all over the place but still a worthwhile listen. Much better is the iCon Mode commentary by Taylor and Neveldine. This is a more visual and interactive commentary where the directors give a LOT of info about the movie. It’s also very cool that they sometimes stop and even rewind the film to make their points (kind of like they did in “The Lion King 2 ½ - though that one was for laughs…). You can also access some picture in picture commentary when you click on links that pop up while watching the movie.

But the fun doesn’t stop there. There is also a feature length documentary that focuses on nearly every aspect of the filmmaking process. It is a fascinating in-depth look into the making of this very visual movie. Additionally, you’ll find a lengthy featurette on the awesome RedOne camera that was used to shoot the film. Add to that some trailers and a Digitial Copy of the film, and you have a very well put together Bluray release.

“Gamer” is at its core an action adventure sci fi flick. A deeper plot would have propelled this movie into greatness, but without… it’s action sequences and overall visual style make it a great late night viewing experience.

Directed by: Neveldine & Taylor
Starring: Gerard Butler, Michael C. Hall, Amber Valetta, Logan Lerman, Terry Crews, Kyra Sedgwick
Extras: I-Con Mode; Gamer Cheat Codes; Audio Commentary with Filmmakers and Cast Members; “Inside the Game”; “First Person Shooter: The Evolution of Red”; Theatrical Trailer; Never-Before-Seen Theatrical Trailer; Lionsgate Live: BD Touch; D-Box Meta Data Track; Digital Download
Specification: 1080p High Definition; English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Studio: Lions Gate
Release Date: 01/19/2010
MPAA Rating: R
http://www.lgf.com

We'll give Gamer a B-.