Guy is a bank teller who repeats a routine every day, absolutely every day: he gets up at the same time, leaves his house dressed in the same way, asks for the same thing in the corner cafeteria, talks to him. Bank security guard who is also his friend and, after a while, accepts with the best face the armed robbery that invariably takes place in his workplace (usually in charge of colorful robbers who are called something like Demon87 or Cherrybomb ). On the way, you also have to dodge explosions, shootings, missiles, crashing helicopters and flying cars. This is a normal day in the life of our protagonist. Because Guy is actually a video game character, one of those known as NPCs (Non-Player Character) and he’s there to give context or flesh to the universe that real online players use to live their adventures (and exchange shots, chasing each other in cars or, yeah, robbing banks).
One day, Guy goes out of line and starts playing that game himself, that is, he stops being an NPC to make his own decisions. It is something that is not supposed to happen and has unthinkable consequences for itself and for the universe that it integrates, but also for the real world, in which the creators of the video game cannot understand what is happening.
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Your place in the world leveling up shots
The references in Free Guy are given in an obvious way, without the result ever losing originality. We have a bit of the great Lego adventure, a lot of They Live, of the teacher John Carpenter, and particularly, of The Truman Show (among many others, and that without counting the logic of video games itself, applied here perfectly), all well developed as our protagonist discovers that the reality that inhabits, well, it is not too real.
But although it does not lack a certain philosophical context – quite unexpected and, therefore, surprising – here the packaging is that of a dizzying adventure taken directly from the world of games such as the popular Provided or similar, directed with a sure hand by Shawn Levy in his best film.
Ryan Reynolds in a state of grace, avoiding playing Ryan Reynolds (something he does well and almost always does), appears accompanied by Jodie Comer, Joe Keery, a tremendous uncredited cameo from Channing Tatum and a ridiculous villain from Taika Waititi as the ruthless executive and video game creator, in a parodic patchwork of clichés.
The action and especially the comedy (it is a very funny film) are the amalgam that drives this adventure of rediscovery for a Guy who fulfills step by step in what he proposes. The blockbuster of the year? Over here we think he is a serious candidate.
Free Guy, directed by Shawn Levy. 115 minutes. In Star +.
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