Level Up

The gamer references run a lot beyond the title. And for a while we're prompted to toy with the idea that Matt was recruited due to his online prowess (think The Last Starfighter's Robert Preston recruiting for ISIS instead of the Star League). Although the story is very predictable, Director Adam Randall keeps the action very tightly paced and the dialogue to a refreshing minimum, helping to heighten Matt's growing isolation. That's enough to earn Level Up a decent review .

Or is it? Some would argue, life is a game, so I guess it's up to you to decide that. This is a low budget movie, so take that in to account. If not you will be very disappointed. It's not a very good movie overall, but it does have suspension and it is intriguing in its own way, if you like that sort of thing.

I wouldn't want to judge the acting, since this is really fast paced and does not really rely on that. There have been other movies with similar themes, that one could argue are better of course, but this is a nice little movie. You can see it as a snack, as something different. If you can see it that way, with low expectations, you may have some entertaining ahead of you ...

Matt the protagonist is shifted off his couch video gaming to the next level. In leveling up, his motivation and morals are challenged as gaming and reality intertwine but who ultimately determines progression through the level?

In short: This is "The Game (1997)" adapted to the society we live in now (1984) with some extra (read; unnecessary) layers that makes it feel a little as inception. It tries to be several things, and it does quite a decent job at it. This is not a bad movie and for me it is a strong 6.

In long: The lighting is good, the editing is alright and you can't fault the soundscore. It really only misses a binding soundtrack and using one would negate the feel of reality of the movie (though urgency can be expressed with music quite well - Run Lola Run 1998, which is likely to be another movie that has inspired this movie).

The downside is that it has a somewhat weak ending (where the several layers come in and a badly hid undertone about who's surveilling the ones doing the surveillance in the first place) - which is out of place even though it is in line with the message - question what the reality is and how you affect it.

Pro's • Cast (unknown which is in line with the plot line) • Action sequences (and not forcing it on the movie every time possible) • Rationality is alright and better depicting the notion of what manipulation of actions has the potential to do.

Con's • Messy ending • Could build tension better • Acting performances aren't top notch ALL the time (which is important in building tension and urgency)

End notes: Not top notch but overall a solid watch.

In London, the gamer Matt spends most of his time on the couch playing videogame while his wife Anna is working, generating friction between them. One morning, Anna has breakfast and goes to the work and a moment after, three masked thieves break in the apartment and dress a vest with a package in Matt and give a cell phone to him. He is informed that Anna has been kidnapped and receives instructions to go to a mall and deliver the package to a man named Dmitri. The man also tells that if he seeks help, Anna will be killed. But Matt fails and is hunted down while receives new bizarre instructions along the day.

"Level Up" is a predictable thriller inspired in "The Game" and fast-paced as "Run Lola Run". However the stupid story is annoying and never exciting. The Brazilian title is a spoiler. My vote is four.

Title (Brazil): "O Jogo" ("The Game")