http://digitalplay.info/blog/2009/09/gamer-the-unsettling-action-film-about-our-possible-future/
Gamer is a new science-fiction action film that features people playing an online game in which participants can control human beings as players. I’ve not seen it yet, and reviews have been mixed (see Wikipedia article) , but it is interesting to see a film released that predicts a dystopian future based on the current trend of playing massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs).
As one reviewer puts it, the film takes “a look at the dangers of a media-infested world, of nonstop advertisement and of the future of youth in a world with ever expanding interactive technology” – there are many who worry about the influence of gaming on today’s youth, and this film won’t do anything to quell the fear that the influence of violent games is leading our society down a dangerous path.
There has been controversy over video games ever since they first appeared, and the popular press and TV loves to play up the idea that the influence of such games leads to greater violence in society. others, however, believe that evidence is misleading and many of these ideas are myths.
We will be looking at this in more detail on this blog in the future, but would love to hear from you first – what do you think? Are violent games a negative influence on the youth of today?
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There are a few films like this that explore ethical and social values like this such as the Belgian film `Ben X’ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_X. Could you not place ‘The Matrix’ there too? Or perhaps any film that explores human interaction in everyday life? “What is a “career” or a “vocation” except a role-playing game extended over an adult lifetime” – Merlin Donald. Professor of Cognitive Science, Case Western Reserve University.
Thanks Kyle – that’s an interesting idea for a blog post actually – looking at films that relate to gaming – want to write it?
Graham – I would like to know your opinion on the film now that you’ve seen it.
Well, Kyle, without going into too much detail, If I could travel back in time to early Friday night, I think I’d choose any other film to see rather than this one
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[...] September last year, we wrote about the film Gamer and featured a link to a site allowing you to create a Gamer film poster from your own photo. There [...]