Gerard Butler has been one busy booger this year, with two flicks out this summer, including The Ugly Truth and Gamer.

In Gamer, he plays Kable, a reluctant participant in a futuristic online game, invented by a sadistic, super wealthy guy named Ken Castle, portrayed by Michael C. Hall.  This cringe-worthy action game has real live human players and the “Slayers” game has made Kable a popular star, watched by millions of fans.  As the name of the game indicates, it is extremely violent, with Kable’s actions being controlled by a single player named Simon (Logan Lerman. ) Simon has also gained fame and notoriety, due to his skills at helping Kable triumph, only to be returned to imprisonment with his family, as he awaits the next game. If he can survive 30 games, he will be freed, and he only needs 3 more wins to get there .

Kable’s goal is to get the wins, get from under Simons power, and the game’s control, and return to freedom with his family.  There’s plenty of fighting and blood in this feature for everybody to enjoy.

You can certainly give Gamer points for keeping your interest, although it is not the first movie to be based on a futuristic game theme. Anybody recall the 1987 film The Running Man, starring future CA governor Arnold Schwazzenegger? Gamer takes the same theme into the online gaming world, with far more spectacular results. (Although, it would have been cool to have the shmarmy Richard Dawson in the role of Ken Castle!)

Gamer is fast moving, intriguing and exciting to watch. Although he was marginally credible in the romantic comedy The Ugly Truth, Butler’s strength is in action flicks. He was built  for movies like this and is far more successful in this genre.

This is a motion pic that will keep you on the edge of your seat and well worth going to see.  Older teens and above will love this.

80% Good! 20% Wack!