DIRECTOR: Chris
Columbus LEAD CAST: Adam
Sandler, Kevin James, Michelle Monaghan, Peter Dinklage, Josh Gad, Brian Cox, Ashley Benson, Jane Krakowski CINEMATOGRAPHY: Amir Mokri STORY: Tim
Herlihy BASED ON: Pixels a short film by Patrick Jean SCREENPLAY: Tim Herlihy, Timothy Dowling MUSIC: Henry
Jackman GENRE: Science
fiction action comedy EDITOR: Hughes Winborne PRODUCER:
Adam Sandler, Chris Columbus, Allen Covert, Mark Radcliffe, Michael Barnathan COMPANIES: Happy
Madison Productions, 1492 Pictures DISTRIBUTOR: Columbia Pictures LOCATION: United
States LANGUAGE: English RUNNING TIME: 105 minutes
Technical assessment: 3
Moral assessment: 2.5
CINEMA rating: PG 13
MTRCB rating: PG
In 1982, NASA launches a time capsule into outer space containing images and footage of Earth life in the hopes of establishing peaceful communication with extraterrestrial life. The video contained a footage of the worldwide video arcade championship. The aliens apparently misinterpreted the enclosed video feed as a declaration of war and a challenge from Earth. So they attack the Earth using the games as models for their various assaults including Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Centipede, Space Invaders, Arkanoid and Tetris. Their technology creates voxels (small cubes) that change form and are capable of turning any form of matter into more of itself. President Will Cooper (Kevin James) calls upon his best friend since childhood, former video game professional and 2nd placer in 1982 video game championship Sam Brenner (Adam Sandler) to combat the video game characters from destroying the Earth. Brenner decides to lead a team of retrogamers Eddie Plant (Peter Dinklage) and Ludlow Lamonsoff (Josh Gad) to defeat the aliens with technology similar to those used in games. Will they succeed in this literal war against technology?
In 1982, NASA launches a time capsule into outer space containing images and footage of Earth life in the hopes of establishing peaceful communication with extraterrestrial life. The video contained a footage of the worldwide video arcade championship. The aliens apparently misinterpreted the enclosed video feed as a declaration of war and a challenge from Earth. So they attack the Earth using the games as models for their various assaults including Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Centipede, Space Invaders, Arkanoid and Tetris. Their technology creates voxels (small cubes) that change form and are capable of turning any form of matter into more of itself. President Will Cooper (Kevin James) calls upon his best friend since childhood, former video game professional and 2nd placer in 1982 video game championship Sam Brenner (Adam Sandler) to combat the video game characters from destroying the Earth. Brenner decides to lead a team of retrogamers Eddie Plant (Peter Dinklage) and Ludlow Lamonsoff (Josh Gad) to defeat the aliens with technology similar to those used in games. Will they succeed in this literal war against technology?
The film is supposedly
a witty take on Earth’s war against technology but it never quite succeeds in
developing this interesting premise. Perhaps the genre gets in the way. The
film is clearly a comedy so it’s not supposed to take things seriously. Adam
Sandler’s persona perhaps also gets in the way since he is just himself in the
film. Pixels is a film about nerds
and Sandler is supposed to be one but he fails to deliver being in the lead.
The supporting cast’s energy is not able to save Sandler’s apparently lazy
performance. The initial part of the movie is able to depict successfully the
1980’s video arcade scenario which serves as a back story to the present day
conflict with the aliens posing as video game characters. However, as the film
loses its focus as it goes back to the usual Adam Sandler formula of romantic
comedy. The romance in the film is never justified or explored—it is just there
to serve a purpose inessential to the whole story. The motivations of the
characters as well are not compelling enough to merit interesting plot. There
are funny moments here and there but not enough meat for the audience to chew
on. Pixels could have been an
intelligent film but the producers are perhaps too afraid to even try. The CGI is
apparently wasted given the laziness of the filmmakers to explore on the story
further.
Pixels’ premise on the literal war
of humans against technology could have been a good argument on the debates as
regards morality of modern technology. As humans continue to create technology
both for the purpose of convenience and leisure, will there ever come a time
when this same technology will be the cause of human destruction? While the film fails to heat up the
debate as it confuses technology with aliens and extra terrestrials, it is
still a question worth pondering on. The film portrays various stereotypes,
i.e. drinking alcohol as a harmless form of escape, the objectification of
women as men’s trophies and sexual fantasies, highly intelligent persons as
nerds, etc. CINEMA resists and questions such stereotyping that further creates
erroneous representations of reality. Although Pixels has attempted to uplift the image of the “nerds”, its lack
of sincerity is not able to deliver the supposed message well. Given some scenes of violence, use of
foul language, and some sexual insinuations, the parents should guide the young
impressionable minds of audiences 13 years and below.
