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Directed by: Ernest R. Dickerson Premise: A homeless man (Ice-T) is offered a chance
to be a hired hand at a remote hunting ranch for wealthy sportsmen. When he
arrives, the homeless man discovers that he is the intended prey and leads the
hunters on a cat and mouse game through the wilderness. What Works: Surviving
the Game is fun takeoff of the premise of The Most
Dangerous Game. That 1932 film has had many remakes and imitators over
the years but this one is among the better incarnations. The film has a leg up
on some similar films in part because of its main character, played by Ice-T.
Although he is tough, the character is also sympathetic. Far from the kinds of
supermen that usually populate this kind of film, Ice-T’s character is
desperate, does not know what to do, and is forced to rely on ingenuity and
cunning to evade the hunters. This practical quality is shared with the rest of
the film. Like First
Blood, The
Edge, and Deliverance,
the action scenes of Surviving the Game
are mostly grounded in a degree of realism that makes them more credible and
therefore more exciting than a lot of larger-scale adventure films. Among the
villains, Surviving the Game features
Gary Busey in one of his most insane performances and Busey’s wild energy,
especially in a dinner time story about his first kill, does a lot to elevate
this film. There is also a socio-economic undertone to Surviving the Game that gives it a bit of depth between the running
and the shooting, and the relationship between a father and his son (F. Murray
Abraham and William McNamara) gives the hunting expedition a tinge of insight
into the rituals of manhood. The film is no grand statement about masculinity
but these little touches distinguish it from a lot of other low budget action
pictures from the 1990s. What Doesn’t: Surviving
the Game is a B-movie and should be enjoyed as such. The film has its share
of silly one-liners, plot holes and incredulous moments. The ending is a bit of
a letdown, as the climax doesn’t give the main character or its villain enough
of a resolution. DVD extras: None. Bottom Line: Surviving the Game is a fun action film that can be enjoyed for the kind of B-entertainment that it is. The film is certainly a lot better than many higher profile action films of recent years. |
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