Loosetooth Reviews: Pixels (2015)

Let’s be honest… Adam Sandler movies suck, of course there are exceptions, the Paul Thomas Anderson directed Punch-Drunk Love or The Wedding Singer, which got him noticed outside of America. But, as a rule they suck, and suck hard.

In every movie Sandler either plays a simpleton or a sarcastic jerk, with not much in between.

…and for some unknown reason some of the Movieland’s greatest talents get involved in Sandler projects. He’s starred opposite screen icons like of Jack Nicholson and Burt Reynolds, and Steve Buscemi regularly pops up in Sandler flicks. Somehow here he roped in the legendary Chris Columbus, the man behind Gremlins, Home Alone, The Goonies, Mrs. Doubtfire and the first two Harry Potter…but then again how could you pass up a concept like this?

The year is 1982. Sam Brenner discovers he can master pretty much any videogame going, and becomes somewhat of a local legend. Sam decides to enter a videogame championship, but while he sets world records for many of the classics a rival player has bagged just as many. To discover the true champ Sam and the obnoxious Eddie Plant battle it on Donkey Kong. Eddie eventually wins and a shattered Sam leaves the stage.

Fastforward to 2015. Sam has gone nowhere in his life, winding up as a tech installation man, while his best friend is now the President.

One day without warning a US military base in Guam is attacked. While viewing the security footage President Cooper notices an unusual sound, he consults Brenner who confirms it is a sound effect from the videogame Galaga. But before anyone can be convinced of the unlikely attackers, a second attack takes place in India partially destroying the Taj Mahal.

Later the attackers interrupt a TV broadcast where they Identify themselves as an alien race, who after intercepting a time capsule which contained footage from the 1982 gaming championship, interpreted it as an act of war. Because the aliens are made of energy they have taken forms recognisable to Earthlings, and have challenged the Earth to a best of three challenge with the winner claiming sovereignty of the other’s planet. The attacks in Guam and India mean the aliens have already won two rounds.

Pixels is based on a 2010 short film by the same name created by Frenchman Patrick Jean, where a cloud of pixels escape from an old TV and wreak havoc on New York City. The short featured characters/sprites from the likes of Donkey Kong, Tetris, Frogger, and Space Invaders.

What is also interesting is Seth Gordon appears as an Executive Producer on the feature. Gordon came to fame after directing the documentary King of Kong: A fistful of Quarters, presumably his involvement is because Pixels borrows quite a lot from that film as well.

Sam and his rivalry with Eddie is very reminiscent of the rivalry between Steve Wiebe and Billy Mitchell, Sam and Wiebe are both men who’ve never really accomplished anything in life outside of videogames, while Eddie Plant, played magnificently by Peter Dinklage, is clearly meant to be Mitchell. In everything from his look and general arrogance to the questionable nature of his wins.

It’s not difficult to see why this got negative reviews upon it’s release, but when it’s not trying to be an atypical Sander movie it’s actually pretty entertaining, and there’s enough videogame nostalgia and mullet-sporting Dinklage to keep any gaming fan invested until the credits roll.

Imagine what this could have been if Sander wasn’t involved, it could have something truly great, but given it’s his production company that developed the film of course he's going to play the hero.

Have you seen Pixels? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below