Ryan Reynolds and Jodie Comer sizzle in Free Guy, the video game movie fantasy we've been waiting for

At first glance, Free Guy is an unassuming movie.

Apart from the surprising but calculated use of Mariah Carey's hit song Fantasy (which is a resounding success), the trailer seems to set up the summer sci-fi action-comedy flick as a B-grade cheese-fest.

However, perhaps therein lies the genius behind the marketing of Free Guy because that trailer doesn't do the film justice at all. What the trailer does is show not tell, although it comes across like it's the latter.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cttnRmcr_ME[/embed]

It lets on that Ryan Reynolds' character Guy realises he's in a virtual world, and leads viewers to assume that's the gist of the film, but it uses that misdirection to obscure the underlying story that drives the entire sequence of events.

A story that is surprisingly full of heart and emotions (see what I did there, Mimi?) but we'll get there in a bit.

Simply put, this film isn't just about Guy realising he's in a video game and what he does after.

In the film, Guy — a non-player character (NPC) in a video game known as Free City — lives life on a clockwork basis and works at the bank with his cop friend Buddy (Lil Rey Howery). He yearns for more out of life and he fantasises about meeting the girl of his dreams.

However, he doesn't know what she will be like, only that he'll know it when he meets her.

Cue Molotov Girl (Jodie Comer) who struts past him confidently while humming Mariah Carey's Fantasy and Guy is infatuated. This chance meeting awakens something in him and he starts to act against his programming as he tries to connect with Molotov Girl and impress her.

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His actions lead him to obtain him a pair of sunglasses that allows him to see the video game world as it is but it also draws the attention of the creator of Free City, Antwan (Taika Waititi), who has his own selfish desires for the game.

This intersection between the virtual and real world is where the story starts peeling off its surface layer to reveal the moving pieces that are driving the overarching plot.

We won't be revealing too much of the story to avoid spoilers because the payoff is very much worth it.

A video game film with plenty of heart and love

With a deceptively simple premise that Free Guy has (based on the trailers), it's easy to expect very little from it and no one would fault you.

There are also many ways in which the script could have gone wrong — just think of all the films about AI gaining sentience — and I was convinced it might take a turn for something bordering on black comedy or a doomsday film.

Instead, when the proverbial other shoe dropped, the twist lent itself to a more grounded tale that unfolds in the real world, culminating in a touching rom-com moment that brought me to tears.

Director Shawn Levy also opted to keep the tone of the film upbeat and light-hearted, providing much-needed comic relief amid these trying times.

Apart from the message of love, Shawn also explores (mostly through character dialogue) other timely messages such as living life to the fullest, learning to be in the moment, and falling in love with someone who isn't real.

The last one rings especially true considering the rose-tinted glasses that people have in their perception on relationships (in part due to films) but all are very relevant.

It's hard to internalise what Shawn is trying to bring across if you're just reading it, but when you're watching the film and living in that moment (heh!), your heart might just get a little twinge.

Perfectly cast leads

Is it preachy? Yes, sometimes, but thanks to fantastic performances from the cast as a whole, it never quite dives into second-hand embarrassment.

In this absolutely wacky and zany world, Ryan and Jodie tackle their roles with such enthusiasm and aplomb that it really show what good actors can do. Like I said, this was a script that had the potential for things to go sideways and really bad.

Guy seems to be tailor-made for Ryan (though he is a producer so that could be very possible) and allows him to bring all his cards to the table and be all the better for it. It's a role that is very uniquely Ryan but at the same time, still dissimilar enough from prior roles that makes it fresh.

Jodie, known for her role as the psychopathic assassin Villanelle on Killing Eve, displays her comedic chops in what is (I believe) her first comedy role in film. Her tempo is a perfect match for Ryan, and their palpable chemistry and sizzling attraction is a joy to watch.

Quite unlike the experience I got from seeing Dwayne Johnson flirting with Emily Blunt on Jungle Cruise.

Jodie is so incredibly compelling as an actress that she draws your attention every time she appears and you hang onto every word she says as if it's the gospel truth. Even a line that is so incredible — like how she is falling in love with an AI — just makes you wanna weep because everyone knows that won't end well.

In the final scenes of the film, when she is discovering the truth of who has been in love with her all this time and comes in touch with her own feelings, all the while slowly letting the realisation play out on her face — that is truly a sight to behold.

Or it might just be the romantic in me who, at that time, is just crying on the floor like Izzie Stevens in season three of Grey's Anatomy.

Taika also shines as the egomaniacal antagonist in this film and his improvisation skills are off the charts. In fact, it's been said during the press conference that there is an entire outtake of Taika's improv just waiting to be unleashed on the world.

There's a certain unpredictability in his performance and while you pretty much get a grasp of what his character's motivations and intentions are, you never quite know what Taika is going to pull out. 

However, the only downside is that he feels like Korg (his role on Thor: Ragnarok) on steroids and I wish we could have seen a different side to him.

Chock full of references

Where most films I've watched recently seem to fall short on pacing, Free Guy absolutely delivers on that front.

Each scene feels purposeful and when it looks like the pacing is about to dip, something comes along that elevates it — be it a revelation, an action sequence, or a reference for pop culture enthusiasts and gamers.

There are plenty of references in the film and props have to be given to the writers and Shawn for trying to create an authentic video game movie.

If you're a gamer, the mileage you'll get out of this movie may vary depending on how hardcore and particular you are, but there is something for you. For a casual PC gamer like myself, the film very much felt like a love letter to gamers — much more than other video game film adaptations I've seen.

Video game effects were lovingly and accurately recreated — with some nods to games like Fortnite — and the gaming peripherals were also spot-on. I'm pretty stoked that I use the same HyperX headset model that Jodie does in the film. 

Notable streamers like Jacksepticeye also make cameo appearances, but it's the celebrity cameos that you don't want to miss.

Oh, and keep your eyes peeled for the final fight in the third act. What was almost a painful one-sided slugfest was redeemed through clever use of pop culture references.

Let's just say that it evoked a feeling similar to watching Captain America wielding Mjolnir in Avengers: Endgame.

I initially assumed those were added in after Disney acquired 21st Century Fox, and I wasn't alone, but we were informed that those were already planned prior. Good job, House of Mouse!

We can't say anymore, but you'll get it when you watch it.

Unassuming gem of a film

Free Guy is an unassuming gem of a film that surprises you with how skilfully it balances humour, an almost nonsensical storyline, and emotional gravitas.

Much praise has to be given to its attractive and charismatic leads Ryan and Jodie, as well as supporting cast members Taika, Lil Rey, Joe Keery (Keys) and Utkarsh Ambudkar (Mousy).

This is a film that will have you laughing one moment, but ugly crying (a la Dawson's Creek) the next as it dishes out wise truths which will leave you thinking long after the credits have rolled.

Make no mistake, this isn't like an episode of Black Mirror peppered with some laughs. It's what Black Mirror would be if it were created by someone who was raised on a healthy dose of sunshine, cotton candy, unicorns, video games, inspirational signs, and the rom-coms of the 90s and early 2000s.

And this subversion of expectations is what makes this one of the best films I've watched this year and one that is worth heading back to the cinemas for.

Free Guy is only showing in cinemas and opens on Aug 12, with sneaks on Aug 11.

bryanlim@asiaone.com