The designs of the algorithm are inscrutable, but powerful. Almost twenty-five years after being considered a commercial disappointment, especially for not achieving the expected phenomenon after ‘Seven’, we now see how ‘The Game‘ is achieving greater repercussion for David Fincher than his debut in the animated field with the direction of an episode of ‘Love, Death + Robots’.
To be fair, it’s not that ‘The Game’ detracts from this new wave of consideration. Already at the time the critics recognized the impressive effort that Fincher was making in his new production. The public did not embrace her so immediately, but she has been generating a small cult following with her broadcasts on television and with the recognition of Fincher as a great figure of American cinema. Its new wave of popularity with its arrival on Netflix is just one more step in its consolidation as an undervalued cult work.
descent into hell
Fincher had ‘The Game’ in mind as his big comeback after the grueling ‘Alien³’ experience, which almost led him to strike down his career as a filmmaker when he was just starting out. However, the script for ‘Seven’ crossed his path, and the availability of Brad Pitt to do so, especially with the ending so dark it nearly set the studio back, he changed priorities.
It was the best decision, because the success of the detective film gave him incredible validation in the face of the executives, who gave him some creative freedom, as well as more resources at budget levels, including a great star of the stature of michael douglas. Fincher was able to untie himself to make an intricate and stimulating puzzle full of layers and readingswhich progresses wonderfully thanks to its solid structure and is forceful thanks to its desire to make blood with its rich character.
Because Douglas, as in other past films that have shaped his perception as an actor, gets fully involved in giving life to a dissatisfied and unpleasant businessman, with a lot of bitterness inside despite enjoying professional success. The actor does the necessary work so as not to make it completely unpleasant, so that his own journey of the Christmas story of Dickens, where the protagonist is forced to reevaluate his priorities and actions after getting into a dangerous game from which he has no escape – well, his brother, played by Sean Penn-.
‘The Game’: losing control
His story of Ebenezer Scrooge is not the only thing that makes ‘The Game’ suggestive. Fincher’s incredible precision in mise-en-scène, camera movements, and other narrative tools make the film more intense and vibrant, making bring up all those issues about obsession and paranoia about losing control, which is one of the constants to be explored by the director throughout his filmography. Pretty much every movie of his is about control or loss of it.
Fincher creates like this an impressive paranoid thriller, one of those that forces you to recover it to unravel the deception in which you have been involved during the tour, or to investigate some of its ideas about distortion of reality, the fantasy that is experienced as hell or the deep dissatisfaction of wealth and status. Or just to be well entertained with its impeccable sense of rhythm and the good work of its star. Whatever it is, it’s a good idea to bring back one of Fincher’s most underrated movies.