Should you watch this at weekday movie ticket prices? No.
Should you watch this for free? If you want to.
Secret ending? No.
Running time: 105 minutes (1.75 hours)
“Pixels” is a science fiction comedy based on classic (read: 80s) arcade games. Alien invaders take the form of classic arcade game antagonists in an attempt to conquer Earth. It stars Adam Sandler (Sam Brenner), Kevin James (William Cooper), Michelle Monaghan (Violet van Patten), Peter Dinklage (Eddie Plank), Josh Gad (Ludlow Lamonsoff), Ashley Benson (Lady Lisa), and appearances by Dan Aykroyd (1982 Championship emcee), Sean Benn (Corporal Hill), Jane Krakowski (Jane Cooper), Serena Williams (as herself).
“Pixels” is chock full of celebrity cameos, and presents an outrageous invasion scenario. It feels a lot like “Mars Attacks!,” in its attempt to blend a cartoonish story into a live action. The problem is that it’s an attempt, rather than a proper execution of the idea. And it suffers badly for it.
Highlights
Interesting effects
The pixelation effects and the CGI of the arcade game aliens are a unique take on the space invasion genre. The whole premise of the story hinges on the believable execution of the effects, which are done well, thankfully. My only gripe is that we don’t get to see enough of the battles and CGI.
Peter Dinklage is hilarious as Eddie
Eddie is a psychotic little gamer who physically never grows up. His quips and childish snipes at everyone around him, coupled with his diminished stature and inability to move on with his life, are what makes his character so enjoyable. He’s just as much of a loser as the other protagonists, but he manages to pull it off with a lot of character and style.
Letdowns
A snail’s pace
It takes almost half of the film to get to the battle against the arcade game aliens. And let’s be honest, that’s exactly why we’re here to watch the film. Nobody really cares about Brenner and Violet’s relationship. It’s funny, but it’s not the premise that the trailers and marketing have presented to us. For the story to take so long to get to the first battle just makes the film feel unnecessarily bloated.
Adam Sandler’s deadpan performance
He gets good lines, but that’s the only saving grace to his performance. He delivers all his dialogues in the exact same way, whether it’s a flirtatious barb to his love interest or a piece of exposition to drive the story forward. This is just lazy acting – Adam Sandler isn’t even trying anymore. In comparison to Peter Dinklage, Adam Sandler looks like he’s just dragging his heels through the film.
Too little fighting, too many humans
It’s bad enough that the film takes so long to get to the first conflict. The conflicts just aren’t as exciting and fun as promised, and end far too quickly. Instead, the film forces Brenner and Violet on you. And they are boring.
“Pixels” fees like “Mars Attacks!” done wrong, like an update that has lost its soul along the way. It’s a movie that doesn’t know its own strengths and flaws, and ends up focusing on the parts that nobody wants to watch. You’ll do fine without watching this one – the trailers will suffice.
“Pixels” opens in cinemas 13 August, 2015 (Thursday).
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