Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		2.5
Audio		2.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		3.5

Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie Blu-ray Movie Review

Nerd wrecks it.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 15, 2015

How does a Youtube video game reviewer, known for reviewing the worst trash in the world on (mostly) older consoles like the NES and Atari, review the game widely considered the worst of the worst, a game so bad, in fact, it's said to be central in the video game crash of the early 1980s that nearly destroyed the industry? Certainly a typical ten-minute video couldn't suffice. This isn't Back to the Future or McKids (Note: links are definitely not safe for work, nor is anything on the AVGN channel, for that matter, at least if language is a problem). No, this is the infamous E.T., a game so horrid it is said it was returned en masse to shops and ultimately dumped by the publisher into a New Mexico landfill, never to be bought, sold, or played again. Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie, starring the "Angry Video Game Nerd" James Rolfe, essentially combines fact and way-out-there fiction in what is basically a lengthy build-up to Rolfe's review of the game, complete with the zaniest, most ridiculous concoctions the Internet sensation could devise and build around a plot that's one part something everyone wants to see (Nerd's E.T. review) and one part something nobody ever hopes comes to fruition (a sequel to E.T.).

Nerd at work.

James Rolfe (himself) spends his day toiling away as a sales clerk at "GameCops" where he's forced to peddle modern junk releases like War Duty 3000 (now with more micro transactions and broken gameplay!). By night, he's the Angry Video Game Nerd, a Youtube celebrity who pans older games as a means of finding "closure" for all of those who suffered through the likes of Metal Gear and The Terminator as children. He's loved by millions, but all of his fans always ask him the same question: "hey Nerd, when will you be reviewing E.T.?" Nerd's younger sidekick, Cooper (Jeremy Suarez), an up-and-coming Youtuber himself, eggs him on to do so and finally finds a reason to make it happen. He comes into contact with the lovely Mandi (Sarah Glendening), an employee at Cockburn, Inc. whose brainchild has been approved for production: a sequel to E.T. called Eee Tee 2, a game that goes out of its way to be worse than the original "classic." Mandi believes that if the game can get Nerd's seal of approval, it'll become a major hit (easy trophies and Gamerscore wouldn't hurt, either). Nerd reluctantly agrees to travel with Cooper and Mandi to the New Mexico desert in hopes of proving, or disproving, the myth surrounding the buried E.T. cartridges and, by doing so, creating a ton of hype for the new version of the classic misfire. What they find, however, will rewrite the game's infamous history and could spell doom for all mankind.

First, some necessary context: Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie is a low-budget film and certainly looks it. The film lacks the professional polish of a bigger production, but its concern isn't so much centered on winning awards but instead entertaining fans under the assumption that content, not technical prowess, will sell them the movie. It works, for the most part. Disregard some laughable visual effects which are easily identified as miniatures and some bottom-tier digital work and the movie actually manages to impress given its budgetary constraints, thanks in large part to playing like a product of passion, made because there was a demand and love for the people and the material involved in it, not simply because someone decided it would make some easy money. That said, the movie isn't without problems (beyond those visual effects). It's far too long and starts to drag once the writers almost literally throw the kitchen sink onto the screen, building the plot on layer after layer that grows increasingly absurd with every new reveal. Yet the problem comes more in the questionable editing. The movie means well and has fun with its material, and the audience will find it at least mildly humorous. The film simply could have benefited from tighter pacing and a better understanding of the concept that "too much" is sometimes really "too much."

While the film should be baseline accessible to those with next to no knowledge of the video game industry, it's longtime Nerd fans and, of course, core gamers who will get the most mileage out of the movie. There are plenty of moments that in some way incorporate classic Nerd reviews and bad game design, for example scenes that replicate the "pane of glass" nonsense from the aforementioned Back to the Future or the impossible task of landing a jet in Top Gun. There are also big-breasted fans, aliens, zombies, robots, secret military installations and personnel, and plenty of other shenanigans that litter the screen as the movie pushes onward towards the E.T. review. But the movie is all about the Nerd in the end, and James Rolfe does impress in the film, proving that he's capable of more than tearing into a game from the comfort of his den. While he maintains the same basic style throughout the movie that he shows in his webisodes, he carries the movie well and makes for a lovable, if not somewhat cartoonish, protagonist in a classic "zero to hero" sort of way, except here Rolfe's Nerd character is already a hero but grows into something else, a person capable of saving the world while, at the same time, able to take all of his experience -- both as a reviewer and as a hero -- and look at E.T. in an objective sort of way that isn't about piling on but providing a true, honest opinion on what makes the game so bad, but at the same time so fundamentally good in the greater gaming universe that exists beyond the confines of the television screen, console, and joystick.

Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie arrives on Blu-ray with an MPEG-2 1080p transfer that, don't forget, shares the same disc with hours upon hours of 720p bonus content. Combine that with the low budget nature of the shoot and it's no surprise that the movie never looks all that great. The lower end digital source leaves detail often lacking. The image offers solidly crisp basics, but even close-up skin and clothing textures fail to ever truly dazzle. Some of the New Mexico desert terrain shots do offer sufficiently complex appearances, though certainly nowhere near to the standard seen in other, beefier productions. Colors lack precision and vibrance as well. On the relative plus side, blacks aren't too terribly off-center and skin tones never push too far away from natural. Throughout, viewers will note blocky artifacts, noise, and banding. The image satisfies given its constraints, but demanding viewers will certainly be disappointed with the final results that all too often look like an HD YouTube video rather than a high-end Blu-ray.

Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie unsurprisingly lacks a lossless soundtrack. Listeners instead must settle for a Dolby Digital 5.1 offering which, frankly, suits the low-budget material just fine. The track introduces some healthy little bits of immersive ambience, featuring background beeps and bloops in the video game store amongst other examples of a commendable surround experience. Music enjoys good presence and stage placement, presenting Bear McCreary's game- and Rock-inspired track with commendable accuracy and clarity. Major effects lack punishing heft and lifelike clarity, but crashes, explosions, and other bits of heavier material are presented with adequate power and balance. Dialogue plays effortlessly and clearly from the center, rounding a passable track into shape.

Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie contains an advertised 10 hours of supplements. Needless to say, it's a massive assortment of odds and ends that the disc breaks down into various categories, reproduced below. The set contains no DVD or digital copies. Inside the case, buyers will find three stickers.

Audio-only supplements:

• Audio Commentary: James Rolfe, Kevin Finn, and Sean Keegan discuss the film in detail.
• Audience Reaction Track: Watch the movie with audience laugh and applause reaction.

Interviews:

• Costumes (720p, 4:12): Costume Designer Layne McGovern discusses how she dresses characters.
• Special Effects (720p, 39:52): A detailed look at the film's visual effects, with emphasis on the picture's many practical visuals.
• Cast (720p, 15:12): Key crew discuss assembling the cast, and the cast discusses characters and their arcs.
• HSW (720p, 9:20): A look at the role of the E.T. developer's place in the film while also examining the game and his life.
• Music and Sound (720p, 15:26): This piece looks at Bear McCreary's score and also offers a short examination of sound effects in the 5.1 mix.

Outtakes: The following features offer additional footage from certain characters and moments in the movie.

• Lloyd Kaufman (720p, 2:06).
• Eddie Pepitone (720p, 2:36).
• Van Chase (720p, 3:35).
• Nerd's Game Reviews (720p, 4:55).
• Justin Carmical (720p, 1:53).
• Blooper Reel (720p, 9:20).
• Fan Reel (720p, 3:24).

Extended Scenes:

• Mandi vs. McButter (720p, 2:32).
• Super Turbo Deluxe Edition (720p, 0:42).
• Zandor's Hallway (720p, 1:37).
• Death Mwauthzyx Rampage (720p, 3:01).

Alternate Scenes:

• Original Intro (720p, 1:28).
• Original Ending (720p, 0:37).

Deleted Scene:

• Nerds Before Birds (720p, 1:38):

Auditions: Clips featuring the actors auditioning for parts in the movie.

• Sarah Glendening (720p, 5:03).
• Stephen Mendel (720p, 4:42).
• Helena Barrett (720p, 1:25).
• Jake Johnson (720p, 1:16).
• Time Winters (720p, 3:52).

Movie Tour:

• AVGN Movie Tour Montage (720p, 4:22): Clips from the world premiere at the Egyptian Theater.
• Teaser -- Excavation Team (720p, 0:43).
• Trailer #1 (720p, 2:49).
• Trailer #2 (720p, 2:26).
• PA Trailer Premiere with James (720p, 19:55): James Rolfe discusses the film, its inspiration, and shooting the movie, all in conjunction with a look at the trailer. From the Colonial Theater.
• LA Trailer Premiere with Kevin and Sean (720p, 6:10): Sean Keegan and Kevin Finn discuss the film with an audience. From the GameTrailers Film Festival.
• Script Talk (720p, 21:53): James Rolfe and Kevin Finn discuss the project's origins and assembling the script and story. From PAX 2014.
• Bear McCreary Sessions -- Scoring the Nerd (720p, 7:27): The Composer discusses his involvement in the film.
• Kyle Justin Sings "History of the Nerd" (720p, 6:59): A performance of a Nerd-inspired song.
• Production Slideshow (720p, 5:41): Photos from the shoot.

Movie Q&A: A collection of question-and-answer sessions at various venues.

• Egyptian Theater, Hollywood (720p, 16:24).
• San Diego Comic Con 2014 (720p, 7:44).
• Colonial Theater (720p, 13:39).
• New York City (720p, 15:38).
• Pax Prime, Seattle WA (720p, 18:19).

Nerd Log:

• Indiegogo Response Video (720p, 1:52): A video featuring Rolfe thanking fans for donations (but not the video actual contributors saw).
• The Title (720p, 4:07): Rolfe discusses a temporary move to California and working on a fan-made title prop for the movie.
• Thinking Way Ahead (720p, 1:54): Rolfe discusses possible future projects.
• Packing Stuff (720p, 3:35): Rolfe films his preparations for a temporary move cross-country.
• Road Trip (720p, 9:18): Rolfe shows some highlights of his cross-country trip.
• Ramblings (720p, 2:39): Discussions include casting and signing pictures for movie contributors.
• Locations (720p, 3:30): A discussion of potential locations.
• The FX Shop (720p, 2:27): Rolfe and company discuss the film's visuals with RBW Effects.
• Casting Decisions (720p, 6:35): A discussion of the difficult process of casting key roles.
• The Point of No Return (720p, 7:11): Rolfe discusses the costs involved in making the movie, lessons learned in the process, the shooting schedule, and more.
• Greetings from the Studio (720p, 7:50): A few random thoughts and insights from the shoot with Rolfe and several participants.
• 28 Nerdy Days (720p, 45:22): Fresh off wrapping the shoot, Rolfe and company recall the process day-by-day.

AVGN Movie Update: Rolfe provides some detailed blogs that cover the entire post-production process.

• May 2012 (720p, 14:08).
• April 2013 (720p, 7:36).
• September 2013 (720p, 16:12).
• October 2013 (720p, 6:11).
• December 2013 (720p, 15:56).
• March 2014 (720p, 24:01).
• June 2014 (720p, 6:29).
• August 2014 (720p, 17:10).

Unclassified Supplements:

• Nostalgia Critic Review (720p, 20:11): After losing a bet with Nerd, the Nostalgia critic is "forced" to sit down and share his review of the movie.
• An Inside Look (720p, 7:25): Rolfe looks back at his passion for filmmaking, the people who helped him make the project come to life, visual effects, and the story portrayed in the film.
• On Set with Death Mwauthzyx (720p, 48:23): Raw and comprehensive on-set footage featuring the actor getting into costume, screen tests, suit details, rehearsals, scene prep, shooting, and more.
• Robbie Rist Voice Session (720p, 3:27): Clips featuring the actor voicing his character in the recording studio.
• VFX -- Before and After (720p, 11:24): An energetic compilation of footage juxtaposing unfinished and finished visual effects shots.
• Cyborg Death Skull Galaxy X (720p, 0:14): A vintage "trailer" for a film about a skull that wreaks havoc on a city.
• Death Mwauthzyx Rap (720p, 2:11): The film's villain appears in a "vintage" Rap video with film footage that appears as if from the VHS era.
• Super Rad Video Game Dude (720p, 1:13): Cooper reviews a bad video game.

Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie proves that Internet success doesn't begin and end with a URL. James Rolfe has taken his web stardom and done something special: make a movie out of it. While nobody's going to roll out the red carpet for it come awards season, this is a monumental accomplishment for Rolfe and something of which he should be enormously proud. Though the film is pretty bad by most standards, it's a charming little slice of nerd-vana that makes the most of the tools at its disposal, which aren't many and which are primarily vision an determination. It's fun yet nonsensical, special yet ridiculous, a film that the core audience will probably love and most others will dismiss out-of-hand. And that's perfectly fine. The movie is made for its audience and plays to it, and more power to Rolfe and his crew for knowing what the film should be and who it will reach. Screenwave Media's Blu-ray release of Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie features serviceable video and audio. Extras are, of course, monumental. Recommended to gamers.