Mindgamers Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

Mindgamers Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman May 4, 2017

What a frustrating film. On one hand, Director Andrew Goth's Mindgamers delivers a high-concept, high-tech whirlwind narrative about human consciousness, the human condition, and cutting-edge technology, how the body and mind are connected on the individual levels and might be connectable on a larger scale with the fusion of advanced scientific understanding and radically advanced technology. On the other hand, the movie is a chore to watch. It falls well short of the sort of character definition the material demands to allow the audience to better filter through the techno-babble and high level philosophical discussions that are the movie's, and its themes, propelling forces. Whereas similarly impactful high-conpcet films like The Matrix and Inception found a balance between explorative philosophy and agreeable execution, Mindgamers lacks the meat-and-potatoes portion of the presentation, the stuff that accentuates and punctuates the compelling narrative pieces with ease of entrance and accessible flow that keep the audience engaged and entertained, not simply bombarded with ideas. The movie hovers on the edge of excellence but, despite its best efforts -- stimulating character presentations, parkour -- it cannot escape its stuffy, stilted approach to the material.

Five exceptionally gifted students -- Jaxon (Tom Payne), Maddie (Dominique Tipper), Agnes (Antonia Campbell-Hughes), Dylan (Oliver Stark), and Rollo (Turlough Convery) -- study at the prestigious DxM Academy and become immersed in the study of quantum technology. It is their hope to merge the human body with technology, link minds together, and control other people's actions remotely. Their studies see them cross paths with a former man of the cloth, Kreutz (Sam Neill), and a mysterious redhead (Melia Kreiling) as they tap into the mind of a once-great parkour athlete (Ryan Doyle). But the closer they get to achieving their goals, the more they philosophize about he consequences of their actions, the more they begin to realize that they themselves may be in much deeper than they could have ever imagined.

Mindgamers fills the screen with symbolism, challenging everything the audience knows (and probably a lot it doesn't know, or never considered) about the human consciousness, individuality, the body's physical capabilities, and technology. It's set in the near-future, but even as today was the "near future" only a few decades ago, the world today is nearly unrecognizable from the world then, and so too is the world of Mindgamers showing that exponential advancement in technology and exponential movement for humanity. The film makes religious symbolism a large part of its narrative as well, leaving no stone unturned in its radical vision of advancement for the body, mind, and soul as they're melded with technology. It does explore some very interesting ideas that deal in heavy, sometimes mind-boggling ramifications for the species, examining lighter bits such as shared physical abilities but also darker bits that deal in population control by an individual, or group of individuals, over the masses. One could extrapolate so much from that and even see some seedling parallels in today's technologically driven society. The film might go a little overboard in its directness and lack of "entertainment value" in juxtaposition to many of its monologues and inter-character conversations that are a bit too heady and philosophically engaging without a lighter counterbalance, but if nothing else the movie at least leaves the audience considering the core what-ifs the movie introduces.

Indeed, it may be heady, but it does sacrifice engagement in exchange for the ideas. The movie far too frequently plays out like a drug-induced high-end philosophy session between friends. Add in technology that's almost inconceivable and the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual responses to the blending of it all and it's simply too much, to frequently with no memorable "spoon" moment on the philosophical side or "bullet time" moment on the action side to keep the audience capably engaged. The cast does what it can with the material. There's no hesitation with the heady complexities they speak, but there's a very clear lack of serious understanding and believably fluid delivery. Essentially, the cast -- even veteran, venerable actors like Sam Neill -- seem to be reciting the lines, passionately and with conviction to be sure, but reciting nevertheless, delivering them from memory, not from the heart. The actors seem to hide behind the diversity of appearance, which ranges from Emo to 90210. Add in production design that's only as good as the movie's obviously lower budget allows, and it just can't get any cinematic height. It's always a step away -- a rewrite away, more convincing performances away, more money away -- from a much better movie.

Mindgamers Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Mindgamers isn't a movie awash in extraordinarily bright colors. Its backdrops are often dull, gray, blue, nothing that shows significant vibrancy. Red hair is certainly a standout, and there are plenty of accents, clothes, and the like that push the color wheel fairly hard, but the movie by its nature feels a bit more colorfully flat than it does robust. Still, Universal's 1080p Blu-ray handles everything thrown at it well enough, creating what appears to be a fairly accurate recreation of Director Andrew Goth's vision. Details are handled very well too. Close-ups reveal almost extreme skin textures. Clothes are likewise very well defined and environments are sharp, though, again, the movie's somewhat spartan set design doesn't often allow for a treasure trove-level of detail. The image holds firm, very crisp and naturally sharp, enjoying a pleasing filmic texture throughout. Black levels and flesh tones appear true. No serious source or compression flaws are evident. This is another high-end new release from Universal.

Mindgamers Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Mindgamers' DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is very aggressive, something of a stark contrast to the movie's very deep and contemplative ideas and themes. The track yields superb width and energized, potent bass that fills the stage with incredibly detailed thump. Sound elements, both music and particularly effects, play with effortless width and stage depth alike, stretching the listening areas both ways and immersing the listener in various scenes and elements throughout the film. Supportive atmospherics are additionally well defined, such as drenching rain or public address announcements that deeply and effortlessly filter through the stage. Dialogue is sharp, clean, and well prioritized and positioned in the center location.

Mindgamers Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Mindgamers contains one supplement. The Making of 'Mindgamers' (1080p, 44:41) offers a sprawling look at the making of the movie, with discussions on themes and story details (which vary and are sometimes met with humor), physical stunt work and parkour, shooting locations, visual and character styles, production design, and more. A UV/iTunes digital copy voucher is also included with purchase.

Mindgamers Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Mindgamers works overtime to put on a edgy, smart, and stylish front. It works, to an extent. The movie has an aura of "cool" about it, even as it dives head-first into some of the headiest issues any film has yet explored. But it often rambles, plays more like the writers' musings and less like an organic bit of contemplative storytelling. The cast understandably struggles with the material, and there's no top-level flow or much added stimulus to really get the movie working. Budget is certainly an issue, but the script as-is needed a rewrite or three to get the movie on a more accessible, agreeable track. Universal's Blu-ray does offer rock-solid video and audio along with a feature that's half the length of the movie. Worth a look.