Free Guy (2021) Movie Review

“Free Guy” is a family action movie that centers around the life of Guy, an NPC in a wildly successful open-world video game called “Free City.” Guy wears the same outfit every day, orders the same coffee, and goes to work at the same bank that gets robbed multiple times a day by actual players in the game. Despite the chaos that surrounds him, Guy is content with his life until he spots a real player named Molotov Girl (Jodie Comer) and follows her down the street.

As Guy becomes more interested in Molotov Girl, he obtains a pair of sunglasses that reveal what the actual players see in the game. Back in the real world, we learn that Molotov Girl is a programmer named Millie who used to work on the development of a virtual game with Keys (Joe Keery). They discover that the game’s egocentric publisher, Antwan (Taika Waititi), stole Millie’s code and deformed it into this bland experience. With Guy’s help, they plan to break the game apart from the inside.

Director Shawn Levy keeps “Free Guy” entertaining through several scenes in the first half, including a great montage of Guy’s “good” missions and a funny sequence in which Keys and his programming partner Mouser (Utkarsh Ambudkar) go after Guy. However, the film struggles to shake the clear influence of other projects like “The Matrix,” “Ready Player One,” and even “The Truman Show” while also dropping in actual gaming and pop culture references with increasing regularity.

The film’s best moments embrace the potential of this concept, but its worst seem to be mimicking better projects. Reynolds and Comer’s natural charisma hold the film together, with Comer’s performance being a real breakthrough. Keery also shines in his best movie role to date. However, Waititi’s overacting in the second half of the movie ends up feeling more cartoonish than the actual NPCs.

Despite the film’s flaws, it’s a pleasant enough distraction that will be enjoyed by the Fortnite Generation. It also preaches the importance of individuality, which is a relevant and timely message. Gamers often turn to virtual worlds to escape their own, but “Free Guy” takes us on a journey in the opposite direction.

At its core, “Free Guy” is a story about the importance of individuality. Guy is an NPC, living a predetermined and repetitive life until he breaks free from his programming and chooses his own path. Millie, Keys, and Guy all represent different forms of individuality, and they work together to create something that’s truly unique.

The film also touches on the idea of technology and how it can be used for good or bad. Antwan is a clear representation of what happens when technology is used for selfish and greedy purposes. On the other hand, Millie and Keys want to create a virtual world that replicates the actual world instead of just giving gamers violent missions to perform.

“Free Guy” also incorporates actual gamers and streamers like Ninja, Pokimane, and DanTDM, which is a brilliant move that will have kids who know those personalities jumping out of their seats. The film’s visuals are stunning and will transport you into the world of “Free City.”

However, the film’s biggest flaw is its lack of originality. It’s hard to ignore the clear influence of other projects like “The Matrix,” “Ready Player One,” and even “The Truman Show.” The film struggles to develop its own personality and feels like a dozen other movies, incorporating some of their imagery.

In conclusion, "Free Guy" is a family-friendly action movie that successfully targets the Fortnite Generation while also promoting the importance of individuality. The film introduces us to the likable NPC Guy, who becomes the perfect inside man for Millie and Keys as they try to break "Free City" apart from the inside. While the movie struggles to develop its own personality and appears to mimic other projects, the natural charisma of its cast, including Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, and Joe Keery, keeps it moving forward. Director Shawn Levy does an admirable job of keeping the film clicking and humming through several entertaining scenes in the first half, but the pacing begins to falter around the hour mark. Despite its flaws, "Free Guy" is a pleasant enough distraction and a fun journey taken in the opposite direction of virtual worlds that gamers often use to escape their own.