Game, a debut feature produced by Portishead co-founder Geoff Barrow, casts a sceptical eye on 1990s rave culture. The film stars Sleaford Mods frontman Jason Williamson as the Poacher, a menacing figure who embodies broken Britain. The story follows venal pillhead David (Marc Bessant), who first robs an unconscious dealer and later attempts to burgle his parents, before ending up upside down in a car wreck in a forest.
There, the Poacher refuses to help David, dismissing him as 'one of those noisy cunts from up on the heath.' The film gets off to a shaky start, spending too long on David's attempts to free himself from his seatbelt and clumsily cutting to flashbacks. While the point that the ecstasy generation were primarily self-serving is firmly made, the vignettes are too thin to properly set up the Poacher's fury after David strangles his dog.
A darkly funny duel ensues, with David desperate to escape and the Poacher withholding his jerrycan of scrumpy, intent on dousing him in embittered discourse instead. Williamson exudes ponderous menace, reminiscent of Michael Smiley. The only major plot development leads to a hilariously staged rampage on forest trails that dips into folk horror, soundtracked to a wild organ version of Ravel's Boléro.
Director John Minton lets rip with ostentatious visuals, moving from impressionistic closeups of bugs in headlights to a full lysergic assault. While Game feels more like an elongated music video than a fully realised drama, it is redeemed by hilarious moments and strident imagery, suggesting Minton could follow Jonathan Glazer and Garth Jennings in graduating from the Brit music promo scene.
