Free Guy is another movie that slipped down the release calendar due to COVID-19, but it seems fair to say that this one was worth the wait. From the start, the prospect of an action-adventure that puts the spotlight on an NPC (non-player character) in a video game world was intriguing, and director Shawn Levy (mostly) manages to nail the concept in this riotously enjoyable blockbuster that’s big on laughs and surprisingly full of heart.
The reason we say Levy "mostly" manages to make the most of this unique approach to a video game movie is that Matt Lieberman and Zak Penn’s screenplay often plays a little too fast and loose with the rules of the world this story plays out in. While it pays homage to the likes of Groundhog Day and The Truman Show in inventive new ways, there are a few too many occasions it skips a beat and rushes into moving the story along (Guy gains sentience extremely quickly, arguably robbing Free Guy of the chance to make that and other moments land harder). On the other hand, it’s hard to fault the movie for getting to the point, and once the ball does start rolling, you’ll find yourself fully along for the ride. It’s actually down to Levy that all the different ideas that come into play gel so well, and the end result is a movie that will leave you grinning from ear to ear.
Ryan Reynolds is clearly having the time of his life as Guy, and this is another of those projects that serve as a nice reminder that there’s so much more to him than a certain Merc with the Mouth. His earnest, charming performance makes Free Guy’s lead NPC a character it becomes easy to root for, and we get to experience his joy at discovering the world around him at the same time he does. That helps ensure the movie’s emotional beats strike a chord, and we’d go so far as to say this is one of Reynolds’ best roles (and performances). Oh, and Dude? We love him.
Jodie Comer has done plenty of impressive work on television, but Free Guy is very much her Hollywood blockbuster debut, and she makes the most of this opportunity to prove herself a star. Badass, vulnerable, and the sort of three-dimensional female lead a movie like this can only benefit from, it wouldn’t be the same without her, and we can’t wait to see what she does next. Lil Rel Howery is great as Guy’s friend, Buddy, while Joe Keery delivers a solid supporting turn in the movie’s real-world sequences that are, unfortunately, the weakest part of proceedings. That actually brings us to Taika Waititi’s clichéd "villain," Antwan. He does have a few funny lines, but this certainly isn’t the actor at his best and the charm and humour he brought to roles in What We Do In The Shadows, Thor: Ragnarok, and even The Mandalorian is sorely missing. Overall, though, this movie very much belongs to Reynolds, and his partnership with Levy...well, we can’t help but wonder what magic they’d create reunited on, oh, Deadpool 3, perhaps?
A few hit-and-miss CGI moments aside, Free Guy excels at creating a crazy video game world and there’s plenty here for gamers of all ages to get a kick out of. As we noted, this is not only a very, very funny movie but also one that, like the best games, will make you fall in love with these characters and the world they inhabit. Due to deals made before Disney acquired Fox, Free Guy won’t be heading down the Premier Access route on Disney+, but this does feel like one of those movies that should be seen on the biggest screen possible. There aren’t quite as many Easter Eggs as something like Wreck-it Ralph (this feels very much like a wholly original IP which makes a nice change), but you’ll want to keep your ears peeled for some fun voice cameos. However, it’s when the movie takes advantage of being part of the House of Mouse that we get a cameo that will...well, we’re pretty sure you won’t find a better one in any 2021 movie!
Hilarious, heartwarming, and action-packed, Free Guy is everything a video game movie should be, and sees Ryan Reynolds deliver one of his finest comedic performances in a blockbuster best played on the big screen.