Nerve REVIEW
Am I a watcher or a player? Am I watcher or a player? Well if this game of playing dare did come to fruition then I’d be neither but I was 100% a watcher because I went and saw the movie. Are you a watcher or a player…? Hopefully you’re also neither and you’ll be a reader to carry on perusing over my review. Accept or Reject?
Thanks for accepting guys, how nice of you! Well let’s begin with the plot summary. Single and unadventurous Venus or Vee (Emma Roberts) is having a hard time with a university application and a boy she likes. Vee’s friend Sydney (Emily Meade) however is daring and popular online thanks to a reality mobile game that challenges players to dares for cash prizes. Vee steps up and joins the game and after joining with stranger and fellow player Ian (Dave Franco), the dares get bigger and ‘Nerve’ becomes dangerous.
Directed by Henry Jost and Ariel Schulman, co-workers from Catfish and Paranormal Activity fame means it’s safe to say that this neon coloured movie has a degree of surveillance horror to it. Nothing jump scary or other-worldly but definitely alarmingly voyeuristic and technologically tense. I believe it’s not even that tense either, some places are but why I say it’s tense is because of the worrying reliance on phones and trying to keep up with the crowd that is so real and is played upon in the film.
Like the trailer, the first two thirds are energetic, blackly funny and thrilling before subverting into a murkier horror-esque vibe. For me, that’s what annoyed me about the trailer but at least with the movie itself, the last act even with it’s quick ridding of fellow players from failing or bailing doesn’t stride too far into the horror zone I thought it would. It’s rather interesting to be honest as we see the true side of the game come into effect. In fact, it’s that previously mentioned energy that does wonders for a film that is admittedly quite adolescent and flawed.
The notion of the game itself is quite cool but becomes a teeny bit messy in places as the movie takes us on a journey in how easily Vee jumps up the viewers ratings. Also, the intro says keep the game secret yet everyone seems to know about it and the last scene features a stadium filled with people which surely officials or cops would have seen going on. That’s just me maybe but it did bug me at times, even if the bright blue sharpness they gift New York is a welcome buzz. Oh and the use of the dark web, an obvious shoot-out scenario and teen boppy romance is a little cliche but hey, there’s fun visual flair throughout the film for distractions to that!
Emma Roberts is perfect for this role, though she can do catty very well, it’s nice to see her as the shy girl and watch her blossom into a ‘Venus’ flytrap of thrill-seeking potential. She brings a whole load of charisma to the part and it ignites well with Dave Franco; who is also fun yet mysterious as the knowledgeable and brave guy to fit into the puzzle. Machine Gun Kelly, yep that’s his rapper name folks, is good as the next level player in the game who takes no prisoners. There’s a sure steely determination and danger to his presence which is cool. Emily Meade plays a wild child, loose of inhibitions and confident with looks, she’s the perfect opposite to Roberts’ Vee and gets a fun role with an element of bitchiness, fear and friendship to cycle through.
The Big Apple is the best possible place for this wild, tech filled game of dare. Roberts and Franco fill it with confidence and though there are problems and the ending is sub-par, the rest is so fun that you nearly don’t care.
7/10 or…
I love all things Tarantino and have a soft spot for sombre and clever films. Writing is what I love doing, be it screenplays or reviews, I hope someday my procrastination will dwindle and I'll finish something!
