Game of Death

Introduction

I've never really been a huge Wesley Snipes fan, it has to be said. I thought he was a bit too over the top in Demolition Man and only really liked the first of the Blade franchise. Still, he did kill a rather annoying Elizabeth Hurley in Passenger 57, so I can forgive him overall. What I didn't know was that Wesley used the same accountant as Leter Piggott and so is currently doing a 3 year stretch for tax evasion. He must have had advance warning that this was coming, which kind of explains why he doesn't really say very much during his latest straight to DVD release, Game of Death.

Snipes plays Agent Marcus, an undercover operative who specialises in getting close to his targets before he and his team take them down. His team consists of his trusted number 2 Zander, played by martial arts expert Gary Daniels, and female assassin Floria, portrayed by stunt legend Zoe Bell. Marcus' latest assignment is to get close to arms dealer Mr Smith (Robert Davi) and within 6 months is Smith's trusted lieutenant and security adviser. At this point, Marcus accompanies Smith to a meeting with Redvale Corp's leader and corrupt hedge fund manager Redvale (Quinn Duffy), where Smith will pick up his share of an African deal worth a shed load of dosh. Marcus is in it for the game and to take down Smith, his team on the other hand are a bit narked at their lousy public sector salaries and decide to award themselves an incentive bonus from Smith's share of the loot. Obviously they don't bother telling Marcus.

This is a shame, as Smith suffers a bit of a heart attack on the way to the meeting and so whilst Marcus is trying to keep his target and boss alive so they can collect the money, his treacherous team are trying to stop them so they can get their hands on the money. It gets a little confusing, particularly when Marcus and Smith decamp to the nearest hospital to get Smith treated and Zander & co decide it would be a great idea to storm the hospital and start killing medical staff. Marcus is a little peeved at this (although you wouldn't know it looking at him) and also a little indignant that Zander and Floria have turned against him, so he does his best to keep Smith alive and complete his mission...

Picture

I wouldn't normally mention the picture these days but it's so annoying on this release that I feel I have no option but to. I can understand artistry and artistic license but this film has about the most annoying editing style I can remember in anything I've watched in the last couple of years, except maybe the last Seagal film I saw - no, this is worse. I suspect it was because the script wasn't strong enough and that both director Giorgio Serafini and editors Kevin Budzynski and Todd Ramsay had nothing left to say, but there is a propensity to shift from normal frame to blurred, grainy black and white footage and far too much inclusion of flashbacks. It's very annoying.

Overall

This is not very good and for a number of reasons. Firstly its the annoying editing style that I've already mentioned, you can overcome this though with strong performances. Sadly they ain't there. Snipes is clearly uninterested in this film and it shows, whether through his non-expressive acting and almost complete lack of dialogue or the completely lack lustre fights. I was hoping for more from both co-stars as well, but actually Gary Daniels and Zoe Bell are massively disappointing in this. I still blame Snipes though, it's his film and if he isn't interested in raising the bar, why should anyone else? Snipes couldn't even be bothered to turn out for the single featurette about the making of Game of Death which was clearly filming alongside the main production and he's the star...wtf???

This is terrible. Avoid at all costs.