Pixels (2015) (English Language)

105min

Genre:      Comedy, Sci-fi, Action

Director:   Chris Columbus

Cast:        Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Peter Dinklage…and more

Writers:    Tim Herlihy, Timothy Dowling and Patrick Jean

A NASA time capsule sent into outer space in 1982 with examples of human culture, including arcade video games, is intercepted by aliens and interpreted as a declaration of war, when they attack Earth using these games as weapons an unlikely group of misfits must save the world in this epic Sci-fi comedy starring Adam Sandler.

Hollywood’s hunger for the nostalgia dollar remains ravenous as ever and with ‘Pixels’ Sony leverage their longstanding relationship with Adam Sandler to deliver an epic sci-fi tribute to the 1980’s, so expect endless video game, music and general pop-culture references and if you were a teenager in the early 80’s there’s probably a lot here aimed at you.

 If however you’re a Sandler hater… and there seems to be a lot of them out there, then this will be a difficult watch for you, expect the carefully choreographed clever comebacks and generally lame humour of Sandler’s recent career and although there are a few genuinely funny moments, Pixels seem to be devoid of any real belly-laughs or anything you might remember 10 minutes after walking out of the cinema.

So what are we left with then?, a ludicrous and predictable story yes but you can hardly expect ‘Citizen Kane’, certainly action-packed with impressive and unique visuals, we’re now very familiar with the concept of death by Pixelation… and a collection of mediocre performances with the exception of Peter Dinklage, all-in-all an ineffective mix of ‘Independence Day’ and ‘Wreck it Ralph’ with none of the charm.

From its critical reception and the vitriol directed at Adam Sandler you might be forgiven for thinking that ‘Pixels’ was one of the worst films ever made but it’s no such thing, it’s not even the worst film of 2015 or most unwatchable Sandler production, but ultimately this is a film that relies on nostalgia to make a bunch of hit & miss jokes and forgettable performances effective within a ludicrous and flashy story… and in the end it just doesn’t work.

The Bottom Line…

Despite an interesting premise and impressive visuals, ‘Pixels’ is a mildly entertaining and moderately comical Sci-fi spectacular that relies heavily on nostalgia and pop-culture references to the point of tedium, an easy and forgettable way to burn a couple of hours.

Out in UK cinemas on Wednesday the 12th

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Similar films you may like (Home Video)

Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

A Disney fantasy animation set in a video arcade where the characters travel between games after closing time, when “Ralph” becomes tired of being a villain he embarks on a dangerous quest which threatens several games and characters with the help of unlikely friends on the path to finally becoming the hero.

Directed by Rich Moore and starring John C. Reilly, Jack McBrayer and Sarah Silverman among others.

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