A bit tangential to gaming, but not sure it warrants its own thread:
I got around to watching Virtually Heroes. I enjoyed it, and its meta elements are WAY better done that it had any right to be. So what is it? And, hey, its got Mark Hamill!
Back in 2013, Roger Corman (yes, THAT Corman) got a couple guys to make movie using his vast library of stock footage from the warsploitation films made in the mid-late 80s in the Philippines. To justify that reuse, the film is structured like a game where set pieces replay in the same spots in each level. The film ended up sitting on a shelf for decade until finally coming out this year.
Two characters in a generic military shooter find themselves in an existential crisis after endless replaying of the same level and events. Along the way, the film lampoons and homages TONS of gaming tropes that were common in the mid-2000s military shooter.
Because of its age, it hits…a bit differently than if it had been released a decade ago. Many of the tropes have phased out of the gaming discourse over the past decade, so it feels more out of place. The structured military shooter has given way to things like open world or cinematic experiences. Gaming, in general, is a bit more sensitive than what was allowed to occur in those mid-2000s games.
But if you’ve been in the gaming space for a while and remember the mid-2000s, a lot of the gags still land. And the homages go beyond those found in Xbox military shooters (including some cheekily named achievements). At one point, two characters engage in a fighting game sequence with music “similar-but-legally distinct” from Street Fighter 2, including a slowdown defeat. A multiplayer segment (featuring cameos from Robert Patrick, Martin Kove, and Jan-Michael Vincent from the reused film footage) features character names like “Cobrachi” and “Eeeehonda”. When a character uses the cheat code (again, similar but distinct from the old Konami code), you see his character act out the motions and his eyes glow (including his hud, featuring a doom style portrait). The NPC section is still quite accurate, even if developers have moved to work around that issue. Level complete screens, character customization, randomized loot, even if dated, more than a few of these bits have solid delivery or landing. And some are just solid gags aimed at the film’s low budget
As a long time gamer, I was amused the entire way. Not just with the nods to gaming, but also to how the films keeps its tongue firmly in cheek. How can you not love a movie willing to use red Tupperware with a white painted cross for med kits?
Critics obviously hated the film. It’s juvenile, crass, and leans into knowledge of gaming to make most jokes land. But if you DO have that gaming knowledge? It’s wonderful parody to gaming as a while, even if some elements have become dated.
Also, be sure to watch through for the post-credits scene!