Players Wanted.

Rating: 8/10 (19 November 2008)

Nicholas Van Orton is a very wealthy San Francisco banker, but he is an absolute loner, even spending his birthday alone. In the year of his 48th birthday (the age his father committed suicide) his brother Conrad, who has gone long ago and surrendered to addictions of all kinds, suddenly returns and gives Nicholas a card giving him entry to unusual entertainment provided by something called Consumer Recreation Services (CRS). Giving up to curiosity, Nicholas visits CRS and all kinds of weird and bad things start to happen to him.
If I had to pick one thing out of this movie that would have people talking for days or even months, or why the movie is talked about so many times (I assume, when it came out) was because of the ending. The TWIST ending. You're thinking it's just another twist ending, right? WRONG. This ending would either make you HATE the movie or LOVE the movie. At first, I didn't like it, or better phrased, I didn't get used to it. I may suggest people to see this movie more than once to get used to the ending because it's going to be stuck in your throat for quite awhile.
So what's so controversial about this twist ending? I don't know. Well, I do know but you have to find out for yourself. I'm not going to ruin the surprise. I've probably build it so much that you're wanting to watch this movie already. I'm sorry I did that. Let's get back on topic. What I loved about the movie, after seeing it for the second time and after I got used to what I just saw, I loved the twist ending because it provides a moral. Yes, indeed the ending provides a moral, much along like a fairy tale story. It's like loving "Citizen Kane" because of its ending.
However, the whole movie was very ingenious. Very unpredictable, I must add. This may be even one of the most unpredictable movie you'll ever see in your life! *sigh* OK. This movie will sure make you think a lot. Before I continue, I literally thought about this movie in my sleep the day I saw it. I was still thinking about it when I woke up. That's how great this movie is! It's one of those movies that will have people talking for days and days! OK, well, the first few minutes of the film really pulled me in. I was intrigued. VERY intrigued.
However, there came a point when the movie did lose its steam. It's when Deborah Kara Unger comes in. Now, I would've just preferred her to not be part of this movie or, better yet, not come as early into the film because I liked Sean Penn playing the game by himself and not with a partner. That's just me, though.
But overall, I loved the plot for the film and it did keep me guessing from beginning to end. My mind was literally blank. I love the whole puzzle feeling from the film. It gives you one piece at a time until the ending where it puts all of the pieces together. It was really great to have seen this movie. It gives us an important lesson (but I'm not going to say a thing) and this thriller is just that unpredictable that you can't believe it!