The Game definitely worth playing.

Rating: 10/10 (16 February 2000)

A fascinating, original absolutely pitch perfect thriller that is mysterious, suspenseful and rich in character. Michael Douglas stars as a successful business man celebrating his birthday. As a gift for "the man who has everything," his brother (Sean Penn) gives him a ticket to a corporation called Consumer Recreation Services (CRS). Reluctantly Douglas follows his curiousity to CRS and after filling out a lengthy questionaire, undergoing a rigurous medical examination and disclosing personal information about himself, he is told that his game will begin soon. Almost immediately afterwards strange things start happening. Things that seem so real that Douglas begins to question if people are actually trying to set him up, or if it is all just a game. His life is threatened multiple times, he meets a beautiful, mysterious woman with whom he becomes involved and the plot takes a series of roller coaster dives until it reaches it's shocking conclusion. Many people were unsatisfied with the ending of the film, possibly because there is no clear expectation generated by the midsection. But I feel that it is suitable and just. The Game is a thriller that thrills, and it doesn't sell out for cheap violence, sex, or explosions (although it has a little of all these things). It is a masterful film that demands multiple viewings, tautly directed and cleverly scripted. One of the best thrillers of the 90's!