Frustrating suspense thriller with an unsatisfactory ending

Rating: 5/10 (5 August 2018)

I've never been a fan of overly complex thrillers with plots that are deliberately convoluted and confusing. I can never seem to get into them and they usually end up being more frustrating than entertaining. 'The Game' falls directly into that category, and is particularly unrewarding given the awful plot twist and horrific ending, which makes the rest of the film feel like an even bigger waste of time.
On the surface, 'The Game' looks great. It's well made, the cinematography is top notch, and Michael Douglas and Sean Penn are excellent in their roles. While for these reasons it's a perfectly watchable film, the convoluted and unrewarding storyline, along with the unsatisfactory plot twist at the end, make 'The Game' a difficult film to like. It's clear that it wants to be a sophisticated and intelligent thriller, but ultimately it's too smart for its own good.