Game of Death

Game of Death Review

Game of Death Overview

SECRET OPS AGENT MARCUS IS SENT TO DETROIT TO TAKE OUT AN ARMS DEALER AND THE HEAD OF THE HEDGE FUND THAT IS FINANCING HIM. HIS CIA BACKUP HAS OTHER PLANS AND TURNS ON HIM AND IT'S A FIGHT TO SURVIVE IN A HOSPITAL.

Game of Death Specifications

Wesley Snipes stars in the straight-to-DVD action thriller Game of Death, which is not a bad thing--such fast-and-cheap flicks are the B movies of our time, and B movies have held up surprisingly well. Game of Death starts with a needless framing device, but once the main story gets underway--which can basically be described as Die Hard in a hospital, followed by Die Hard in a bank--the movie zips along, with lean efficient action (Snipes has a casual, almost lazy authority in his fight scenes) and odd but cheesily entertaining tangents, such as when Snipes gets briefly trapped in the hospital's psych ward. A few offbeat details (Snipes's character is diabetic) and some energetic performances (Quinn Duffy, as a corrupt executive, chews the scenery with particular relish) give the movie unexpected flavor. Don't have high expectations; Game of Death doesn't have the budget for spectacle. But if some straightforward and surprisingly coherent action entertainment is what you're looking for, this might hit the spot. --Bret Fetzer