After taking second-place in a video game championship when he was
ten-years old, Sam Brenner (Adam Sandler) spent the next three decades
underachieving. Instead of attending MIT as planned, Brenner struggled
to overcome the disappointment of his loss, settling for a thankless
TV installation job and an unfaithful (ex-)wife.
However, when
mysterious attackers destroy a U.S. air force base, Brenner’s childhood
best friend (now President of the United States of America), Will Cooper
(Kevin James) calls upon the former video game expert to consult on a
new extra terrestrial threat. An advanced alien race has misinterpreted a
Reagan-era space transmission (featuring video of 1982 pop icons, TV
shows, and video games) as a hostile challenge for the fate of both
worlds. Without a clear understanding of the how the war for our world
will be waged, Cooper and the U.S. military have no choice but to
give Brenner command of the Arcaders, a team of classic video game
pros, in an 8-bit battle for humanity’s survival.
Based on the viral short film hit of the same name, written and helmed by Patrick Jean, Pixels has been adapted for the big screen by director Chris Columbus (Harry Potter) and screenwriter Tim Herlihy (Grown Ups 2)
with production oversight from Adam Sandler (in addition to a starring
role). The final film is a mishmash of creative ideas and slick effects
spun together with eye-rolling comedy and mundane storytelling. Retro
gamers and 8-bit arcade veterans will enjoy fleeting moments
to reminisce but Pixels is, above all else, the next generic
Adam Sandler installment – overshadowing a solid foundation of inspired
visual effects and a clever premise with the actor’s
lowest-common-denominator comedy brand.
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