“Free Guy:" A Video-Game take on Humanity’s Desire for Escapism

“Free Guy” lacks originality in its source material

With 2022 looming, the world has suffered a sordid slew of calamities, including but not limited to a global pandemic, an economic recession and increased political turmoil. 

The action-packed blockbuster “Free Guy” creates a space where audiences can ease the tensions of our world while unpacking the problems with our diversion from reality. It utilizes an assortment of pop-culture references and light comedic sequences to humor its young audience members. 

The film centers on the innocuous do-gooder, Guy (played by Ryan Reynolds). He exists solely as a non-player character (NPC) in the fictional game, “Free City.” His character is meant to add realism and excitement in this artificial world.

The user experience of “Free City” is an amalgamation of well-known games such as “Grand Theft Auto,” “Second Life” and “Fortnite”—games that are familiar to the Millennial and Generation Z crowd.

Guy lives a simple life as a bank teller, always ordering “coffee, cream, two sugars” and having everyday chats with his friend Buddy (played by Lil Rel Howery). When he crosses paths with his dream girl, Molotov Girl (played by Jodie Comer), his supposed simple life is disrupted as he tries to vy for her affections. 

However, Molotov Girl is not any ordinary player. Her bombastic pseudonym is a disguise for Millie—and she doesn’t play the game for casual entertainment. Rather, she is looking for the original code proving her ownership to “Free City.” 

Prior to the development of the game, Millie and her co-developer, Keyes (played by Joe Keery), developed “Life Itself.” The code of “Life Itself” was then stolen by Soonami’s head developer, Antwan (played by Taika Waititi). Soonami acts as a conglomerate gaming company akin to Nintendo, Ubisoft or Activision Blizzard. 

As the repeated playing of Mariah Carey’s song “Fantasy” suggests, the world of “Free City” provides a form of escapism for its players and developers. It becomes a refuge for people to assume exaggerated identities, where children are free to partake in criminal and destructive activities, and where people are free to embrace out-of-this-world romantic relationships.

However, this virtual paradise contradicts the meaningless lives of its NPCs. Characters like Guy inhabit pedestrian lives which are exploited and manipulated by the developers and players of this game. As players have the ability to entertain endless opportunities, free will is limited for these non-player characters.

While the ethical dilemmas posed in this film offer an intriguing discussion, these thematics are similar to predecessor films like “The Matrix,” “Groundhog Day” and “The Truman Show,” which offer more constructive messages about escapism and the meaning of life. 

For instance, Antwan’s character is analogous to the director of “The Truman Show,” a character named Christof. Both act as the creators of an artificial world which utilizes fictional beings to entertain its audience. 

With Christof, his detached and domineering persona highlights mankind’s desire to control and manipulate the people and environment around them. However, Antwan lacks this astute, detached characterization which could elevate the audience's association with the lack of power and choice in a predisposed world owned by conglomerate corporations.

Instead, the film resorts to using him as a comic foil and loses the potential upon expanding philosophical discussions and character development. 

As for “Free Guy,” it doesn’t add any nuance to the discussion.

It hinders itself by confining its relatability to millennials and Generation Z. Although the tidbits of pop culture may be funny for a brief moment, it ages itself by depending on pop culture references to carry the humor. 

The integration of pop culture can be done well (Tarantino films are a great example); however, it needs to be enmeshed with genuine moments that stand out on their own. “Free City” fails to curate original moments. Once these references are stripped, the substance of the film is thinning.

This film may be enjoyable, but it fails to separate itself from the references it pays homage to. This movie seemingly has everything going for it: a reputable cast, an intriguing plot, and a litany of gamers there to promote it. However, there are too many elements plaguing this movie, keeping it from being either memorable or remarkable. 

In an age where films are necessary to provide an outlet to the problems of our world, we also need impactful films to expose the chronic issues of both society and the individual.