Earth is invaded by an alien race that misinterprets a video of classic arcade games as a declaration of war. The catch? They invade Earth in the form of those video games.
So this movie, by the looks of the trailer, should have been an absolute trainwreck (and not the good Amy Schumer kind), but it wasn't. The saving grace is director Chris Columbus who brings his usual panache for bringing a form of nostalgia to the big screen. Chris Columbus and writer Tim Herlihy are able to bring forth a movie that had both adults and kids laughing, and yes, there were plenty of times where I was laughing and maybe laughing harder than I would like to admit.
Herlihy found some of his Billy Madison/Happy Gilmore magic in this script, but there are a lot of things that, even within a movie where GIANT PAC-MAN ATTACKS seem far fetched. One of which is the fact that Kevin James is the President of the United States. Another is just the sheer idea that Adam Sandler could get someone as beautiful as Michelle Monaghan. Just wrap your heads around it, but that is where Chris Columbus comes to the rescue. He shoots these wonderfully funny scenes that draw you in (especially the closet scene) and you remember just why Chris Columbus is a great director (remember, this is the man who brought you the first two Harry Potters, The Goonies, and Home Alone), and this film has aspects of The Goonies. Although minus a cool catchphrase.
Pixels follows Adam Sander as a Best Buy-esque" home entertainment installer who gets called on by his best friend, President of the United States Cooper, aka Kevin James, who is in the midst of a bad administration where it seems he can't keep his foot out of his mouth. Josh Gad and Peter Dinklage round out Sandler and James' "foursome" and while Gad is utilized perfectly as conspiracy nut Ludlow Lamonsoff; there is something "off" with Peter Dinklage's character (and I am a huge fan of Mr. Dinklage). It wasn't even Dinklage that felt out of place; Brian Cox and Sean Bean were the "overly-maculine-nerds are weak and stupid" military men who seemed out of place and maybe only there to service a joke that was just okay and probably could have been cut. To be honest, the scenes where Sandler and Gad win the matches are some great all-around scenes and only seemed to be hurt by the usual Kevin James fat-gag bits. Kevin James is a funny guy and a great comedian and had some really good, dramatic scenes that only seemed to make it that much more disappointing when the "incompetent James" shows up. You are left there going "come on Kevin James"¦ you're better than that!!"
While it might seem like I'm trashing the movie, there is still a lot of good to it. Sandler and Gad are very good in the movie; Michelle Monaghan is great in it. She brought a quality to a Sandler film that hasn't been seen in a few years and her son, Matty, played by Matt Lintz, is another great addition who is bviously there to make fun of the "old timers" but there are great jokes that go back and forth between him and Sandler's Brenner.
Yes, I'm saving the best for last. The CGI and the soundtrack! The CGI is great and, while I hate 3D movies, the animation is spectacular. The Centipede and Pac-Man scenes are amazing and Q-Bert became the quirky and comedian sidekick that should be this year's Olaf. Q-Bert is one of the best things to come out of that movie, and I would love to see him get some action this summer. I'm pretty sure that Chris Columbus had a hand in picking the music because it was all "˜80s music from Cheap Trick to Loverboy, and who doesn't get pumped when hearing "Surrender" or "Working for the Weekend"? They were well utilized.
The theater was filled with laughter from both the adults and the kids in the audience, which I think some people forget about. This movie is made for kids first, adults second. I've been reading some reviews, and I think that some critics forget the target audience. That being said, this is a fun movie, but make sure to leave your brain at the door. This isn't winning an Oscar awards, but it is something that will put a smile on your face. If you have already caught up on your summer blockbuster movies, I would go check this out OR if you have kids or are baby-sitting. This is a great movie because there are tons of bright shiny lights and movements. It will keep them entertained, which will give you some time to zone out. If you are behind on your summer movies this is a great rental/possible DVD purchase. Yes, I might actually buy this on Blu-Ray.
