Bring home Ryan Reynolds in ‘Free Guy’

Category: Blu-ray's and DVD's

What do you get when you mix a little The Truman Show, The Twilight Zone, and Ralph Breaks the Internet? The answer is Ryan Reynolds in Free Guy.

There are so many people addicted to online gaming. Even the hit sitcom The Big Bang Theory dedicated several episodes to this. Do you remember when Penny was so addicted to the game and her character? Well, in this new movie that is only the tip of the iceberg.

The movie is a video game inside a feature film. Ryan Reynolds is Guy, a bank teller in a city ridden with crime. Every day is the same thing. But then he discovers he is only a superficial character in a video game and is not real. Well, he is real enough for the game but his life can only exist within the game.

It turns out the main code for the game was stolen by a corrupt tech guy named Antwan (Taika Waititi). But the real inventors of the code, Millie and Keys (Jodie Comer and Joe Keery) want their share of the profits from this worldwide Internet sensation. Millie’s game character interacts with Guy and she realizes his AI character is actually becoming sentient.

Guy discovers he must go from being a meek non-starter to the hero to save his friends from ultimate destruction.  While doing so, he is confronted by a larger, more intimidating version of himself. This guy (Dude, played by Aaron W Reed) is a tough obstacle but guy forges through.

There are several bonus features on the disc. Besides deleted and extended scenes, there is a gag reel and other features that delve into the making of the show and the action. One of the most interesting bonus features is called “Dude vs. Guy” in which the filmmakers show how Reynolds confronted his double and how they filmed those scenes. Instead of simply using CGI to add a second, more bulky Reynolds, they turned to a professional body builder and then substituted Reynolds’ face into the film to look like he was fighting with himself. Director Shawn Levy takes viewers through several aspects of the story and the making of the film and explains how the project began.

In this high tech world of AI, it’s not too far fetched to think artificial intelligence could evolve to be feeling, thinking, free beings. Just ask Siri.

Free Guy is rated PG-13 for strong fantasy violence throughout, language, and crude/suggestive references. It’s available on Blu-ray, 4K, and DVD beginning October 12, 2021. Don’t have a good day. Have a great day!!

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Los Angeles Press Club and the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.