Review of Nerve (2016) by Orlando O — 26 Jul 2016

The digital age has been on growing, whether it would peoples obsession with their smart phones from multimedia apps that is getting interactive. Great example, like periscope, Facebook, Pokémon go, ect. People's information about themselves are constantly being input out there from application profiles, online shopping, ect. Nerve plays with that central theme about an online reality game of "truth or dare." People can enlist and pay to be a watcher or join and be the player, as they get to follow objectives and complete the dare for money. Also, kind of a very scary thing, I would not be surprised if this game is invented, with every one in today's generation constantly recording videos and uploading. Similar to Periscope, with people commenting and interacting with the people's responses. Nerve is a fun thriller with a techno direction that runs at a fast paced to reaching its dark twisted climax.

Plot follows high school senior Vee (Emma Roberts), a girl that has been afraid to take actions and is always kept in the shadows by her popular friends. Vee, decides to play the game, which leads her to teaming up with Ian (Dave Franco). Leading them both roaming the city and following deadly objectives. Vee's best friend Tommy (Miles Heizer) who has always been there for her decides to keep a watch over her from this risky game and only realizing that her partner Ian, may not be who he says he is. Without giving away much details, about the plot and characters.

What I really like about the film, it starts with an energetic fun atmosphere. Vee, taking some small risks and having fun doing some uneventful acts with Ian. Only until, it can go so far from being a dangerous game that they can get away from without losing their lives. It does turn into a dark direction very fast, when lives are at stake and how disturbing on the subcultures of peoples addiction on seeing other people suffer for their own amusement.

Director Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, who have done work on their catfish shows on mtv and Paranormal Activity films, have done well in creating a techno thriller film while bringing such issues like peoples information being on the network, teenagers being bullied or pressured to act. They even pump up some thrills from characters speeding on a motorcycle blindfolded or hanging on with one hand on a construction crane. It can be assumed the nature can be darker, when the anonymous would ask for a twisted dare and the teens that are willing to do it. The players are becoming pawns that can lead to a bigger picture of the final showdown of the game. The soundtrack and the music composer Rob Simonsen did created an engaging techno score that worked well on film. The script did lack in giving some development time with these characters, besides knowing that Vee is at a vulnerable phase and Ian being a player already with secrets of his own.