So if you got the chance to check out Free Guy starring Ryan Reynolds, you probably noticed that the Deadpool actor was using some cool Marvel merch. I mean there were some pretty cool Easter eggs spread throughout the movie without it actually being a part of the House of Mouse. I almost had to check to see if it was streaming on Disney Plus.
Oh and if you haven’t seen the movie, please note there’s some spoilers ahead!
Free Guy is a movie based in the fictional game city of Free City, a Fortnite type of Grand Theft Auto type of place.
In Free City, the background characters that most of us gamers either dispatch without thought or completely ignore have lives within it. Most notable of them are Ryan Reynolds plays as a non-playable character (NPC), Blue Shirt Guy that becomes a self-aware artificial intelligence who falls in love.
Ryan Reynolds slams another flick where he’s does what he does best in a movie and that’s be Ryan Reynolds. After stumbling on a pair of glasses that belong to a character played by a kid in the real world, Guy realizes his world is more than what it is.
Free guy is chock full of Easter eggs and references as I mentioned before. But unlike the movie Ready Player One it doesn’t rely on them. In fact as awesome as they are they don’t entirely make up the movie. What makes this movie work is everything else in addition to that.
The cast includes Lil Rel Howery of Get Out fame who plays Guy’s best friend, Buddy who works in the same bank as a security guard.
Although he is content with his life, coming and going in the same loop every day, he also becomes self aware and sticks by his friend in order to save Free City. Every scene he has makes us love him even more and even has the best heartfelt moment ever.
Jodie Comer plays alongside Reynolds as Millie, the original game creator who is convinced that the whole idea of Free City was stolen from her.
She notices that the game resembles a striking resemblance to her creation. So frequents the game often to search for clues for her software hidden within Free City. Originally her game, was pitched to the fictional gaming company Soonami (a reference to giant gaming company Tsunami) owned by eccentric, money-hungry, CEO Antwon played by Taika Waititi.
He is hellbent on not only making a money grabbing sequel but destroying any evidence that he stole the whole idea altogether.
Millie’s character eventually develops feelings for Guy. Comer and Reynolds both do an impeccable job with their onscreen chemistry by the way. But she also has a different yet just as strong chemistry alongside her real-world love interest & formed business partner, Keys who is played by Joe Kerry of Stranger Things fame. Millie sees Keys as nothing more than a plutonic friend but it is quite apparent that his feelings are a tad more deeper than that.
Although Millie pursues a lawsuit against Soonami & Antwon, Keys is convinced otherwise and ends up working for the rival gaming company as a low level tech.
As a gamer, I noticed references to the aforementioned Fortnite, Grand Theft Auto, Resident Evil, Halo and much more. But for those who aren’t gamers, there is still so much to love about this movie. There’s something for the comic book & MCU folks. Especially when you gasp at goodies that are properties of Disney such as Marvel’s Incredible Hulk and Captain America and Star Wars.
There’s even a blink and you’ll miss it reference to Frozen earlier in the film.
Now how creators were able to take advantage of such properties is actually a tiny miracle.
Being produced under Fox Studios which was previously bought out by Disney, the creators were able to finagle and borrow some notable items such as Captain America’s shield, which pisses off Chris Evans in a cameo as himself and the Star Wars’ infamous lightsaber. There’s even an Incredible Hulk fist that Guy also uses to fight off Dude, this massive, buffed out version of himself. Since the ink on the Fox acquisition wasn’t completely dry, creator Shawn Levy alongside Reynolds were able to get their hands on some cool stuff for the movie. It proved profitable with some of Reynold’s online marketing ads on YouTube.
Gamers and YouTubers will notice notable streamers such as Jacksepticeye, Pokimane and more. But again this movie isn’t just for gamers and comic fans. It truly is a feel good movie with a love story at its core… an experience we all needed amid a pandemic. Let’s face it, it’s been a tumultuous last few years long before that. It is even a bit of a Rom-com mixed in with some action. Totally gave me 80s Tom Hanks vibes.
However despite all of that awesomeness, what really got me was getting to see Alex Trebek from Jeopardy one last time who had a cameo in the film prior to his untimely death due to cancer. The scene is so nostalgic that it almost choked me up in the theater as it was his last cameo.
This movie despite being pushed back with its release date due to the pandemic managed to pull off quite in a magnificent feat. It has an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score, Free Guy also managed to pump out a stellar opening its premier weekend at the box office.
My vote: it’s awesome
And no it had nothing to do with the fact I love Ryan Reynolds face. 🤣
Until Next Time Kiddies,
Shalom
Follow the Drunken Insomniac Writer on:
Instagram: @Insomniac_Writer
Twitter: @Nsomniac_Writer
Podcast: The Single Chronicles Podcast
Facebook: R.S. Lewis aka Insomniac Writer
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/insomniacwriter
Tumblr: Home of the Drunken Insomniac Writer
Drunken Insomniac Writer 