It’s popcorn flicks such as Big Game that reinforce how much fun it is to sit back and enjoy good old-fashion, nonsensical action films.
In-between watching serious dramas such as Room and The Danish Girl, I need films like Big Game: an intentionally ludicrous action-adventure that thrives on half-satirizing, half-saluting Hollywood tropes while delivering giggle-inducing entertainment. Big Game has it all: guns, explosions, bloody fights, ridiculous schemes, close comrade betrayals, the American military, Air Force One blowing up, plot twists, impossible stunts, Samuel L. Jackson, President Samuel L. Jackson, President Samuel L. Jackson mixing f@$% into an awesome one-liner, and over-the-top villains! There’s one scene where the terrorist villain (Mehmet Kurtuluş) explains his plans to an unsuspecting helicopter pilot after they’ve landed, all the while smugly sitting in a folding chair overlooking a forest range.
Pilot: Are you terrorists?
Villain: Well you certainly look terrified, so I suppose we must be. But I don’t think you should be worrying about that—you should be worrying about yourself. In fact, in my opinion you should be running.
Pilot: Running?
Villain: Absolutely. You see I intend to kill you, you have no way of overpowering me, but I don’t yet have a weapon in my hand—so you’re best chance is to run.
The villain then proceeds to pull out a large rocket launcher and fire it at the fleeing pilot, blowing him up in a successful test run.
Big Game is filled with intentionally cheesy, yet blissfully entertaining scenes, such as when President Jackson’s bodyguard (Ray Stevenson) parachutes right in the middle of several anti-aircraft missiles—or how the President’s escape pod code is “1492”. The twist to Big Game? For one it’s not American made, rather it’s a Finish popcorn flick centered on a young teen named Oskari (Onni Tommila)—attempting a rite of passage by hunting, well, big game, but instead becoming a stranded President Jackson’s only hope against an armed terrorist group. Another unexpected curveball is Samuel L. Jackson’s reverse typecasting. Oh he’s still a badass, but a badass who can’t throw a single good punch—a badass wimp if you will, relying on the young hunter to help survive getting hunted himself. The idea sounds risky, but it works effectively well, with President Moore (Jackson’s character name) being similar to his character Zeus from Die Hard with A Vengence. Big Game is what one would get by mixing The Most Dangerous Game with a good 80s/90s action film. The film is an enjoyable blast and delightfully amusing, both satirizing and paying homage to all the glorious elements of a classic popcorn flick while adding its own unique characteristics for a fresh spin on the genre.
P.S. I really like this line: “Life is too damn short not to have a cookie when you want one!” –President Jackson’s Bodyguard
