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A 40-Year-Old Plot Given a Video Game Coat of Paint – The 1UP Movie Review

10K View2022-07-12

So, I stumbled across a video game related movie this weekend on Amazon Prime called 1UP. I had no idea this movie even existed, but on a whim, I decided to watch it…so you don’t have to.

That last phrase is more of a joke than anything, but I did go into this Buzzfeed Studios produced movie thinking it would be awful because the only name attached to it that I had heard of was Ruby Rose, the former Arrowverse Batwoman, who really isn’t known for her acting prowess as she played a mute assassin the second John Wick movie, and that definitely wasn’t her choice.

To be fair, the movie is only half-awful as it “borrows” its plot entirely from 1984’s Revenge of the Nerds. But that’s not where the “borrowing” ends, oh no-no-no. Let me elaborate:

· The supporting character of Lilly, while well played here by Madison Baines, is ripped off almost wholesale from Netflix’s excellent Sex Education series. There’s a character on that show also named Lily (I guess the one less “L” is a big difference…), played by Tanya Reynolds, whose sublime quirkiness and overall look are hard to mistake.

· Another character, Diane, played by D.J. Mausner, is certainly channeling a Bridesmaids-era Melissa McCarthy throughout the whole film.

· The bad guys in 1UP are an e-sports team named the Betas. The bad guys in Revenge of the Nerds are the jock fraternity called the Alpha Betas.

· The great Chris Farley’s brother, Kevin, shows up in a role as the much-maligned Dean of the college where this film is set and basically does an impression of his long-dead, and much more talented brother.

I could go on, but why bother? Let’s discuss this plot of this flick which as I said is basically Revenge of the Nerds but substitutes a goofy college fraternity competition with an esports tournament. A hard working gamer, V (short for Vivian, played by ex-Disney Channel regular, Paris Berelc), is attending Barrett College on an esports scholarship. The team at Barrett (the aforementioned Betas), while highly ranked, are a bunch of sexist douchebags. So, V and her pal Sloane (nicely portrayed by Philly gal Hari Nef) quit the team and ultimately decide to form their own frater…I mean, team called the 8-Bits because V needs to be on a team to keep her scholarship. Of course, the 8-Bits are terrible at first, but under the wise tutelage of Professor Parker Nesby (the robotically stiff Ruby Rose) the team pulls together and is ultimately victorious over the douchey Betas. There’s also a “super nerdy nice dude (Nicholas Coombe) thinks he has a shot with the hot girl” romantic subplot jammed into 1UP, but it’s barely worth mentioning because of how wholly ham-fisted and unbelievable it is.

Now, let’s discuss why this movie is even called 1UP. By definition, a 1UP means “an extra life in a gaming context. The term 1UP came to prominence with the Super Mario games. It is now commonly used by gamers to denote they have been rewarded with ‘an extra life’” so, essentially, one more player up on the board for you if/when you find one. This concept never, ever comes into play in this movie. Not once. The game the presented in the film, Knights of the Elder Orb, appears to be an arena-based, DotA style shooter (similar in many ways to TapTap's own T3 Arena) where the concept of gaining an extra life is not a thing. So, why not call it “The Rise of the 8-Bits” or “The 8-Bits Rule” (which would amp up the female empowerment angle the film is most certainly vying for) or something along those lines rather than a generic gaming construct that isn’t even implemented in the in the film? 2010’s Scott Pilgrim vs. The World implemented the 1UP concept well towards the end of the film, but this flick sure doesn’t…yet its title is 1UP. Baffling. Utterly baffling.

Beyond that, I do have to say the main strength of 1UP, beyond some decent performances, is how the rest of the gaming elements are presented. From the cute title sequence that borrows art and graphics from a smattering of popular games, to the main game that is played throughout, Knights of the Elder Orb, to the esports tournaments that the teams compete in, all these elements are very much on point which is rare as most movies and TV shows that use video games in some form or other typically take weird liberties that inevitably force me to declare, “Well, that’s just not right!” I never found myself coming close to uttering that during this film, so a tip of the cap to the filmmakers for that at least, and a tip of the cap for some of the inspired music choices too as Sweet's Ballroom Blitz always warms my glam rocking soul.

That’s cold comfort though as I feel 1UP was a wasted opportunity to make something original rather than ripping off the basic plot structure from an almost forty-year-old comedy flick that most younger people today wouldn’t dig for various, objectionable reasons.

To use a video game analogy to sum up my final thoughts on 1UP: It’s like the filmmakers here had four or five solid stacks built into a neat well in Tetris and they’re just waiting for that long, straight “hero” piece to slam home, clear out some of the final rows, and win the level…but that all-important hero piece never, ever comes. So, the tumbling, disparate pieces stack up and the game ends with a sad whimper rather than a triumphant cheer.

SCORE: 2 STARS OUT OF 5

Are you going to watch 1UP? Let us know what you think of it in the comments! What’s your favorite video game movie? Mine is the first Wreck-It-Ralph...let me know in the comments what yours is, as well!

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Comments

Armin Arlert

look at the rating, holy hell

2022-07-18

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User463612169 Author

Yeah, apparently it got "review bombed." I saw one of the actresses complaining about it Instagram the other day.

2022-07-19

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Kim TapTap

Haha I loved the Tetris analogy at the end😆

2022-07-12

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User463612169 Author

Haha...thanks!

2022-07-13

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Kef

I'll have to think about what the best video game-based movie I've ever seen is. Wreck-It Ralph is a great choice, and I'm also partial to The King of Kong, if we're counting documentaries. But if you want to talk about worst video game movies ever, let me remind you of a stinker so bad that a lot of people even forget it exists: POSTAL. I somehow, of my own free will, watched this movie back in college. Still one of the most miserable experiences I've ever endured!

2022-07-12

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User463612169 Author

I actually reviewed the POSTAL movie for one of the first sites I ever wrote for. I was sent a handsome Blu-Ray edition that included copies of the first two games as well. I must admit, I actually kind of enjoyed POSTAL 2 for a bit. Still have nightmares about the naked Dave Foley in that movie though...😣

2022-07-12

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