#352: NERVE

2016

Directed by Ariel Schulman & Henry Joost

Sci-Fi, Thriller.

Oh boy, now here is a film that had a promising concept and trailer. Nerve is basically a smartphone game similar to Pokemon Go, where you have to go out and socialise and do dares in public, filmed from your phone's camera for money, whilst people watch you online. The dares get more crazy and difficult as your progress through the game to the point where they are illegal. So yeah the concept of the film seems inspired by Pokemon Go and Impractical Jokers, only not as cute or as funny. In fact with it being set in Staten Island, I was half expecting the jokers themselves to make a cameo!

Emma Roberts and Dave Franco lead the film and are the two main daredevils. Whilst Franco is well experienced in the game already, Emma Roberts' character Venus goes from being a shy bookworm type, to a pro daredevil in the space of like one day! The whole film is completely implausible because you have to suspend your disbelief that every character in the film has a super hi quality internet connection that allows for seamless HD camera phone footage with the directing prowess of Stanley Kubrick. Every character in the film seems to have a high quality internet connection and knows how to do hacking skills. The more you watch, the more it feels like someone is smashing your brain in with a hammer. 

The film also tries to be so incredibly hip that it becomes annoying. There is a really grating Pop/RnB soundtrack that will sound dated in a few years time, truly one of the worst film soundtracks I've ever heard. Also there is SO MUCH PRODUCT PLACEMENT. It gets ridiculous, it's like every single big corporation wanted to get their logo in this film, it's really distracting.

Nerve is also devoid of any decent character development, and even the most insane dares in the film never really seem that gripping or tense. I didn't care about any of the characters and this film just annoyed the shit out of me. The film was made by the same directors as Paranormal Activity 3 and 4, and the Catfish film and TV series. Now as a positive I will say this was a more ambitious film and it looks quite good visually. Nerve never really becomes boring, it has entertainment value, but the script and plot of the film is true "leave your brain at the door" material. 5/10.