Movie Review Big Game

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

Canada: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…
USA: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…It's not always that we see an action film featuring a story line that holds, but that's exactly what BIG GAME is. A relatively small budgeted (9m USD) Finnish film that pays homage to the Hollywood actioners of the 80's and 90's, BIG GAME follows Oskari (Onni Tommila) a young teenager coming of age camping in the woods to hunt down his first kill and make the transition into manhood. While on his hunt, Oskari is suddenly thrown into a situation, when the US President, William Alan Moore's (Samuel L. Jackson) aircraft AirForce One is shot down. From here on, the young boy on the cusp of manhood goes on a mission to help rescue the President of the United States. However all hell breaks loose when the two are chased by a maniacal terrorist bent on assasinating the President. Will Oskari manage to save the President, will the young boy manage to land his first kill and be recognized as a hunter, is what forms the rest of the story. But the main question here is, sans the usual glitz and glamour surrounding any Hollywood action film, will BIG GAME manage to pull it off?

BIG GAME starts off with Tapio (Jorma Tommila), Oskari's father talking to him about the long line of hunters he comes from and the trail the young lad faces in the days to come. Oskari on the other hand, who is gung ho to prove his mettle in the cold harsh and unforgiving forest, soon realizes it isn't a cake walk. However the story takes a turn when Airforce One is shot down, simultaneously Oskari oblivious to the happenings in the sky above finds himself faced with an alien looking rescue pod containing the President. But it isn't till the two are chased by Hazar (Mehmet Kurtulus) the maniacal terrorist and Morris (Ray Stevenson) a member of the Secret Service out to destroy the president that the action really starts.

A throwback to the action films of the late 80's, BIG GAME is a far cry from the action films of today that strive for a certain maturity in terms of story coupled with all the gloss that special effects have to offer. The director has surely grown up watching action films and has since decided to pay homage to an era that has long since gone. Though the real action in the film starts off pretty late, director Jalmari Helander has done a marvelous job of developing each character. However despite the film having a very high probability of being classified as a B-grade action film, BIG GAME manages to stand out with stunning visuals and good action sequences. Though the story of the film seems more like the two protagonists running amok in the wilderness, while trying to evade the bad guys, the film does have its fun moments.

Speaking of fun moments, an aspect that stands out in the film is the camaraderie shared by Onni and Jackson, two misfits left on their own. The casual banter between the two despite the life threatening circumstances they are faced with adds a bit of lightheartedness to film. Both their performances are simply delightful. Samuel L. Jackson manages to give his character an endearing touch. But it is Onni Tommila who really steals the show, pulling off some really intense yet casual devil may care attitude that can be expected in a Schwarzenegger film. He also manages to invigorate his character with comic moments.

Though it may not be perfect, BIG GAME is a ton of fun for the fans of mindless action films, who don't mind being stunned when some semblance of a story begins to form. However, a drawback is when the film ends, the viewer is left with a feeling of wanting more of this absurd journey.

Article written by staff at Bollywood Hungama. Read more