Directed by: Blake Freeman

Starring, Blake Freeman,  Jason Mewes,  Matt Shively, Moses Arias

Good indie movies are hard to come by, especially in the age of the blockbuster film that either crushes everything in its path or falls flat on its face. That rings especially true whenever a movie takes on another genre, whether it be comic books (which are getting much better), television shows (example: 21 Jump Street, which was moderately successful), and especially video games (just about all of them are horrible). So when an invite came to see an advanced screening of noobz, a movie about a group of gamers who take a trip out to a major tournament to win a grand prize, doubts were high. Considering the film was granted a blessing from Microsoft and Epic Games (the tournament was for Epic’s Gears Of War 3), it has to at least be watchable.

The casting was pretty decent, for an indie film with a small budget. Getting anyone that’s actually been heard of is rare, and this film got one of pretty good recognition in a starring role. Jason Mewes (Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back) plays one of the four members of team, which is rounded out by Blake Freeman, Moses Arias, and Matt Shively. It also features appearances by Casper Van Dien (or as he’s known in the beginning of the film, “That Guy From Starship Troopers”), Bill Bellamy and Mindy Sterling, and the cast is actually rather impressive for an indie film about gaming.

As far as the plot goes, however, it seems to be a bit on the generic side. There’s the quest for fame, glory, and the usual obstacles along the way, with slapstick elements, physical comedy, and the occasional offensive (but funny, and completely justified in the film) joke. There is nothing wrong with it, and it works within the context of the film, but the “so stupid it’s funny” genre of comedy can only work so many times before the laughs stop coming as frequently.

That’s not to say the film wasn’t enjoyable, however. The dichotomy of the group is always worth a few laughs, and the secondary plot about former gaming champ Greg “Armagreggon” Lipstein trying to reclaim his former glory and defeat his nemesis, Frogger, is so ridiculous it’s hysterical at times. It’s not breaking down any walls, but it’s funny when it’s trying to be (mostly).

The actors all do their jobs well, but no one really stole the show, or anything. Everyone did their comedic duty and buckled down when the scene called for it. Mewes, just because of his reputation, probably got a few more laughs than his performance deserved, but he was still funny in the ridiculous and awesome way he always has been.

While it didn’t put the reputation of movies about games (or gaming) further into a negative light, it did little to help the case, either. noobz is a fun, silly film that, for a small film, did an admirable job of being an entertaining piece of theatrical art. For those who are interested in seeing the film (it’s worth checking out), the film did get enough support for a theatrical run this fall.

• The Good: Funny, albeit ridiculous moments throughout.
• The Bad: Is similar to many of the other films in the Genre
• The Ugly: Makes little impact on the viewer as far as being memorable

Score: 7