RAVE IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
This is going to be a bit of a difficult auld review, how to rave (pun double-dropped intended) about a film, and at the same time tell you as little as possible about what actually happens in the film. Where I encourage you to trust the directions I read off a tattered flyer I’ve found, and you just take that leap of faith, heading off into the dark countryside to make a night/weekend of incredible memories, that you can barely remember. Ah the 90s…
To be honest, all I knew about the bangin’ new feature debut Game (2025) by John Minton was that it starred one Jason Williamson, he of the UK post punk duo Sleaford Mods, and the score (amongst writing, producing credits) was by one Geoff Barrow, he of UK iconic bands Portishead, Beak, Quakers and basically the creator of a ton of my favourite film’s soundtracks.
That was it.
A proper FUCK YEAH!!! I was already 100% in before even seeing any images of anything, what more could you possibly want? The potential of mere conversations that could be happening around that table, I’d watch a film about that alone. Two contemporary ordinary-extraordinary artists with wonderfully distinct views (whether you agree or not), who’ve had no shortage of influence on UK/global culture.
Added into that initial mix is my profound belief that genuine creatives, the ones that have a truth at their core, are absolutely compelled to try to manifest results in multiple fields, as true creativity doesn’t recognise boundaries. i.e. transfer the knowledge and exploration you already know, and utilise it by embracing the fear of the unknown, it’s all in the journey, and they are the explorers.
Jason has done no shortage of performances in his career as a musician on stage and music videos, but has also been increasingly briefly popping up in various TV shows including Peaky Blinders and a few films. Game is a major step up on his journey where the entire film balances off the shall-we-say batshit dynamic between his character, ‘erm Poacher (exactly what it says on the tin) and David (Marc Bessant) when an unfortunate happenstance, or possibly vicious instant karma smashes their two worlds and lives together. It’s also their first leading roles, and they don’t disappoint in the slightest. All country roads have clearly led to this feature.
It’s 1993 and David is not having the best of times, despite RAVE smiley culture in full bloom around him. Many are clearly having the time of their lives, while he’s trapped in the monotonous cycle of a seeming lack of direction, bad decisions and financial insecurity. A chance meeting inspires him to dip his toe into the scene and heads along to a gathering out in the local countryside. Maybe this is what he’s been searching for?
A situation occurs and he makes a decision that mirrors his life choices thus far. Whether he likes it or not (he definitely doesn’t), that moment sets off a chain of events that are going to change his life, permanently.
To its absolute credit, and shrewdness of writing, direction, the film is primarily set in a single setup. An oasis of chaos amidst a tranquil and truly beautifully shot English forest. Where once serenity ruled in idyllic harmony, the modern world has come literally crashing in, creating mayhem, anguish and suffering.
David is trapped in a sort of purgatory, forced to take an inward journey as his life flashes before us. The local Poacher is decidedly very, very, very upset with this intrusion and makes his views in no uncertain terms clear about that.
What ensues is a battle for survival, sanity and potential redemption. Basically a normal night out in 1990s Bristol (where the film was shot).
This is the first film to be released by Barrow’s newly set up Invada Films, and branch of Invada Records, and as a launch title it is a euphoric rush. Astutely focused and disciplined in storytelling, trapping the deeply uncomfortable interplay between the main characters (think Nigel Farage stumbling upon an immigrant in distress), with Jason doing his best Albert Steptoe (Steptoe and Son, look it up) cantankerous, set in their ways, you’re sitting in my chair seething underbelly of the contemptuous class system in the UK.
For anyone familiar with Williamson’s stage personae, it’s actually fun to think while watching the film that it is really him just out on a walk one day.
Bessant, who incidentally co-wrote the film with Minton, Barrow and Rob G Williams, has a huge job to do performance wise, and does it with a deft desperate aplomb, the situation is bad, extremely bad, and Reform candidates are not known for helping people in distress. But let’s just do one more bump to get us through.
Marc also has a mixed background of stage, film (acting, writing, design) and even rocked up in Alice Lowe’s Prevenge (2016), another gem of a dark delight. While Williams has a multitude of TV, film projects in development with major international studios.
I’ve mentioned I was completely sold upon first hearing about the project, so I was heading in already completely loved up, arms in the air ready to hug anything and everything. There was a particular sound cue that happened within the first minute or so of the film that I immediately knew I was in stellar darkly comedic and wonderfully confident hands, and that love of storytelling, writing, craft and care were to be fully reciprocated.
It’s an indie low-budget film that looks absolutely beautiful (cinematography by Ross James), gorgeous shots of nature doing its thing before man comes hurling through like a JCB on speed.
There’s genuine distinct care in every decision of what’s on screen and what you hear. Once again Geoff has stepped up to the composer soundtrack turntables and drops a rewind into the heady Siren on the rocks beats of 1990s dance culture. With the help of 1990s rave producer DJ Smudge and other guests they have produced a banger of a soundtrack that will also be released digitally on 17 November. (pre-save here).
Everyone involved has varying experiences in making videos, shorts and elements of films throughout their career. But this is a distinct unified going over the top as a unit, and it works brilliantly. A team that distinctly get to plant their flag, in a way that reminded me of early Danny Boyle films, in particular Shallow Grave. They are nothing alike, but there’s a vibrancy, energy and distinctly UK indie vibe to it all, which makes it all the more welcome. There is unquestionable profound taste in decision throughout Game, it’s truly inspiring to behold, especially given modern climes, where we desperately need another 1990s rush.
I’ve done my best to not tell you what happens while hopefully encouraging you to go see it. It’s beautiful, mental, bizarre and distinctly British (the best parts), an existential car crash to Damascus dark delight, that’s effectively a psychedelic Deliverance (1972) set in the West Country.
I’m fairly sure there’s even a homage to the 1958 film Ice Cold in Alex starring John Mills that raised a pure smile of delight, as did the entire film.
As with any independent project, they survive by much needed support. They don’t have the deep pockets to produce the slop that hoards our minds. They have to swing big, march to the sound of their own Roland TR-909 drum beats, and stay true to their cause, not a focus group.
So yeah, get your Game on! For tonight we party.
9/10
Game is on release in the UK and Ireland from 21 November.
To support the release of the film there is a series of cast and crew Q&A screenings across the UK:
Nov 17, Watershed Bristol
Nov 18, HOME Manchester
Nov 19, Picturehouse Hackney, London
Nov 20, Curzon Soho, London
Nov 24, Broadway Nottingham
Nov 25, Tyneside Newcastle
Nov 26, Film Theatre Glasgow
Nov 27, Filmhouse Edinburgh
Nov 28, Chapter Cardiff
Dec 4, Irish Film Institute Dublin
Dec 5, Queen’s Film Theatre Belfast
Dec 11, Mockingbird Cinema Birmingham
Tickets are available here.