I have to be honest: at this point in 2016, this is probably the best new movie I've seen yet. X-Men: Apocalypse and Suicide Squad were fun (though flawed) and The BFG was wonderful, but Nerve was absolutely and completely satisfying. The critical voice inside my head was silent the entire time and I was hanging on to the arms of my chair and holding my breath because it's just that gripping and that good. The trailers I'd seen had prepared me for what looked to be a good movie, but I could not have prepared myself for the thriller that this was.
And at the end of the day, I really don't have any criticisms for this...that's rare for me.
The only things I can say are good because there is so much good in this film. The entire cast was perfect and their characters were people you cared about. Usually I find most teenage characters in movies completely annoying because they're played so stereo-typically. But in here, they feel real and at the end of the day, you understand why they do the things they do. They're easy to connect with and played with such honesty.
Emma Roberts and Dave Franco as Venus (Vee) and Ian are especially compelling. Seeing them work and develop together is wonderful. Vee wants to go to CalArts for photography, but holds back because of her mother. This holding back is reflected when her friends first tell her to play Nerve, which makes her choice to become a player even more powerful. Because of this choice, she slowly but surely loses her hesitancy and discovers her own courage and strength of will. She starts becoming the person she dreamed of being - and all without being a Mary Sue! As for Ian, he's not your typical YA throwaway love interest, nor an Edward Cullen or a Draco Malfoy in leather pants. He's a daring yet friendly guy, someone you could easily picture in the real world. He also doesn't hover over Vee. Instead, he acts as a guide, acknowledging her fear and inexperience yet still able to give her the push she needs to continue the game. On top of that, he's not a crazed, thrill-seeking junkie - he knows the dares in Nerve can be dangerous and have extreme consequences. This knowledge gives him personal responsibility that many other players of the game probably don't have.
Everyone else in the supporting cast, including Vee's friends (Emily Meade, Miles Heizer, Kimiko Glen, and Samira Wiley), Vee's mother (Juliette Lewis), and a fellow player (Colson "Machine Gun Kelly" Baker) deliver great performances. Not a single one of their characters is put to waste and they are just as believable as the main stars.
But cast and characters aside, there are several other aspects of this film that are just as wonderful. The soundtrack, for starters, is perfect, with modern pop songs and synths that are reminiscent of the 80's help drive the exhilarating rush in this film. The lighting is fantastic, with lots of strong, brightly colored neon and the sets/locations are perfect all throughout.
The subject matter of this movie is what makes this more than just a typical action-packed summer movie. The dare game of Nerve is not completely outside the realm of possibility. The infamous dark web is full of shocking and horrifying things - including games - that are similar in tone and with the popularity of apps and challenges, it's not hard to imagine something like Nerve existing. In fact, an app called Periscope which allows a user to tweet a link to Live Stream videos that can be liked by observers already does half of what Nerve does (minus the dares and financial incentives). This film also brings about the ramifications of what we choose to support on the internet and the double-edged sword of anonymity without being overly preachy. Especially in the climax, this message is hammered home with stark clarity and makes this thriller poignant and ponderous as well.
This is not a film to be looked over. I cannot recommend it enough. It is literally one of the best cinematic experiences I've ever had and I'm already dying to see it again and again. It's got intense action, amazing characters, incredible production design, a fitting soundtrack, and a message that's incredibly relevant in this day and age.
~Maud,
Official Night Owl
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