Frag (2008)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Mike Pasley

Genre:

Documentary

Tagline:

Pro gaming is about to explode...and no one is safe

Plot:

Below the surface of a simple game is an underbelly of corruption, money, partying, drugs, and even death.

Plot Keywords:

Video Arcade | Game Designer | Arcade | Video Game | Independent Film

Cast

Michal Blicharz	...	Himself
Rafik Bryant	...	Himself
Angel Munoz	...	Himself
Daniel Serna	...	Himself
Johnathan Wendel	...	Himself

Runtime:

USA:88 min | USA:88 min (original version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (HDCAM)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Company:

Cohesion Productions

A fairly pedestrian effort.

I don't play a lot of video games, but this looked like an interesting doc and certainly a decent waste of my time. After all, times are changing, new revenue streams are always opening, and new careers and incomes are developed. Often times the best documentaries are on subjects you either have no knowledge about, or subjects that seem uninteresting. For example, Spellbound, a doc on spelling bees is amazing.

However, Frag, does not deliver. It's far too long with its running time of just under an hour and a half. It was simply bloated and did not deliver. Where were the hard hitting answers to the problems it raised? Drugs, corruption in the corporate ranks etc… While some of the gamers themselves were interesting, not enough was spent on them and their lives. (With the exception of Rafik; but Rafik was easily the most interesting, and a whole doc could be made on him alone and his struggles.) I'm sure this will appeal to most hardcore gamers, but I have a hard time seeing this develop a following like Air Guitar Nation or King of Kong, or remembered years down the line.