credit: Funhouse
People love reality shows, right? It’s when they get too real that folks start questioning, sometimes. Unfortunately, people love mayhem, carnage, and struggle as much as they think they love heroism, good news, and triumphs. The masses like controversy and the ability to watch the misery of others for a bit of entertainment and to make themselves feel better at times. That sounds pretty cynical, right? Unfortunately, Funhouse makes this point quite joyfully with a group of contestants that are all former or disgraced celebrities selected by an eccentric billionaire to play a deadly game of survival. The billionaire’s idea of what society should be has prompted him to perform this social experiment that shows how much the general public enjoys watching gruesome spectacles. Of course, the kind of money he’s offering to the winner of this show is tempting enough for any down-on-their-luck actor, and the commentary on said deadbeat celebrities is enough to make it evident that many of those selected would do anything to change their lives around.
This movie is kind of a cynical look at celebrities, but it’s not entirely inaccurate.
credit: Funhouse
One has to remember that there are plenty of celebrities in the real world that would likely do just about anything that might elevate their status.
To be fair, many celebrities suffering these days and would love to get their reputations back wouldn’t stoop this low, we hope. The contestants brought into this game aren’t even aware of what they’re signing, but upon waking up in a home stocked with food, drink, and exciting company, each one of them became aware that something was amiss. Once their benefactor announced himself, anonymously through a cartoon panda no less, it became a little more evident that they would be a part of something that might set them back on top. Of course, they didn’t realize they’d have to hit rock bottom to get there.
The guards are way creepier than the main villain.
Several grown men wearing suits and giant, geometric panda masks, armed with automatic weapons and instructed not to speak to the contestants, but to keep them supplied, is kind of intimidating in a big way. Given that money can buy loyalty a lot of times, it’s not hard to think that the armed men have been paid well for their services and that all of them are likely the types of individuals who enjoy this type of work and aren’t going to hesitate to do as they’re ordered. That kind of loyalty, which comes at a price, is still scary since it means that the contestants couldn’t possibly change the minds of the men if they tried or offered anything else. The creepy cartoon panda the villain uses to keep the contestants informed is still creepy as hell, especially when it’s allowed to attain a demonic form. The contestants are well aware that something isn’t right, but when it comes to showing off for the public, they’re all in as far as showing people why they’re worth voting for.
credit: Funhouse
The response from the public is beyond horrible.
A few other movies have used the public as a murder weapon when trying to kill someone. Untraceable with Diane Lane and Colin Hanks comes to mind since another individual did roughly the same thing; only his targets were those who had something to do with his father’s suicide. This movie has more to do with the fact that the billionaire who is controlling the game sees it as his duty to rid the world of the vapid and uninteresting folks who are trying to be famous by doing the least amount of work possible. It might be controversial, but he does have a point since there are way too many people these days who get famous for simply being ridiculous enough to get the attention of others. But the idea of murdering people simply because they’re ridiculous feels a little harsh, especially if there are better aspects that can be brought to light. The headstone was a good example since he had a daughter he was trying to do right by.
This movie delivers a lesson and a few thrills that are also suitable lessons about society.
When one really thinks about it, the amount of power that the public has can be horrifying since public opinion is allowed to sway a significant number of decisions when it comes to everything from fashion to politics. But the fact is that a lot of decisions come down to who has the authority, who has the power, and sometimes, who has the money to make things possible. The best that some people can do is try to survive the kind of machinations that the public will gladly cheer for since they see only part of the picture and not the whole thing.
It was a fun movie with a lot of real-world implications.
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