Surviving The Game

I recently had the opportunity to attend the world premiere of the short film Most Dangerous Game, a faithful and exciting take on the classic story from director Dustin Hawkins and screenwriter Travis Buck. While watching this superior effort, I was reminded of different adaptations of this tale and just how many of them were released in the 90's. Everyone from Jean Claude Van Damme, with Hard Target, to John Leguizamo, with The Pest, tackled Richard Connell's classic story with middling results. One of the more memorable attempts in that decade was director Ernest Dickerson's 1994 flick Surviving The Game.

Ice T stars as a homeless man who is at the end of his rope and decides to end it all. A soup kitchen volunteer, Charles S. Dutton, saves him from a suicide attempt and introduces him to a businessman, Rutgar Hauer, who offers him a job as a hunting guide. Ice T is leary about this at first, since he has no hunting expertise. But the thought of having a paycheck lures him in.

He is taking to remote cabin in the middle of a forest and is introduced to the hunting party, which includes Gary Busey, F. Murray Abraham, John C. McGinley, and William McNamara. The group enjoy an evening of a nice meal, fine cigars, good conversation, and male bonding. The next morning however, Ice T has a rude awakening with Hauer pointing a rifle to his head. He explains to Ice that he is actually the one that will be hunted. Hauer gives him a head start and it's up to T to put his street survival skills to use in the wooded terrain.

I will admit, I think Ice T is a good actor, but he isn't really an action star and kind of struggles to fit the Rambo mold that this film requires. Hauer, as always, is terrific as the psychotic ring leader. The supporting cast is quite good as well and helps elevate this movie from being a mindless actioner.

Surviving The Game isn't a great movie, but the terrific cast and it's fast pace make it worth a look.

It's available on dvd.