The Gamers: Dorkness Rising

About 5 years ago my brother Jim discovered the first Gamers film at our local Sci-Fi / Gaming convention that we attend every year. He watched with his gaming friends, and it became an instant frighteningly quotable hit amongst his group. It was a great idea made on a shoestring budget, written and directed by Matt Vancil and produced by fledgling independent movie company Dead Gentlemen Productions. Jim called me and told me I had to see it since both Jim and I had been gamers ourselves for years, so I borrowed his copy and almost became as attached to the DVD as Smeagul was to the ring…And we all know what happened to HIS brother…

So years later news of a sequel hit the internet and gamers across the country let out a mighty HUZZAH! But fans would only be able to screen the film at conventions for a while since the Dead Gentlemen were on a real life module called “The Quest for a Distributor”, it was not until the summer of 2008 The Gamers: Dorkness Rising found a home with Anthem Pictures and is now availible on DVD for Geeks around the world to behold. Shot in High Definition and presented in 1.85:1 aspect ratio The sequel to the cult phenomenon has some nice production value behind it, though still low budget to be sure Dorkness Rising is a nice step up from the Gamers modest beginnings.

The film opens with a T.P.W. (Total Party Wipeout) in the midst of a long campaign that the gamers have attempted twice at this point only to be taken out by the big bad guy Mort Kemnon (Geoff Gibbs), who was so over the top, his performance could only have been inspired by Jeremy Irons as Profion in the Dungeons & Dragons movie. With only three players adventuring through his module, Cass (Brian Lewis) who plays a thief, Gary (Christian Doyle) who plays a priest of light, and Leo (Scott C. Brown) who plays the fighter, Game Master Kevin Lodge decides to add another player or two to help the gamer’s chances. However, everyone he asks refuses to join them since the gaming group has a reputation for rules fighting and certain members taking the game a bit too seriously. With no other options Joanna (Carol Roscoe) , Cass’s ex-girlfriend joins the group as a first time player.
Now anyone reading this who is not a gamer should know that female gamers are rare indeed, so much so, that they had placed a very appropriate scene in the film where Joanna enters the game store where the group meets to play every week. It’s her first night joining the group and guys all around the store look up from their rule books and poke their heads from around shelves mouths a gape at the sight of a female within the game store.

There is also a sub-plot about Kevin working to be a published writer but is suffering from writer’s block brought on by his frustration with his players who continue to stray from his story line and refuse to roleplay out any encounters thrown at them. Hacking, slaying and lusting through Kevin’s caefully crafted world, unthinking until there is treasure or wenches to be taken.

Once Joanna joins the group the Gamer’s introduce their new characters. Cass plays a Kung-Fu fighting Monk named Brother Silence, Leo decides to go from Fighter to Bard trading in his sword for a lute “How different can they be?” The most fun character change was Gary’s as he decides to play a woman. This was shot very cleverly with the character of Luster the sorceress being played by both Christian Doyle in drag and shifting to actress Jennifer Page when ever he remembers he is playing a woman. Joanna presents her first character Daphne, and reads her stats off to the group with nervous pride and gets the “newbee treatment” the gamers hoot and cheer sarcastically at Joanna’s choices for her warrior character’s skills, choosing intellegence and charisma over stregnth and constitution (brains over brawn). GM Kevin also adds his own character into the mix, an NPC Paladin (Sir Osric) which he created and placed in the party strictly to keep them on track and not to stray from his plot. The gamers are not happy with this “Babysitter” being added to the team and spend most of their time working to find ways to commit their not-so-good acts behind the noble knight’s back.

As the gamers begin their quest yet again,the addition of Joanna brings a new dimension to the group that causes both inspiration for Kevin and more in-fighting for Cass and crew. Dispite all their differences can they finally complete the quest?

The roleplaying clichés hit hard and fast. Some highlights would be the Bard trying to calm an angry pack of Goblins with song, The party tricking the Lawful good character (Sir Osric) who cannot allow evil to happen in his presence, to leave the room so the other characters can tourture a captive, Fire blasting a pesant who is begging for food on the road to town, and the male players rolling dice to see if they can seduce pretty much every female character in the game. Bits like these and many others keep those in the know in stitches, but also using the character of Joanna as the newbee keeps the non-gamers informed as well. The film is full of great gaming moments that all roleplayers experienced at one time or another, which definitely makes the Gamers: Dorkness Rising a must see film for Gamers but it is also a great film for those curious about roleplaying games and what goes on in those smelly basements every Friday night…

Extras Include an Outtakes reel, the “Dorkness” Screening, a Behind the sceenes featurette, and the trailer. It also comes as a widescreen edition.



So Gamer's you keep rolling those dice. I'm hoping for a third movie, which is probably pushing it, although with Geek culture still on the upswing, let's talk trillogy!