Film Review: NERVE

It’s the age of reality shows and selfies, and in ‘Nerve’ we have a young adult flick to challenge the most bizarre reality show.

Venus, aka Vee (Emma Roberts, niece of Julia Roberts) is an introverted high school teenager who is rejected by her crush JP. On the rebound, and aided by her friend  Sidney (Emily Meade),  she signs up for an online app game ‘Nerve’ where contestants are ‘players’ and the passive ones are ‘watchers’. Spurred on by the ‘watchers’, the challenge for the ‘players’ is to accept the ‘dares’ (challengers) in lieu of money. The ‘dares’ escalate in audacity and risks, from kissing a stranger to riding a bike blindfolded to crossing over to a building on a ladder suspended several storeys above ground-level.

The watchers’ online hits go viral and gives her the necessary impetus. The stranger Ian (Dave Franco) becomes her partner in the various ‘dares’ as the game moves to a nerve-racking climax and their ‘dares’ transport them from one corner of New York to Staten Island.

The film’s more in the genre of a techno-thriller with some fine special effects.  Adapted by Jessica  Sharzer from Jeanne Ryan’s 2012 novel,  the film is slick and moves at a  watchable pace with the viewer having no option but to feel part of the ‘watchers’. Blame it on the internet if you may, but games like Nerve will certainly act as a stimulus and leverage for those against the vices of online technology.

The film hits a couple of sore spots —  even after Vee complains to a police officer, the latter with an impassive face does not react; also the ‘watchers’ , despite this being a top-secret game, openly record the goings-on in full view of one and all.

Emma Roberts is outstanding as Vee, the teenager spurned by her crush out to prove a point.