Mazes And Monsters is a film about two controversies... the first very much of it's time, the second (not of it's own making) would only be apparent decades later. Let's get the more recent one out of the way: there is a lengthy scene set in the now destroyed World Trade Centre. This is probably enough to stop it ever being shown on American television ever again. No big loss there, let me assure you.
The main thrust of the story though, regards Dungeons And Dragons (Name changed to avoid a long courtroom battle), which was a huge craze back then, only matched by the paranoia of parents and preachers who thought it encouraged Satanism and campaigned voraciously against it. All stuff and nonsense of course, but nowhere near as daft as what is on display here... as Tom Hanks loses his mind, and goes on a quest to find his long-lost brother.
Whether the movie blames his mental breakdown on the board game or views it as an innocent party (The same way a bit of Grand Theft Auto wouldn't lead you to steal cars and mow old ladies over, unless you had something pretty sick lurking inside you already) I don't know. What I am quite certain of is that Mr Hanks would love to round up every copy of this junk, attach a large weight to it and hurl them down into the Bottomless Pit Of Dross, never to be seen again.
I mean, let's look at what he gets up to. He starts having a few fun sessions of fantasy role-playing with his friends, and starts a relationship with a fellow female gamer. But before he knows it, his mates have got tired of the tabletop version, and transplant it to a REAL LIFE setting... in some conveniently nearby abandoned caverns. Here's where Hanks goes completely loco: During a particularly intense moment in the dark while playing, he reimagines himself as his fictional character: a 9th level priest. He breaks up with his girlfriend to be 'pure', gives away all his possessions and starts blessing everyone. Then, one Halloween night... he just disappears.
Where has he gone? Why, New York of course... in search of the mythical Twin Towers (and yes, that IS a Tolkien reference) to hurl himself off the top. Along the way, he stabs a mugger to death he thinks is a monster, and gets directions from a hobo whom he believes is The King Of France. It's just like a giant reinterpretation of Knightmare... except, the dungeoneer is a complete fruit loop. This is all very, very silly... but played totally straight by Hanks & Co, who may be labouring under the misapprehension they're making a serious cautionary tale. I think one look at the rather sorry finished article may be enough to change their deluded minds.
In different hands, this may have had some saving grace as a cult film... but most of the time it's just deathly dull, and the moments that aren't are too stupid even to be appreciated by lovers of camp. AND STOP PLAYING THAT GODAWFUL LOVE SONG WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING IN THE MOVIE ALREADY!!
When Hanks retires, and his colleagues hold a reception in his honour..., expect clips of this to end up in a compilation of his 'best work'... you know, as kind of an inside joke. Hanks's reaction? He'll smile, laugh and move swiftly on. Being the consummate professional he is. But really, he'll be absolutely mortified. Never mind Tommo, we've all gotta start somewhere... 3/10
The main thrust of the story though, regards Dungeons And Dragons (Name changed to avoid a long courtroom battle), which was a huge craze back then, only matched by the paranoia of parents and preachers who thought it encouraged Satanism and campaigned voraciously against it. All stuff and nonsense of course, but nowhere near as daft as what is on display here... as Tom Hanks loses his mind, and goes on a quest to find his long-lost brother.
Whether the movie blames his mental breakdown on the board game or views it as an innocent party (The same way a bit of Grand Theft Auto wouldn't lead you to steal cars and mow old ladies over, unless you had something pretty sick lurking inside you already) I don't know. What I am quite certain of is that Mr Hanks would love to round up every copy of this junk, attach a large weight to it and hurl them down into the Bottomless Pit Of Dross, never to be seen again.
I mean, let's look at what he gets up to. He starts having a few fun sessions of fantasy role-playing with his friends, and starts a relationship with a fellow female gamer. But before he knows it, his mates have got tired of the tabletop version, and transplant it to a REAL LIFE setting... in some conveniently nearby abandoned caverns. Here's where Hanks goes completely loco: During a particularly intense moment in the dark while playing, he reimagines himself as his fictional character: a 9th level priest. He breaks up with his girlfriend to be 'pure', gives away all his possessions and starts blessing everyone. Then, one Halloween night... he just disappears.
Where has he gone? Why, New York of course... in search of the mythical Twin Towers (and yes, that IS a Tolkien reference) to hurl himself off the top. Along the way, he stabs a mugger to death he thinks is a monster, and gets directions from a hobo whom he believes is The King Of France. It's just like a giant reinterpretation of Knightmare... except, the dungeoneer is a complete fruit loop. This is all very, very silly... but played totally straight by Hanks & Co, who may be labouring under the misapprehension they're making a serious cautionary tale. I think one look at the rather sorry finished article may be enough to change their deluded minds.
In different hands, this may have had some saving grace as a cult film... but most of the time it's just deathly dull, and the moments that aren't are too stupid even to be appreciated by lovers of camp. AND STOP PLAYING THAT GODAWFUL LOVE SONG WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING IN THE MOVIE ALREADY!!
When Hanks retires, and his colleagues hold a reception in his honour..., expect clips of this to end up in a compilation of his 'best work'... you know, as kind of an inside joke. Hanks's reaction? He'll smile, laugh and move swiftly on. Being the consummate professional he is. But really, he'll be absolutely mortified. Never mind Tommo, we've all gotta start somewhere... 3/10