Ashens and the Quest for the Gamechild (2013) Reviews

• A genuinely hilarious film that lives up-to the hype

  johnedwards7122013-08-10

  I must admit that after seeing the initial trailers, each focused on an individual character, that I was slightly worried about the final product. I was worried that Chef Excellence was too much of a departure from the Tesco Value gin drinking Italian we all know and love. I worried that the film would be overloaded with secondary characters that would detract from the film. I must confess to also being worried that Stuart would be a bit wooden in the acting department. So when it was released I sat down to watch the film ready to be disappointed... but then I laughed. And again. I laughed virtually from beginning to end. My fears were completely blown out of the water within a matter of minutes. From an absolutely brilliant Bond-inspired intro sequence to the very last post-credits scene this really is a gem. Despite my initial hesitation regarding Stuart's acting ability I was pleasantly surprised. Aside from a couple of moments of woodenness on the whole he is great. He really comes across as a very likable lead and his comic timing is perfect. The rest of the cast are just as good. Dan Tomlinon played a very different Chef Excellence than we have seen before but it is a change that works. He flirts from sad to manic all in a second and his rivalry with a certain other chef is, er, brilliant. From Guru Larry and Crabstickz to Warwick Davis and Robert Llewellyn the film is full of memorable parts. The brilliant thing is that none of them outstay their welcome and slow the film down. The film always remains focused on our unlikely hero and his even more unlikely sidekick. With a script that references everything from 'The Goonies' to 'Indiana Jones' it really is a cracking film. I would even say that I enjoyed this more than recently released 'The Worlds End', which is a real testament to everyone involved with the film. Well done lads.

• Well made, quick, and funny

  crabman942013-08-09

  In a world where we have not one, but multiple "Fred" movies, it is a breath of fresh air to see a movie based off an internet character not only done well, but that is legitimately funny all throughout as well. While there are a lot of in-jokes for those who watch the Ashens youtube channel, none of them are spotlight jokes and the movie is 100% accessible to people who've never heard of Ashens. If some said that they were making a movie for youtube, it would probably be expected to be terrible and with an apparent lack of budget, but this movie is a very well made film with very solid writing, and it will simultaneously prove that movies made specifically for free viewing on youtube can be quality works while also setting the precedent. I do have to complain that the movie feels a bit rushed, it is a very quick watch and it leaves a little to be desired.

• One of the best low budget films even for non ashen fans

  davidaustinf-762-2805352013-08-11

  This really is a great movie. With a true plot and story and even without the high cost Hollywood production it still is filmed with good acting and story. A lot of passion and care was put into this film. Even if you were not a fan of Ashens famous pop station reviews you may still like this film. The film mixes real life film with little extra clay animation for a little better effect. The two main actors Ashens and chef excellence(Jeff) really do provide good acting that would not expect from a lower budget film as well as the background actors and the stage sets. Great concept/story of him going after a game boy clone the story is clear and easy to follow.

• A smart and funny ride, not exactly for everyone

  accgineu2015-01-30

  //If you haven't heard of or even seen Steward Ashens work yet, your reaction to this may be mixed.\\ Ashens and the quest for the game child was not something I was expecting to come out. When the first video about it came out, I thought it was just a joke but little did I know that it was actually serious... and that the movie would be a fun movie that makes fun of itself in the progress! Egg my house because I'm not British, but I'm proud to say that I loved watching Ashens look for a worthless video game console for one hour and 30 minutes, and without spoiling anything, the ending made me both happy and odd feeling. However, the jokes are for the most part funny, yet not all of them were very funny. Some jokes were references to some British shows I've never seen, and a few others won't be very funny if you don't get the reference. But that's this movie's fatal flaw: if you don't get the references, you won't be laughing that much. While I do recommend Ashens and the quest for the game child it has a big star sign that clearly states that this movie is not for everyone. I also thought it the claymation scene was cool, and I instantly caught on to the fact that it was done by Lee Hardcastle. The plot was a little hit and miss, sometimes it caught onto something I hadn't thought about, but most of the time it was being silly just to mock itself later. I liked the plot when it was being silly but by the time it got serious I just facepalmed. I liked it when it mocked itself but sometimes I was just left with a 'what just happened' face. So overall do I recommend Ashens and the quest for the game child? It really depends on if you get the references or not, but overall it's still very funny, and a good effort for a bit of a low budget film. (also the films now on DVD and Blu-Ray, but that's only in the UK) Pros: +Often funny plot +Funny... for the most part +Ashens is a good main character Cons: -Jokes rely too heavily on references -Ending kinda lost me -Sometimes hit and miss plot

• An "Excellent" movie, one of the best indies out there.

  moonswirly2013-08-08

  If you don't know who Stuart Ashen is, he is a YouTube celebrity from the United Kingdom that often reviews cheap "knock-off" electronics, toys, and other such things. Ashens and the Quest for the GameChild, so far as I know, is his first feature length movie, which he not only starred in, but also co-wrote, and the talent shows. The film is an extremely fun and funny ride, from start to finish. Every joke is well thought out and written, and even ones I could not get (which were honestly very few) I could laugh at. In a nutshell, the movie follows Stuart Ashen and his friend Geoff Excellence as they set out on a "quest" for the GameChild, an extremely rare rip-off of the original Nintendo GameBoy, and hilarity ensues. The movie is full of clever twists and turns, though I won't spoil it for anyone. While not many may recognize all of the actors and such working on the film, all of them are extremely talented and did really well in the film. The camera work is superb, the music is great and the set pieces are very memorable. And again, the jokes are extremely funny. Every character is extremely likable, even the villains. In fact, every character seems to have their own unique personality, charm and stand out from the background crowd, which in today's state of films, is a rarity. All in all, this was a very good indie film that many, MANY audiences could enjoy. It shows off a lot of the British reviewer's talent, as well as just being a very clever, fun and hilarious comedy. I would give it a 9.5 out of 10, missing the extra .5 because of a SLIGHTLY rushed ending, but it's still enjoyable.