10 /10

Warning: Spoilers

And now for my officially unofficial Uno: The Movie review. First entering the website, I was both excited and filled with trepidation regarding the upcoming movie I was about to sit down to. While the production company in question was tied to one that had had success in the film business before, they themselves had little to no experience. Could they successfully capture the heart and soul of what makes for a good movie going experience? Could they wow us with moments of passion and develop a strong enough bond to make us care about the plight of the characters? All I can say is that I advise you to watch the movie first before having it spoiled by this review, as the Achievement Hunter production team has made what will undoubtedly be regarded as a timeless classic for years to come.....



Uno: The Movie is the tale of four co-workers having a bitter rivalry that can only be decided one way; by playing Uno. These four brave men, Goeff, (Geoff Ramsey), Gavino, (Gavin Free), Mr. J, (Jeremy Dooley), and The Mad King, (Ryan Haywood). Throughout the course of the film, we laugh and we cry as these friends slowly anger each other one moment after the other as they each do everything in their power to stop the others from getting even a moment's advantage. They strike with all their might, and we feel the joy and sorrow as luck comes and goes. In time, the battle becomes so fierce and exhausting that they begin to lose faith that it will ever reach a conclusion, and one member, (The Mad King), is forced to make a choice between his family, and the game. Staying as long as he is able, he fights valiantly, but must eventually take his leave, showing that even Dark Gods put their loved ones first. In his place though comes a fifth challenger, Jack, (Jack Patillo), watching, and waiting, from the sidelines to have his attempt at glory. From this point on, the match only becomes more tense. Lines are crossed, and enemies are made. The grueling battle ever more seems like it'll never end, and those who remain are forced to make the same choices that prevented their companion from staying. However, they stand strong, putting their wives, kittens, and video games on hold until the victor is decided. Hearing one of the cast members, a "Mr. J", making a phone call to his wife, (played by actor Jeremy Dooley's actual spouse), is one of the most heart breaking moments in recent cinema......



Throughout the entire movie, you can hear as the battle wears the cast down, bit by bit. They fight valiantly, yet all hope slowly drains from their bodies as their souls are crushed. In spite of the strain, they still refuse to give up, never showing a moment of weakness. In time however, even gods fall to the ages, and they finally begin to see that maybe winning isn't everything. Though they still fight, they begin to cheer on their competitors and see that perhaps they have more in common than they originally thought. By the time the final moments are upon us, they finally see what we audience members could see from the beginning. That maybe, working together is more beneficial than needles suffering. The game comes town to a final hand, Gavino is primed to be the winner, and Mr. J is going all in to ensure his victory. Goeff however can't resist the urge to try for himself, and all seems lost when Mr. J is forced to call Uno a few rounds later. Having few options, the situation is turned so that Mr. J has a choice. Win the hand and potentially win the match, or throw it away and hope to engineer Gavino's sure victory. With his co-worker's supporting words, he lays down his final card...



...and cheers erupt from the four members of the cast as the score ticks over to victory for Mr. J. The moment is heartwarming and exhilarating, as the cast cheers loudly in celebration, more excited and happy than they have been at any prior point in their lives. This moment of triumph, and example of how the worst of hardships bring even the most venomous of foes together, is only strengthened even more during the credit sequence that brings back the entire cast to sing a joyous song. Doubly so, when the supporting cast is brought in from behind the scenes, (aside from Jeremy's wife, who was unable to reprise her performance due to time constraints), to join in as the chorus.....



In summary, this movie goes from an exhilarating drama full of excitement, to a somber story about the dangers of war and unwillingness to give ground, only to finish it up by giving us a thrilling conclusion that had the cast giving their best performance by far. You'd swear by the levels of excitement that they show at the end, that they were actually experiencing the fatigue from a never-ending Uno match, rather than simply being actors playing roles in a movie. This story of camaraderie forming from the least expected of places, after such a long war of attrition, is one that will be shown for years to come as a masterpiece of film making. It is an absolute must watch for any aspiring film student or actor, showing that even simple visuals and casual dialog can make for a gut-wrenching experience for the audience. Throughout the movie, I laughed with these characters, I cried with them, and I was on the edge of my seat for every moment, enthralled to see what would come next. A must see for audience members of all ages, and definitely a classic in the making......