Kermode Uncut: Game over...and over

[@TheBlackSpiral]

Kermode, you rock. There. Someone had to say it.

[@gipro1]

Why is this seemingly basic wisdom so damn hard to come by now a day?

[@vikramtg1015]

For someone who is often branded to be part of the "PC left" Dr K is one of the least reactionary and most open minded voices out there. Even when he absolutely hates a film he doesn't ever call for censorship or outright banning of a film. Props really do go to Dr K for it.

[@GeeksLifeLuxembourg]

Wow. Times really are not changing.

[@Anophathalm]

One of many reasons why I respect and value Mr. Kermode so much. He simply is the best working journalist in the entertainment field to date, period. :)

[@liamj2363]

I find the fact that Activision & Infinity Ward get away with churning out the same game every year for full price far more offensive than any content in the game.

[@MCHellshit]

Liam J They're not getting away with anything. If people keep buying em, they're going to keep making em. Consumerism is a two-way system. I know this is a year old comment but this is a common complaint so I felt I should address it.

[@agentk1986]

If these politicians want to go after someone, go after Video game retail outlets and make them enforce the ratings or face a fine or jail sentence, like any store that sells tobacco or alcohol.

[@Remus0387]

Having only recently discovered your article on the Guardian Mark, I'm glad that you stood up for video games comparing the outrage of them to the video nasties of the 80's. You and Charlie Brooker are two of my favourite critics, it's a shame that you got trashed in an article about someone demonizing games to support their agenda.

[@gurudeclan]

How did such moderate and reasonable journalism get through the BBC filtering system?

[@gavinmackie5185]

gurudeclan He has too good a reputation to be censored by the BBC. A storm would have been kicked up if he had been censored. :)

[@SargonofAkkad]

Prophetic.

[@ddew]

Sargon of Akkad Not to mention that it's concerns from a well-respected media critic from BBC of all places. A network that many on social media has blamed for the rise of this "culture war".

[@ArDoR1985]

Sargon of Akkad 2010? I wonder what he's thinking today! :D

[@FlintDragoon]

Sargon of Akkad The Awakening has to start sooner or later.

[@lexymordio1928]

Sargon of Akkad The guardian again -_-

[@30daytytdetox26]

Guillaume Berube I've been listening to his podcast for about 10 years now - he's let the feminism of the film industry seep in to his commentary at times but his rants are still legendary.

[@TI994]

Great point Mark.

[@henrya3530]

So long as there is little risk of litigation many journalists will follow the time-honoured tradition of not letting the facts get in the way of a good story.

[@murraymach3]

I've pretty much never agreed with Kermode on any review he's ever done. However, when it comes to analysing cultural opinions and the state of the industry in general, he is top fucking notch. Well said Mark.

[@FalconPunch256]

@MrBoBoTom I TOTALLY AGREE. Kermode, also play the games Ico and Shadow of the Colossus,they are truly works of art.

[@MJStone1974]

Thank you Dr K for having such good common sense. As for nobody caring about computer games, give or take a few weeks Modern Warfare 2 has made as much money as Avatar has and while Avatar will eventually leave the cinema the game will still be on the shelf and available to buy. I would say that the next video nasty is likely to be Kick Ass which is already causing trouble in Australia due to the red band trailer which Fox politely put on their website without any age restriction.

[@jonathanmelia]

I don't agree that when the barrister said 'So was the invasion of Poland', it meant that Derek Malcolm was a closet Nazi for saying NIGHTMARES IN A DAMAGED BRAIN was 'well-executed'. What he meant was that something's 'effectiveness' isn't a satisfactory benchmark for it being any good. Mark has often got annoyed at 'well-executed' films which conflict with his moral outlook: THE DEERHUNTER and BLUE VELVET spring to mind (at least until he saw the latter for the second time). Of course the good doctor would never call for THE DEERHUNTER to be banned (or BIRTH OF A NATION for that matter) and quite rightly; but in essence the barrister's point is valid: don't just think about 'how' something is created: think about 'why'. I once got into an argument with a Lloyd Webber fan who said, 'Well, he gives the public what they want.' I said, 'So did Hitler'! I didn't mean musicals fans were Nazis, just that it isn't good enough to judge something in terms of its popularity.

[@jhuan0]

I was a little shocked by the terrorist sequence in the game. BUT it is the same old argument about blaming the films, music or now games. It didnt make sense then and it doesnt now.

[@AltereggoLol1]

I had to check the date. He'd probably get in a lot of trouble for saying this today.

[@petertyson2]

To put it simply anyone who has ever blamed video nasties or violent video games for their criminal acts would have to have had mental health issues in the first place as far as I'm concerned. All the outrage and backlash against video games and video nasties comes from people who don't understand either of these things, a simple case of middle england getting it's knickers in a twist yet again about trivial affairs.

[@GabarTheGreat]

@DulBeat Videogames are unique, they don't need to be interactive films or playthings but the fact that some of them are means that they are making a hell of alot more money than films, some of which is put to decent artistic endeavour.

[@attben]

@Wonkylenny you sir, are a legend.

[@blokey8]

It's like the old debate over teenagers and heavy metal; no one really notices the vast majority of say, Slipknot fans who blast "People = Sh*t" and, because they let off steam like that, don't feel the need to pick up a gun. Sadly, there'll always be people who lack perspective.

[@Jcolinsol]

Ah, so it does have a deleterious effect on people. But seriously, games are perhaps the most perfect artistic medium man has yet invented. People behave violently because of their past traumas, not because they are exposed to art. Violence has more to do with coercive child-rearing behavior on the part of parents, than the art that gives kids comfort.

[@Toosimoo]

Its sad when Games like Call of duty are held up as an example of the medium as a whole when 80% of games released have no violent content, i wonder how that compares to films, tv and even books?

[@Gaalsien]

If "no russian" should be criticised for anything it's that it exploits the gratuitous violence to ellicit an emotional response out of the player with all the subtlety of a brick. It doesn't condone the violence at any point.

[@Colt2571]

how the hell should i know?

[@FalconPunch256]

I am a film, game, and literature critic. I've played games ever since i was a kid, starting with the gamecube. Out of school, play, and character education- the only thing that taught me higher level thinking was Bioware and Nintendo- the movie that taught me perspective was Memento- the book that taught me of social decay was Watchmen. I was more philosophical and inquisitive than every other kid in my grade and grades above me at the age of 11. Video games are an extension, beyond film, ofart

[@Jcolinsol]

You are assuming that games have the same effect on the brain as real world experiences, which is simply not the case. Videogames are a form of play, and like all games, they are a way for children to actively learn boundaries. When it comes down to it, violence is learned from ones interactions with their parents. If the parent behaves coercively towards their child, if the parent does not consult and respect their childrens preferences, the child will learn those behaviors.

[@Yorosero]

If pointing out a mistake is an argument then saying the moon is round is also one. Someone who can't differentiate between a statement and an argument, and is still oblivious to the mistake after being corrected, should not be deserving of my full consideration. However, as I have previously pointed out, understanding psyche of people like you is a goal of mine.

[@Colt2571]

@edobriensgrin video games are not art because the purpose of the game is to win, not to be enlightened, like art aims to do...the basic function of a videogame is to WIN the game, that is all, everything else is merely side effect, secondary....the function of art is to enlighten, HUGE difference.

[@Dagrond]

I've met people like the writer you mention; those that are good are directing the mass hysteria in some way. If you find an effective way of dealing with them let me know. Right now all I do is ignore them and continue to try to reach the more intelligent sectors.

[@yellinginmyear]

abso-fucking-lutley. I'd like to echo this sentiment, and yes, MF2 isn't a bad game, acctually it's really quite an exciting ride (very much like a videogame aproximation of a big-budget hollywood action flick) but there is a side to video games that is slowly blossoming, and that's the creative side. As has been said, video games are in their infancy, and I see good things in the future, and I don;t -hope- it gets more creative, I -KNOW- it'll get more creative, media hysteria or not.

[@edobriensgrin]

@DulBeat how can anyone who claims to be a former 'avid gamer' not recognise that games can be art? What about Zelda, Bioshock or Fallout (for example)? LoZOoT is the Citizen Kane of video games.

[@Colt2571]

@CreatureDrumNBass videogames are not an art form, because the primary function of a game is to WIN, to best an opponent...no different than chess or cards...

[@Colt2571]

@DulBeat yes

[@scudder91]

yeah, no one does a straw man like the moral majority. no one does guilt by association like the moral majority. you can set your chuffing clock by it.

[@Colt2571]

@lmen1990 no, they are not...video games are not, and will never be art...because they will always inherently be games, and games are not art...the basic function of a game is to best an opponent...art's main function is to enlighten the maker and the viewer...HUGE difference

[@tiamat2009yt]

Interesting video, I agree what mark says, but then upon fnding the online response, www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/dec/16/adult-videogames-sexual-violence-women, my opinion changed a bit when I discovered that the game ms. hill was talking about was a game that let you gang rape children. Sorry but she is right. That kind of thing shouldn't be allowed, we're not talking here about call of duty or wolfenstein. There may well be fans of such games, but fans of such games are not people we should be listening to. They should be getting help in psychiatric hospitals. Also I think listening to fans is fine, if they are articulate, thoughtful, and self-critical as mark is, but in the lot of the cases we're talking about teenagers and young children, who don't have kermode's knowledege, experience, or age to guide and inform their views and actions.

[@olliehemming17]

Yeah but Mark's point was highlighting games with proper BBFC certification.

[@TheMogul23]

+tiamat2009yt I think you are missing the point. Mark never defended this game, he'd never even heard of it. Probably because it is quite rightly illegal and completely unavailable in the UK. Trying to link such filth to other games with full BBFC approval is a ridiculous and unfair comparison. It would be like blaming the entire film industry for the existence of child porn. The two things are not related and to try to use one to blacklist the opinions of anyone about the other is basically slander. Also +welshy46, there is no mention of either racism or feminism in the above video or previous comment. Please stop trying to derail interesting conversations to instead be about your own unrelated bizarre wackjob theories.

[@Colt2571]

@TheHappydead no they're not...the primary function of games is, was and always will be to WIN, to best an opponent through strategy, that is not art (nothing wrong with it, but its not art)...art's function is to enlighten, the maker and the viewer...artistry goes into making games, but artistry also goes into winning a slam dunk contest...but its still just a fucking basketball game...

[@aderussell455]

The women: Jacqueline Hunt, the London director of Equality Now, an international women's rights organisation. The game: RapeLay, a japanese rape simulator. The article: childish and reactionary.

[@Yorosero]

@FalconPunch256 Good choice.

[@Colt2571]

then it's not a game

[@Colt2571]

@lmen1990 storylines for games is nothing new, dates back to the late 70s..and story in a video game is merely to drag the experience along, it does not elevate to cinema. the primary aim of Metal Gear Solid is the same as it is for Pong...to win, to best an opponent, which is why it remains a game and not art. you cannot change the primary function of video games, which is what separates them from art...games can have artistry in them, like the design for a pair of jeans, but they are not art.

[@Goochbot]

Majoras Mask is another.

[@Yorosero]

You have just reaffirmed my accusation that you can't read. Where have I attacked your grammar? Moreover grammar is not spelling so your whole comment, which had the potential to really sting me, fails hilariously. Oh, and you forgot to place a comma after "oh", just thought you should know lol.

[@Colt2571]

@DulBeat exactly, these gamers are just trying to validate their hobby...the primary function of a video game, like all games, is to WIN, to best an opponent, whether real or computer...the primary function of art is to enlighten...both the maker and the viewer...video games do none of this...artistry goes into making these games, but so does making clothes, but you wouldn't call a fucking pair of jeans, art, because they're made to be worn

[@theParrotForeign]

COD isnt really violent, there are far more twisted and violent games