Traders (2016)

To me, this movie is perfection.

Memorable, crazy movie

it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

After getting downsized from high paying jobs two employees have different ideas to survive. Harry Fox (Killian Scott) becomes a data entry technician for 24K a year, not enough to pay for his apartment. Vernon Stynes (John Bradley- poor man's Jonah Hill) decides to become a web designer with enhanced search. Vernon doesn't fair to well, living with mom, opts to open a page on the dark web where people down on their luck, sell everything they own, and gamble the money on a death match with someone with the same amount. Vernon calls it "Trading." The first fight is Vernon vs Harry. Vernon nearly gets killed as harry spares him and nurses him back to heath. Meanwhile Harry sets up fights as his funds run low.One of the nice things of the film is that it had a unique plot making it unable to predict where it will go. On the down side is Killian Scott's character. the lead character, had no personality making the film unnecessarily boring when it should be exciting.Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity. While this is an Irish film, the accents are not thick.

This is a total guy movie. I can see this movie being a cult favorite. I never heard of it. I watch it. And the story is so unusual and compelling. Some may compare this to Fight Club, but I don't think so. This is so much better. The only problem is they should have let him kill the girl. Equality and all. I can see this having a Traders II. Just watch it. And go beyond the first five minutes. I almost didn't. I'm glad I watched the whole thing.

I had low expectations based on this film's rating and synopsis but was pleasantly surprised. The plot sounded too dark, impersonal, and unrealistic to be any better than your everyday shock-value indie horror film. However, the idea of ordinary people voluntarily meeting up via the dark web to fight to the death in hopes of doubling their life's savings was just too enticing. The narrator and main character Kevin Fox played by Killian Scott (who I've never seen before) really pulls you in by somehow making the whole world of p2p mutual combatants seem feasible among those who are in financial despair. Then, he takes you along for the downward spiral that ensues when such a world becomes difficult to leave behind. Some of the lines in his narration are so well-written, ironic, and humorously delivered that they alone make the movie worth watching. I hope to see more of that lad! The film also has a way of warming you up before things turn too sinister. Once the ball gets rolling, the writers manage to mix in comedic relief without being campy. There is also good character development which sets it apart from other movies with similar themes. This is despite your initial rejection of John Bradley (Sam from Game of Thrones) for Vernon Stynes as being the pioneer of said "trading" website. Sit tight, because you will come to find Bradley is the perfect cast for reasons I can't disclose without any spoilers. It isn't receiving 9 from me only because most of the rest of the cast just lacked the blockbuster talent required for it. But a 6.1 certainly just doesn't do "Traders" justice.

from the technical or artistic angle by no mean it is amazing. there's nothing remarkable, no treat for the senses.however the subject is disturbing making the film interesting enough & leaving an impression on the mind (mine at least).it's a dive in the world of losers with no hero in it but a wide bunch of losers accepting their condition & running to their death (one way or another).what is missing beside that psycho-sociological study (through the Vernon character mainly but not only) is a spiritual/philosophical angle to make it truly deep & multi-layered with more subtle character development, better narration & dialogues (i would have liked to see/hear poetry or sarcasm or irony or real funny quotes -they tried but they fail IMO like at the co-worker funeral... something more).in other words, what is missing is a Stanley Kubrick or a Shane Carruth (re-)writing it & directing it.conclusion : worth watching but shame it's not the masterpiece it could well have been with more work & perfectionism in the writing & directing.the generous 7 is because it does leave this lasting impression (unlike 99% of Hollywood productions forgotten 10 minutes after it's over)