Free to Play (2014)

To me, this movie is perfection.

So much average

Sadly Over-hyped

Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.

With the newest eSports tournament having a prize pool of 18 million dollars, I thought it would be a good time to try out this documentary. Coming in, I wasn't sure what to expect. I had seen some graphics clips and it looked like it would center around how people experience gaming and how free to play games have changed the gaming scene. Nope. There was a few mentions to gaming's rapid development but that was it. In most, the film centered around 3 players going into the tournament. Each player was from a different nation (Ukraine, Singapore, USA) and we were able to see how each culture feels about gamers. Chinese managers also gave a good perspective on Chinese gaming culture. Don't be afraid to go into this film if you can't play DoTA or any game. There are some tournament clips but they aren't the center of the movie. In fact, the film does a great job of explaining the basic premise of DoTA and then getting onto the real meat- gaming. This film probably won't change someone's mind about gaming. If they hate it, they will probably hate it still after the film. But if you are curious about how people are actually getting paid to win at computer games, this is the right film for you.

If you are reading this, then chances are you are an enthusiastic person when it comes to gaming and the idea of E-Sports in general. I am a 20 year old guy, who lives in Bangladesh, a country where professional gaming is still in its baby steps. So seeing this documentary fills my heart with hope and joy, first of all let me clear up one thing, this movie is not about Dota 2, League of Legends, Counter Strike or any single competitive game. It's about the idea of competitive gaming and everything that comes with it, like every normal person i am currently studying and am trying to somehow build a successful life for myself. But that is not where my passion lies, i am simply doing it because of the sake of it, i am a decent student and am relatively well rounded in life, but nothing and i mean nothing compares to the thrill and satisfaction i get from competitive gaming. Despite being in a country where competitive gaming feels like a mere dream i have always tried to take a shot at it and like every person who is attempting to do the same i face many criticism from people all around me, but we still hope and we still keep on trying, don't we ? This is exactly what this movie/documentary captures, Gaming is no longer a thing of entertainment only, it has now become a competitive sport at an international level and that gives people like us a lot of hope. This documentary follows the life and struggle of 3 famous players who have fought through all odds, Danil "Dendi" Ishutin from Ukraine, Benedict "HyHy" Lim from Singapore and Clinton "Fear" Loomis from USA. It presents their life style as a gamer beautifully, you feel their pain, their struggles in everyday life and above all you can truly relate to their mentality as a competitive gamer. The movie is also very well produced, the music fits the scenes perfectly and the transition from one story to another feels smooth and never throws you off the hook of excitement. I for one was simply staring at it and seeing parts of my life pop up in front of my eyes, yes i am nowhere near as successful as the players features but i can relate nonetheless, it does not matter what games you play or even if you are into competitive gaming, i request any and every person to watch this so you can get a little insight to a competitive players mind. Especially parents who are struggling to understand their children's obsession with video games would see this so they can learn to understand them better and manage accordingly. All said and done Free to Play is one of Valve's greatest creation and it is something every gamer and the people around them should watch.GG WP VALVE

This film gives you a great insight into the world of e-sports and its rise in popularity. What used to be considered as a basement dweller's hobby is on its way to become a recognized, legitimate sport. And in some countries, this already is the case. More importantly, however, the film allows you to follow the lives of three professional gamers on their way to "the international", a Dota 2 tournament whose victors would receive the highest prize money for a gaming event at that time: one million dollars. You get to experience the pressure they undergo in the face of the tournament, but also their struggle for recognition with their families. What their peers consider a waste of time could in fact end up make those kids millionaires and celebrities. From the beginning to the end, the film grips you tight and does send you on a roller coaster of thrill, anticipation, excitement and also disappointment, sadness and reflection. You feel for and with the people in Free to Play, also thanks to a great job in editing and scoring. Even if you are not familiar with Dota 2 or the e-sports scene in general, I would highly recommend watching this film as it opens both the world of e-sports and the private lives of those 3 gamers. And it's definitely worth a watch.

After watching this documentary, I can't help but find myself realizing that this movie was about so much more than the game it is based on. Following the life and struggle of these three exceptional players and people caught me off guard and often had me feeling sentimental. Valve did an excellent job of telling their stories without over promoting their company/game. I found that they chose the perfect three people to base this documentary on. On one end you see the success of Danil, the struggle of Benedict, and the drive of Clinton. Three completely different people with completely different lives and different stories. The one thing in common was the struggle and the pressure they all lived. Once again Valve did an excellent job of really highlighting how great these three truly are. I recommend this to any viewer who just wants to watch a great documentary.This is more than just a game.