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Surviving the Game

Surviving the Game

Action · Thriller · Adventure · 1994

A homeless man is hired as a survival guide for a group of wealthy businessmen on a hunting trip in the mountains, unaware that they are killers who hunt humans for sport, and that he is their new prey.

Movie details

Surviving the Game

“The Rules are Simple: Kill or Be Killed.”

1994 Action · Thriller · Adventure 1h 36m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.2 / 10

Community rating

A homeless man is hired as a survival guide for a group of wealthy businessmen on a hunting trip in the mountains, unaware that they are killers who hunt humans for sport, and that he is their new prey.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Surviving the Game?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Ernest R. Dickerson

Written by

Eric Bernt

Rutger Hauer

Rutger Hauer

Burns

Ice-T

Ice-T

Mason

Charles S. Dutton

Charles S. Dutton

Cole

John C. McGinley

John C. McGinley

Griffin

William McNamara

William McNamara

Wolfe, Jr.

Jeff Corey

Jeff Corey

Hank

Gary Busey

Gary Busey

Hawkins

Court is in session

Put Surviving the Game on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Adrenaline Seeker

“Momentum is a formal choice.”

The velocity sharpens instinct and tension, making every beat land before self-importance can settle in.

The prosecution The Auteur Devotee

“Speed as an alibi.”

The film races past its weak spots and hopes acceleration will keep the audience from inspecting the evidence.