A story loosely known to the general public but with details no longer widely known, American chess master Bobby Fischer served as one of the many pieces in the half century duel between the US and Soviet Union. In the latest film from Edward Zwick (Glory, The Last Samurai), Tobey Maguire plays the troubled yet brilliant chess player whose every moment revolved around one of the world’s most complicated and fascinating games.
Traditionally chess has widely been treated as a sport, with the same level of complex battles as an intellectual tennis match. In viewing this as a sports film, one of the most essential elements is giving the audience enough information about the game being played so they can keep up. It’s as simple as a referee voiceover or a glance at the scoreboard. Obviously, every sport will have its own way of showing the audience what is happening. Chess is a game that takes a minute to learn and a lifetime to master. Despite the potential for gripping battles between Fischer and his opponent, Boris Spassky (Liev Schreiber), no effort is made to keep the audience in the loop on what is going on.
Despite the potential for gripping battles between Fischer and his opponent, Boris Spassky (Liev Schreiber), no effort is made to keep the audience in the loop on what is going on.
For a movie that revolves entirely around the game, this is the ultimate downfall: in every chess match scattered throughout the movie, the audience is left completely cold as for who is winning or what is happening, instead left to rely on sets of actors with intense expressions to achieve suspense. This issue cannot be overstated, as it makes a film that could be enthralling turn tedious and alienating.
There are plenty of notes to be made about the casting and technical elements, but ultimately nothing can overcome this major error. Cinematography from rising talent Bradford Young looks terrific, with stunning imagery of both Iceland and Los Angeles (where it rained more times in this movie that it has this year).Tobey Maguire puts on a very intense performance tapping into a character whose brilliance omitted standard social cues. Ultimately, the entire look and feel of the film, including a top-tier cast, has the essence of a prestige motion picture, but without the element that would allow the audience to engage, this is a hollow and dispensable film.
Pawn Sacrifice is in select theaters Wednesday, September 16th.
