The “Free Guy” is the fall guy in so many ways.

Guy (Ryan Reynolds) is a mild-manner bank teller, who, it turns out is Blue-Shirt Guy, a character in a fictional video game, “Free City.”

Soonami Studios, the video game’s developer, wants to release a sequel, “Free City 2.” When Guy puts on a pair of special glasses, which have a head-up display (similar to a transparent screen that a fighter pilot might use), it’s off to the races, or, rather, the cyberspaces.

Guy develops a game plan of his own. Guy is not supposed to deviate from the program or the game programmers. He becomes the target of Soonami Studios CEO Antwan (Taika Waititi).

Guy is a Non-Player Character (NPC), or secondary character, in an Open-World Video Game, where the players make it up as they go along.

That’s apparently what the film-makers did with “Free Guy.” They made it up as they went along.

What starts out as a fascinating premise supported by eye-popping visuals and body-penetrating sound (the leather seat vibrated my body in the Dolby Cinema at AMC Promenade, Center Valley) devolves into an obfuscating plot that becomes an enigma wrapped inside an enigma.

“Free Guy” is a hybrid, a mash-up of films: “Ready Player One (2018), “The Matrix” (1999), “The Truman Show” (1998) and “Groundhog Day” (1993).

“Free Guy” has elements of and-or salutes the open-end city building video game “SimCity” (published in 1989), the online virtual world of “Second Life” (launched in 2003) and the online video game “Fortnite” (released in 2017).

“Free Guy” is nothing if not a kaleidoscope of CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery). Sometimes, the kaleidoscope collapses and collides. The film has dazzling colors, glistens brightly and sprinkles Easter Eggs from the video game world throughout the proceedings.

“Free Guy” has cameos by gamers and streamers Jacksepticeye, Ninja, Pokimane, DanTDM and LazarBeam.

Weapons from video game and film franchises are thrown in, including a Mega Buster, Lightsaber from “Star Wars,” Rainbow Smash Pickaxe from “Fortnite,” Gravity Gun from “Half-Life 2,” Portal Fun from “Portal,” Captain America’s shield, and The Hulk’s fists.

An in-seat video game console would have been helpful for this “Free Guy” movie-theater-goer.

Instead of writing a plot, the screenwriters wrote code.

I don’t write code, but I know a good screenplay when I see one. This is not one.

The good guy aspect of the character of Guy could have been emphasized even more. “Don’t have a good day. Have a great day,” says Guy. It’s a terrific catch-phrase. The screenplay needed more fun and back-story details for Guy and other main characters.

Shawn Levy (Oscar nominee, motion picture, “Arrival,” 2016; TV’s “Stranger Things,” 2016-2019; director, “Night At The Museum,” 2014, 2009, 2006; “This Is Where I Leave You,” 2014; “Date Night,” 2010; “The Pink Panther,” 2006; “Cheaper By The Dozen,” 2003; “Big Fat Liar,” 2002) directs from a screenplay by Matt Lieberman (screenwriter, “Scoob!,” 2020; “The Christmas Chronicles,” 2020, 2018; “The Addams Family,” 2019) and Zak Penn (screenwriter, “Ready Player One,” 2018; “The Incredible Hulk,” 2008; “Behind Enemy Lines,” 2001; “Last Action Hero,” 1999) from a story by Lieberman.

Reynolds’ acting is a hybrid, too, of Jim Carrey in “The Truman Show” and Chevy Chase, the latter in his many droll comedic roles.

In “Free Guy,” as Guy, Reynolds (“Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard,” 2021), who is eminently likable, has his own self-effacing charm, projects a guileless persona and has the most disarming facial expressions imaginable.

Reynolds exploited his charm in “Deadpool” (2018, 2016). Here, he goes beyond that with an everyman believability that carries on a cinematic tradition from Tom Hanks back to Jimmy Stewart. Reynolds is becoming the kind of screen actor I would go to see, no matter what the film.

Opposite Reynolds in the charm campaign is Jodie Comer (Millie Rusk, aka Molotov Girl), who has a girl-next-door image combined with the super-smart brains of a computer software code writer, the role that she plays as Millie. She also plays her video game avatar, Molotov Girl. This is a breakout theatrical motion picture role for Comer (Prime Time Emmy recipient, “Killing Eve,” 2018).

In supporting roles, in addition to Taika Waititi (Antwan, chief executive officer of the video game company), are Lil Rel Howery (Buddy, a bank security guard), Joe Keery (Keys, a computer software developer) and Utkarsh Ambudkar (Mouser, a computer programmer).

There are cameos by Channing Tatum (Revenjamin Buttons), Chris Evans (Captain America) and Blake Lively (Serena Van der Woodsen from “Gossip Girl” as a player’s avatar). Lively is Ryan Reynolds’ wife.

“Good Morning America” co-host Lara Spencer and “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek appear as themselves.

Voice talent includes Tina Fey, Hugh Jackman, Dwayne Johnson and John Krasinski.

“Free Guy” continues the fantasy-action-science fiction film ironic use of pop songs, including here, “Make Your Own Kind of Music,” Mama Cass; “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” Frankie Valli, and “Believe It or Not (The Greatest American Hero - Theme),” Joey Scarbury.

“Free Guy” will be of chief interest for gamers (video-game players), movie-goers who delight in special effects fantasy-science fiction films, and for fans of Ryan Reynolds.

Remember, “Don’t make a good movie. Make a great movie.”

Maybe the best outcome would be to turn “Free Guy” into a video game. The movie is already more than halfway there.

“Free Guy,”

MPAA Rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.) for strong fantasy violence throughout, language and crude-suggestive references; Genre: Action, Comedy, Science Fiction; Run time: 1 hr., 55 min. Distributed by 20th Century Films-Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Credit Readers Anonymous:

“Free Guy” was filmed in Boston, Weymouth and Worcester, Mass.

Movie Box Office,

Aug. 20-22: Ryan Reynolds’ “Free Guy” ruled cyberspace and the theatrical movie space for the second straight week, No. 1 with $18.7 million, 4,165 theaters, $58.8 million, two weeks, keeping “PAW Patrol: The Movie,” opening at No. 2, with $13 million, 3,184 theaters, one week.

3. “Jungle Cruise” stayed in place, $6.2 million, 3,575 theaters, $92.5 million, four weeks. 4. “Don’t Breathe 2” dropped two places, $5 million, 3,005 theaters, $19.6 million, two weeks. 5. “Respect” dropped one place, $3.8 million, 3,207 theaters, $15.1 million, two weeks. 6. “The Suicide Squad” dropped one place, $3.4 million, 2,926 theaters, $49.2 million, three weeks. 7. “The Protege,” $2.9 million, 2,577 theaters, opening. 8. “The Night House,” $2.8 million, 2,240 theaters, opening. 9. “Reminiscence,” $2 million, 3,265 theaters, one week. 10. “Black Widow” dropped three places, $1.1 million, 1,340 theaters, $180.2 million, seven weeks.

Box office information from Box Office Mojo as of Aug. 22 is subject to change.

Unreel,

Aug. 27: “Candyman,” R: Nia DaCosta directs Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and Colman Domingo in the Horror film. The sequel returns to the Chicago neighborhood where it all began. The film also stars Tony Todd (Daniel Robitaille, Candyman), who starred in August Wilson’s “How I Learned What I Learned” one-man show at the 2021 Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival.

“The Colony,”

R: Tim Fehlbaum directs Nora Arnezeder, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Iain Glen and Sope Dirisu in the Science Fiction film. A female astronaut is stranded on Earth of the distant future.

“Together,”

R: Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin direct James McAvoy, Sharon Horgan and Samuel Logan in the Drama. A married couple face each other during the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown.

Movie opening dates information is from Internet Movie Database as of Aug. 22 and is subject to change.

Three Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes

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