Big Game

If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, Big Game is available in Australia on Amazon Prime Video and Stan, and in the UK on Lionsgate+ Amazon Channels right now. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. 1,232 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Watch it for Samuel L. Jackson — stay for everyone else around them. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Amazon Prime Video.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Big Game earns its spot. Sharp writing and a well-matched ensemble are what separate Big Game from the crowd. Air Force One is shot down by terrorists, leaving the President of the United States stranded in the wilderness of Finland. 13-year-old Oskari is on a hunting mission to prove his maturity to his kinsfolk by tracking down a deer, but instead discovers the President in an escape pod. With the terrorists closing in to capture their prize, the unlikely duo team up to escape their hunters. Samuel L. Jackson and Onni Tommila lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2014. What keeps Big Game from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Comedy fans looking for a reliably funny watch will find it in Big Game. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Samuel L. Jackson is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.