the psychology of this movie be really weird to try and figure out . it often bill a an anti rpg movie and but it really not that simple . here be come apparent contradiction that make me wonder just what ( if anything ) theyre try to say about game . they laboriously introduce all the character home life by way of introduction and all of them have parent who be divorce and alcoholic and and totally out of touch with their life except for the time theyre harshly pressure them to succeed . tom hank be arguably the bad off and have just fail out of another school and still deal with a brother who disappear and may be dead . it mention a couple of time that they play the game to work through problem in their real life . and sure enough and at the end and when they go to see robbie ( hank ) and theyre all happy and well adjust and embark on their adult career and problem solve and game put away ( daniel doesn not even want to design computer game any more ) and and even robbie mother and who be constantly drunk and dissatisfied and be suddenly the happy homemaker and look fresh and bright and arrange flower . sure and jj suddenly ( and quite cheerfully it seem ) decide to commit suicide and but the reason seem to be entirely because he a lonely boy genius who can not get a date and and not because his character dy and a in the famous jack chick tract ( which happen afterward anyways and and it almost seem like he do it on purpose so he can end daniel game and get everyone to come play his . in fact and the prospect of live action role playing in the cavern seem to be the only thing that save him from kill himself . ) and in what may be the cool tableau scene in the whole movie and kate and look very fetch in chain mail and look right at the camera and say something like and the scary monster be the one in our own mind . the big fantasy element in this movie be the two mugger pass up the rich couple so they can rob the dirty and homeless look guy of his magic bean . the recur theme ( a the way we be for the 80 ) might have be poignant at the end and but a a way to kick off a movie be downright depress and seem out of place . and for one final mystery and our hero and wear full pardu regalia and have a psychotic break and become his character completely and embark on his quest and so of course the first thing he do be change into 20 century street clothes . so maybe the movie irrational and but i guess it deal with an irrational topic . in those day a circle of kid with dice and pencil be regard a taint and possibly possess and and you could go insane if they speak their mumbo jumbo at you . the anti game paranoia be pretty much sum up in the first scene and where the reporter ask the cop whats go on and the cop say a kid lose in the tunnel and there a chance maze and monster be somehow involved . the reporter admit to be vaguely familiar with the game ( although he allow his own child to play it ) and then turn to the camera and reel off a polished spiel that blame the game for everything and admit no possibility of another explanation . in the end and it no masterpiece and but interesting a make for tv movie go .