“Nerve,” a satisfying thriller


Niko Tavernise


Milan Holman, Contributor

“Nerve” is a modern-day thriller based on the book by Jeanne Ryan. In the world on “Nerve”, teenagers play an online truth-or-dare game without the dares. They are divided into categories: players and watchers; watchers pay to watch while players get paid to play.

A magnificent Emma Roberts (“Scream Queens,” “We’re the Millers”) plays Vee, a self-conscious high school senior who fears that her friends think she is boring and timid. Vee’s friend Sydney (Emily Meade), a player of the game, inspires Vee to join the game. Right away, Vee earns $50 simply by going to a local bar, and then $100 by kissing a stranger.

The stranger, Ian (Dave Franco) turns out to be a player too. But it turns out that the cunning Ian was sent by manipulating watchers, hoping that Vee would meet him. The viewers can’t get enough, and the pair recognize the opportunity available to them and decide to team up with the hopes of getting more likes and even more viewers.

The players have only one goal in mind: to be the two most-beloved players when the timer runs out. They will be stopped by nothing to reach their goal, always aware of the anonymous watchers live-streaming Vee and Ian’s every moves.

With its unexpected plot twists, this 96-minute movie will appeal to moviegoers who enjoy action, thrillers or mysteries, keeping them on the edge of their seats for its entire running time.

The film also does a fantastic job of bringing to light the dangers of a tech-based world where people are always online, never sure of who might be anonymously watching. Upon exiting the theatre, viewers will think twice about internet security, or the lack of it, and the consequences of what they post online.