However, in the midst of the rising drama, the strategic movement of the game itself is stubbornly kept from the audience. They could have been playing Checkers for all that. We can see that a player is upset and finally gives in to defeat, but we never see it coming. Watching an actor stare is no substitute for a visual representation of what they are thinking.

All in all, it does well at the larger picture but misses the excitement of the game itself. For that, it\’s a disappointing missed opportunity. Otherwise, it still stands up as an enjoyable film, excellently carried by Maguire.