The premise of being stuck within a video game is nothing new. We’ve seen it in revolutionary films like Tron to the campy, low-budget world of Arcade from director Albert Pyun and Full Moon Pictures. The Intergalactic Adventures of Max Cloud is the latest entry in the sub-genre and while it might not be for everyone, I felt it to be great fun. Now available on VOD, the Blu-ray and DVD from Well Go USA will be available on January 19, 2021. Director Martin Owen (Killers Anonymous) clearly has an affinity for nostalgia and what he delivers is quite fun, even if a bit uneven.
In 1990, Sarah (Isabelle Allen) has no intention of putting down her video game controller, especially when playing her favorite game, Max Cloud. Her father Tony (Sam Hazeldine) wants her to shut the game down, but she refuses. In the game, she comes across an Easter egg and ends up being sucked into it, where she will have to fight for survival alongside Max Cloud (Scott Adkins). In the real world, her friend Cowboy (Franz Drameh), who is transported into the body of Jake (Elliot James Langridge) the cook, along with Rexy (Sally Collett) and Brock (Tommy Flanagan), will have to stop Revengor (John Hannah) to complete the game and hopefully find a way back into the real world.
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Max Cloud is family-friendly, aside from a few curse words. It’s a movie that parents can enjoy and watch with their kids, especially if they’re all gamers. The film has a few underlying messages of working together and accomplishing the impossible and in this day and age, that sort of inspiration goes a long way. It’s a very colorful and positive film, which immediately earns more points from me because as you know, we need more positivity. That being said, at times the acting feels a little bit forced, or maybe a little too much over the top. This is where the unevenness comes in, but it’s only a couple of scenes and really doesn’t take anything away from the film.
Scott Adkins, who in my opinion is one of the greatest performers working in action cinema today, takes a huge leap into unknown territory. Max Cloud is far from the sort of films we are used to seeing him, and he genuinely looks to be having a blast here. The young, up-and-coming cast members are solid, but the glue that holds the film together are the performances by veteran character actors Hannah and Flanagan. While playing it a bit over-the-top, there’s some gravity to their characters.

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While the film really could have been something special had the budget been there, the effects look really good. There’s a few long and wide shots of the world within the game that make you stop and appreciate the design and all the hard work that went into it. Aside from the world within the game, the only glimpses of the real world we get take place in Sarah’s bedroom, which looks like a bedroom from 1990. Even the Synthwave score is top-notch, but what really cemented this film for me was the inclusion of one song called “Dare.” This song is performed by Stan Bush, whose songs complimented some of the greatest action films from the ’80s and ’90s. Including “Fight to Suvive (Kumite)” from Bloodsport, “Never Surrender” from Kickboxer, and we can’t forget his iconic song “The Touch” featured in Transformers: The Movie. So it’s a real treat to hear his other song from that same film appear in Max Cloud.
While there may be a few uneven moments, Max Cloud is pure nostalgic fun from start to finish. Visit WellGO USA’s Official Site for more info and I “Dare” you to give it a shot and not have a good time.
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