'The best video game movie ever made': Ryan Reynolds' Free Guy nabs a high score with early Twitter reactions

After more than a year of pandemic-related delays, Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds' Free Guy is finally hitting theaters next month. Based on early Twitter reactions, it sounds like it was well worth the wait. According to Illuminerdi and ScreenRant vet Joseph Deckelmeier, it's definitely worth a trip to the theater, especially since it'll only be playing on the big screen when it releases Aug. 13. 

"#FreeGuy has been by far been the most fun I’ve had watching a movie in a theater in a long time!" Deckelmeier declared. "The film's premise is wildly fun and has a tremendous amount of heart. This was my first film back in a movie theater and I’m glad it was Free Guy!"

Jacqueline Coley of Rotten Tomatoes didn't mince words when asserting that the film "is the best video game movie ever made. PERIOD! Still, even non-gamers will be entertained."

"I was extremely skeptical heading into #FreeGuy — heading out, I was a huge fan," added Rotten Tomatoes Editor-in-Chief Joel Meares. "One of the freshest-feeling, genuinely funny, and surprisingly moving big-budget adventure movies in years."

Written by the duo of Matt Lieberman and Zak Penn, the film stars Reynolds as Guy, an eternally optimistic bank teller who also happens to be a non-playable character in a Fornite-meets-Grand Theft Auto video game. With a little help from Molotov Girl (Killing Eve's Jodie Comer), Guy gains sentience and begins to test the limits of his nigh-invulnerability.

These hijinks turn him into a global sensation, but this doesn't sit well with Antwan (Taika Waititi), the game's egotistical publisher intent on deleting Guy's entire world. We Live Entertainment founder Scott Menzel described the movie as "Truman Show meets Ready Player One," which isn't too surprising, given that Penn also wrote the screenplay for Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One.

"#FreeGuy is the most fun I’ve had watching a movie all year," Menzel also wrote. "Wildly entertaining and hilarious from beginning to end. It deserves to be seen on the big screen, not only for the spectacular visuals but for the plethora of surprises throughout."

Happy to report @VancityReynolds and @ShawnLevyDirect's team up on #FreeGuy is awesome," tweeted Collider's Steven Weintraub. "It's a fun and feel good movie that had me smiling beginning to end. Also the movie has a surprise or two that legit made my jaw drop. See it as soon as you can so you can avoid spoilers."

Weintraub's post was quoted by Reynolds with the following message: "The... surprises... are... epic.... shhhhh." 

In a follow-up post, Weintraub echoed Coley's sentiment about the project being the best video game movie ever made, stating: "It actually makes you believe you are in a video game."

Mike Reyes of CinemaBlend wrote that Free Guy was "everything I'd hoped for, and then some. @ShawnLevyDirect & @VancityReynolds have created a universe that's bitingly satirical and heartwarmingly hilarious. I loved this movie & cannot wait to see it again, bc there are moments that will absolutely KILL w/ an audience."

Actor/content creator Wendy Lee Szany called it "such a fun movie" that's "packed with action from beginning to end. This movie knows how to make use of video game references and easter eggs — just the perfect amount. I had such a great time watching this movie and I can’t wait to see it again."

"Sincerely... #FreeGuy was better than expected!" tweeted Greg Alba of The Reel Rejects. "It's the best movie Shawn Levy has directed. It's really funny, has a lot of heart, creativity, amazing visual effects, cool action, & a strong sense of wonder. ABSOLUTELY ENJOYED THE HELL OUT OF IT!" 

Joe Keery (Stranger Things), Lil Rel Howery (Get Out), Utkarsh Ambudkar (Tom & Jerry) co-star.

Free Guy boots up in theaters everywhere Friday, Aug. 13.