The movie is adapted from a 2012 novel by Jeanne Ryan. High school senior Vee Delmonico (Emma Roberts) is tired of living her life on the sidelines. When Vee’s more extroverted best friend Sydney (Emily Meade) pressures her to take a risk, she finds herself immersed in an adrenaline-fueled online game “Nerve,” while partnered with a peculiar stranger. Her actions begin to take a sinister turn when every move becomes manipulated by a community of anonymous “Watchers” who send increasingly threatening challenges. From kissing a cute boy, trying on expensive clothing to driving a motorcycle 60mph blindfolded, stakes are high for Vee when the city of Manhattan becomes a real-life game board.

       The film is most successful when it’s depicting the energy of its teenaged universe. Like many young adults facing difficult choices about their future, Vee is a character that audiences can relate to. When Vee sings herself up to a live-streamed game, Tommy (Miles Heizer), a computer geek becomes her savior when things get out of hand. As competition rises, viewers will catch a glimpse of the complicated friendship between Sydney and Vee.

        Vee and Ian’s (Dave Franco) quickly drawn relationship yields some captivating moments of affection. The camera loves Emma Roberts and Dave Franco who have massive amounts of on-screen chemistry. When “Watchers” begin to think they make an exciting couple, Vee and her partner in crime are sent off on an escapade to the city of Manhattan. However, Ian may not be exactly what he seems when information about his past leaks out…

       With Vee’s identity hanging in the air, audiences will get a taste of an action-packed, thrill-seeking game that leads to its spontaneous finale. Without a doubt, “Nerve” is definitely a film for those who have a passion for technology and cannot keep their eyes off it.

Carissa Tan (10)