Or gaming is life? I think that is more of an apt description. And this may allow some people who are less into gaming to understand the mindset of those who actually love gaming. Although this of course is a whole different level of gaming we are talking about here.

Really in depth look and great edit of the interviews and looks behind the scenes or rather into the "outside" lives of gamers. Outside as in while not playing games ... but that was clear, right? Anyway a good documentary for anyone interested even if that may not be more than a "fringe" group of people - they will certainly love this.

The plot neatly follows through the classics of a competition documentary, highlighting more than one individuals with stories worth telling. They are competing in the movie's competition which is relatively new to the rest of the world due to it being a niche market at the moment. I really like how the documentary nicely captures the views from people from different nationalities. This brings enough legitimacy to the thing being focused about, the world of competitive gaming in general and the game DOTA2 in particular. What I think is quite lacking is instead the on-screen footage of how the teams win their games and the spirit of competition within the game. For the rest is really an eye opener since the movie reveals facts of different treatments gamers receive in different countries.

Video game producer Valve Corporation's Free To Play is an essential film for documentary lovers and video game enthusiasts. At a light 75 minute running time, it's an accessible pill to swallow, one naturally only brushing the surface, but in an entertaining way. The documentary details the events of The International 2011 based in Germany, the first gaming tournament for the game DOTA 2 with a record-breaking top prize of $1.6 million. Unfortunately as many of its players are teenagers, the tournament was scheduled during exam periods and many potential winners had to sacrifice a lot at home just for the chance at the jackpot.

However, the film wisely chooses three competitors from different teams to sum up the ethos of the tournament and its players, dipping into their backstories at will. They include a Singaporean player who's dealing with a broken heart and a disapproving family, an American player who's suffered from a life of financial trouble and a Ukrainian player who's father recently passed away. Their passion for gaming always shines through. Although many times their stories feel like the typical sob stories you find in entertainment shows, they add an essential conflict and internal desire to the story to make it more engaging. Their hardships are quite down to Earth and relatable, if somewhat sentimentally presented. It at least humanizes the players in a way that makes it feel like the tournament have more camaraderie with something at stake.

You don't need to know anything about DOTA 2 to enjoy the film as it features entertaining and impressive CGI interpretations of the battle, but still as a non-gamer it is difficult to see why the fuss over the game is warranted. It's the one thing that the documentary is lacking on, but it doesn't hinder it too much. Free To Play's main objective is to legitimize the career of a professional gamer, and it works quite well, making it quite tempting. Lacking a credited director, you can only assume that its lead editor had the biggest influence regarding a consistent style and focus, other than the current heads of Valve. Even so, the style is still quite distinct in its slick intimate look, use of text and contemporary choice of electronic music. It's a film that feels breezy and fresh, just trying to bring attention to the next big thing in popular culture, though it's arguable that it's already here. The e-sport will soon become a plain old sport.

8/10

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