‘Ctrl… alt… defeat’
Virtually Heroes is a 2013 action comedy film about two characters in a war-themed video game struggling with their screwy existence.
Executive-produced by Roger Corman, the movie initially premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and was reviewed positively (see below). However, it did not receive a release for some reason. Screen Media Films is now distributing Virtually Heroes in January 2023.
Directed, produced and edited by G. J. Echternkamp from a screenplay written by Matt Yamashita (Death Race 2050; Sharktopus vs. Whalewolf; Art School of Horrors; Sharktopus vs. Pteracuda). Co-produced by Dwjuan Fox.
The movie stars Robert Baker, Brent Chase, Katie Savoy, Ben Messmer and Mark Hamill.
Plot:
Sergeant Books (Robert Baker), a self-aware soldier living in a video game, seeks help from a straight-talking Monk (Mark Hamill) who teaches him the cheat codes of life. Now he can finally break free from the game’s endless battles, take a break from saving the girls at the end of each level, and convince his fellow warrior Lt. Nova that not everything in this game world is as awesome as it seems…
Reviews:
“While it is evident that they shot in the canyons outside of LA, clever editing and filmmaker cheats blend the scenes together nicely. Sprinkled in are countless video game references to such classics as Call of Duty, Streetfighter, World of Warcraft, and even Contra. The cast’s performances are solid and Robert Baker owns the role of Sgt Brooks.” Geekscape
” …G.J. Echternkamp‘s Virtually Heroes finds a way to reuse a shameless amount of footage from the New Horizons vaults while both making that reuse legit and letting users in on the joke. Trashy fun that aims low and more or less hits the mark, it should please young gamers who need a VOD break in between rounds of Call of Duty.” The Hollywood Reporter
” …a high octane video game, think Call of Duty, turned tongue in cheek, live-action feature, and destined for cultdom […] Huge bonus points for whoever convinced Mark Hamill to star as the wise monk/mentor; shades of Obi Wan.” Huffington Post
Release:
Screen Media Films will release Virtually Heroes On-Demand (VOD) on January 17, 2023
Trailer:
