Sinister side of social media in ‘Nerve’

CEBU, Philippines - Voyeurism is at its peak in “Nerve,” a movie on social media and the virtual reality people live in today.

 A shy, high school girl Vee (Emma Roberts) is suddenly catapulted into the limelight when she breaks out of her comfort zone and impulsively signs up for Nerve, an adrenaline-fueled competition that streams live over the internet.

 Young thrill-seekers challenge each other to a series of dares that rapidly escalate from mildly embarrassing to downright deadly, as an anonymous community of “watchers” instigates the action.

 Parallel to the virtual reality in the real world, “Nerve” boldly introduces the effects of social media addiction disorder – a situation in which a user becomes so obsessed with social media that they spend an inordinate amount of time watching and playing on preferred social sites.

 As Vee is partnered with a mysterious stranger, Ian (Dave Franco), their instant chemistry makes them online stars and fan favorites. As the night wears on, though, Vee alienates her longtime friends and puts her life on the line in pursuit of money and celebrity.

 High on her success, Vee’s social media addiction disorder reflects on her growing number of friends online – as per experts, the average number of friends per user is about 250 as opposed to having thousands of “friends” which can be considered as strangers.

 Additionally, such disorder is accompanied with logging into your page the first thing in the morning, checking it just before sleeping, constantly updating your profile or status to get “likes” and comments, and fretting about how many “likes” or “comments” the photos you post are generating.

 As Vee comfortably lives in her newfound fame, who suddenly became the high-octane Cinderella, her life at the same time is being ripped apart.

 Making a discovery about Ian’s past, Vee finds her family’s future at risk as the tension mounts and the stakes rise. Vee must ultimately choose to win or lose to life or death.

 Roberts says she thinks twice now when she uses Instagram, Twitter—or even email. “Nothing’s ever truly private. I think this movie taps into that feeling. Whatever you post can potentially be seen by anyone, whether you want it to be or not.”

“The movie asks the audience the same question Vee asks herself,” says director Ariel Schulman. “Are you a watcher or a player? Not just in the game of Nerve, but in life itself. Vee has played it safe her whole life, but Nerve pushes her to take chances, which can be very dangerous. If you play, you may get hurt, or you may win and become a celebrity and make a lot of money. You can take the safe road, or you can take the risk. It’s all up to you.”

 “Nerve,” an action-packed urban adventure based on the popular novel by Jeanne Ryan, opens in Philippine cinemas tomorrow. (FREEMAN)