Ryan Reynolds has not been quiet in promoting his new movie, Free Guy. Whether using his alcohol brand on Twitter, or Deadpool on YouTube, Reynolds is a one man promotion team, and now the first reviews of the video game based action comedy are in, and the question is does Free Guy live up to the fun premise set up by the trailer, or it is a case of all the best bits being crammed into a two minute preview?

Free Guy sees Ryan Reynolds playing Guy, a non-player character in a video game. He works as a bank teller and just goes about "life" as he has been programmed. When game developers, played by Killing Eve's Jodie Comer and Stranger Things star Joe Keery, create a program that is added into the game by its publisher (Taika Waititi), Guy suddenly becomes aware of his existence with the game world. What follows is his attempt to go from non-descript background character to hero as he races to save the game before it can be shut down by its developers.

Reynolds has definitely been building a bankable reputation for himself in Hollywood, with almost everything he touches turning to great, stinking piles of box office receipts. While many are still awaiting official word from Marvel when he will be bringing Deadpool fully into the MCU, Free Guy is the first of a long line of movies that can be enjoyed in the meantime, but is it another hit or a very rare misfire?

CinemaBlend's Mike Reyes kicked off the reviews with a whole heap of praise for the movie, particularly noting the world created by Reynolds and director Shawn Levy. "#FreeGuy is everything I'd hoped for, and then some. @ShawnLevyDirect & @VancityReynolds have created a universe that's bitingly satirical & heartwarmingly hilarious. I loved this movie & cannot wait to see it again, bc there are moments that will absolutely KILL w/ an audience."

Fandango's Nikki Novak was full of similar plaudits for Reynolds' latest offering, expecting it to be a big hit with his fans and audiences in general. She said, "#FreeGuy is a joy & will be a hit. A video game movie that actually makes you feel like you're in a VG. RR is the movie equiv of Ted Lasso (glass half full, full of fab one liners & so darn likable). Jodi Comer is a movie star (ahem Marvel). CLEVER & ORIGINAL! SURPRISES GALORE!"

Steven Weintraub of Collider went along with the sentiment, commenting, "Happy to report @VancityReynolds and @ShawnLevyDirect's team up on #FreeGuy is awesome. 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."

And this seemed to be the general consensus with the early takes. The movie arrives in theaters exclusively on August 13, so it won't be too long before we can see if the enthusiasm for the movie transfers to audiences, who will have to make a trip to the cinema to be able to see it. It seems a pretty sure thing that Free Guy is going to kick of a slew of new projects from Reynolds in style.