Film Review - Tetris

Images courtesy of Apple.

Who knew a story about a video game where bricks fall from the sky could be so interesting? Tetris is a movie that is not only a fascinating story, but one that also examines the nature of greed and the inner workings of corporate bureaucracy, considers our willingness to be free, and explores our proclivity for justice. Portrayed in a fun and upbeat style, Tetris may be one of the most interesting and compelling drama films of the year.

Based on true events, Tetris follows Hank Rogers (portrayed by Taron Egerton) as the CEO and founder of Bulletproof Industries, a company that continues to make blunders despite Rogers' efforts. He then discovers an unheard-of video game that Rogers believes will take the world by storm - the only issue being that the game has already been licenced to Mirrorsoft, and the licence holder resides in the now former Soviet Union. Leading down a cat-and-mouse chase of bureaucracy, corporate manoeuvring, and genuine threats of violence, each scene moves gracefully through a story that will keep you hooked to your screen.

The film opens on a solid start but things really begin to ramp up at the 30-minute mark when Hank travels to the Soviet Union to meet and create a licensing agreement with Alexey Pajitnov (Nikita Efremov), the creator of Tetris. During his travels Hank claims to be a tourist, as all business from capitalist countries is banned in Russia, which means he must hire a translator named Sasha (played by Sofya Lebedeva). Using this dynamic of Hank being an outsider, tension builds and genuinely funny interactions are had. By pinning multiple narratives against each other, all in their individual pursuits of licencing Tetris, making money, escaping Russia, or keeping someone's family together, what results is an on-the-edge experience, where we as an audience care more about the characters rather than watching a witty bio-pic.

Overall, with a movie like Tetris, you have to see it to believe it. Everything from the direction to its screenwriting, to the acting, to the editing, this film blends seamlessly with tacky 80’s charm, providing an excellent story with expert dramatisation and top-notch editing to boot. So, if you’re looking to watch something upbeat that you don’t have to think too hard about, give Tetris a go - you might just like it as much as Hank did.

Follow Jonathan on Instagram and Letterboxd.

Tetris is streaming on Apple TV+ from Friday 31st March.