Directed by:
Jon S. BairdScreenplay:
Noah PinkCinematography:
Alwin H. KuchlerComposer:
Lorne BalfeCast:
Taron Egerton, Mara Huf, Miles Barrow, Rick Yune, Nikita Efremov, Toby Jones, Aleksey Shedko, Natalia Gonchar, Oleg Shtefanko, Roger Allam, Anthony Boyle (more)VOD (1)
Plots(1)
Based on the true story of American video game salesman Henk Rogers and his discovery of Tetris in 1988. When he sets out to bring the game to the world, he enters a dangerous web of lies and corruption behind the Iron Curtain. (South by Southwest Film Festival)
Videos (1)
Reviews (6)
Naïveté doesn't matter here; it’s just part of the game, which is entertaining while tastefully mixing in pop culture references and maintaining clarity in the relatively sophisticated framework of the screenplay. Tetris is Free Guy for a more grown-up, but not conservative audience – even more so if you are interested in the business of the gaming phenomenon and the history of its inception. The film was released on VOD at the same time as the theatrical release of Bena Affleck’s Air, which is a rather different but equally well-made “entrepreneurial adventure” set in the same historical period.
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A superbly suspenseful drama about how the popular video game Tetris reached the whole world. Apple scores plus points. It stars the excellent Taron Egerton, who has matured as an actor with each film – I've liked this handsome guy since Kingsman, but he blew everyone's mind with his performance in Black Bird, and here he only confirms his qualities. Oscars are on their way soon and I wish him a happy choice of films in his acting career. What may have seemed like a dull and uninteresting story eventually turned into a gripping and thrilling ride that will have you gasping at times – that certainly doesn't happen often in the drama genre. On the plus side, it’s set in the USSR, where the main character arrives to buy the rights to Tetris, only to find that things work differently in this country and nothing will be easy. Even though most of the film is about trading Tetris rights, it does have a decent amount of drive and energy. The scary KGB, the communists, the rules, I can't think of a better portrayal of Russian communism in film. There are a few unexpected twists and turns, the whole thing is superbly shot (the graphic 8 bit inserts are impressive), the actors are all excellent, the atmosphere is chilling and gripping, and the whole thing culminates in a thrilling car chase that would put Bond to shame. 8/10.
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Man, I used to play Tetris all day. I honestly had no idea it had such a troubled destiny. Baird and co. managed to turn a historical excursion into an incredibly entertaining film. They cleverly adapted the events so that the film doesn't lose pace, and even sneaked in a car chase out of the money saved on ingenious pixel inserts. “Good ideas have no borders.”
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At first glance, I never imagined Tetris would have such an intriguing story — not about its creation, but about how it was distributed worldwide. The film boasts perfect, dynamic direction and original ideas. I was hooked from start to finish. This is how pure adventure films should be made today. The 8-bit visual elements add a creative touch, and everything else — music, acting, the socialist atmosphere of 1980s Moscow — is executed with care and precision. Plus, you get some insider info on the development of video games. What more could a gaming fan ask for?
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How does Apple do it? They not only produce well-crafted series but also offer high-quality feature films like this. Yes, it still surprises me. At first glance, Tetris seems unassuming. After all, who’s eager to watch a film about a video game? But don’t be fooled. The background of this legendary game's development is captivating, especially when we move into the harsh environment of the Soviet Union. I was genuinely blown away by the HIDDEN GEM that this turned out to be. The 80s vibe is palpable throughout, and the meticulously detailed visual style is something I haven’t seen in a long time. Taron Egerton in the lead role is spot on; he brought his role as a fearless game developer to life with ease. Fantastic. I also appreciated how the film balanced a lighter tone with a gritty Cold War thriller. And that dramatic ending blew me away (complete with an adrenaline-fueled car chase through Moscow). What more could you ask for? This is how an engaging historical film should look. For me, it’s 8.5/10.
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