It’s hard not to sound like a bitter old cynic when talking about modern Hollywood and how recycled ideas seem to take precedence over original ones. It’s clear creativity is lacking today, and perhaps that’s why it’s no surprise that a film adaptation of the Tetris story would be more or less the same. Lego, Barbie, Transformers, Hot Wheels, and now this? We wonder: what is the sequel, Corn Flakes with Adam Sandler in the role of John Harvey Kellogg?
In short, I approached Jon S. Baird’s film adaptation with quite a bit of skepticism, because while Henk Rogers and Alexey Pajitnov’s underlying story is really interesting, Tetris seemed like an impossible project on paper. Egerton Conference, in one of the main roles in the film, does not help the situation at all, because someone in their right mind auditioned with this man and happily exclaimed “we want it!”. For me, it is a mystery as big as the construction of the pyramids.
But honestly, as weirdly lazy and embarrassing as Tetris could be in its handling of the source material, and as over-the-top and almost cartoonish as the characters could seem, it was damn hard to stop smiling at the wonderfully perfect mayhem that ensued. my eyes. In short, Jon S. Baird has accomplished the impossible: delivering an exceptionally moving, smart, and fast-paced film laced with espionage, communism, intrigue, and digital blockfall.
Tetris follows Dutch game designer Henk Rogers’ search for the rights to the main game after it was unexpectedly shown to him at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. It was the eureka moment of his life, a thunderclap, and it was clear to Henk: Tetris is the future with seemingly endless sales potential. But who really has the right to publish the title on computers, arcade machines and consoles? When Nintendo also enters the battlefield and asks Henk to arrange the rights to its new Gameboy handheld console, the stakes rise dramatically.
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It’s the start of a game of cat and mouse, a battle not only against the clock, but also against British publisher Mirrorsoft and third-party shareholder Robert Stein. It’s a journey that takes Henk to the heart of communism, a USSR on the brink of collapse in which Henk finds himself on a collision course with the KGB and an unexpected friend in well-aware Tetris creator Alexey Pajitnov of the potential of its creation, but which also harbors a deep contempt for its homeland. In the battle for the creation of Pajitnov, cultures and ideologies collide.
Tetris is a wonderfully balanced film, and while Jon S. Baird frequently takes liberties and often embellishes the truth a bit, his take on the story is liberatingly lighthearted. Taron Egerton shines as the passionate Henk, whose life is torn between family, work and the communist shark-infested waters of the USSR. His commitment and charm are impressive, especially during the many difficult negotiations Henk is forced into with Russian government agencies. Oddly enough, these scenes provide some of the best moments of clever banter in the film, with different parts constantly trying to outdo each other.
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Along with Egerton, the rest of the cast also contributes compelling performances, including Nikita Efremov as Tetris creator Alexey Pajitnov, but Igor Grabuzov is equally charming and charming as rogue KGB leader Valentin Trifonov. Toby Jones is also, as usual, formidable, and his traditionally British sentimentality fits perfectly with the character of Robert Stein and the frustrations he is forced to endure in the face of Communists and the real scoundrel Robert Maxwell.
In short, Tetris offers characters, conflicts and friendships in which you will find yourself quickly. The antagonists are crafted with just the right amount of exaggeration and Henk and Alexey represent the core of the film with what ultimately borders on pure bromance. It’s two nerds’ crazy, fast-paced journey to immortality, mixing gray concrete with blocks of color and a contemporary pop aesthetic. A furious mix of controlled chaos and joy in what is ultimately a deceptive but sensationally thrilling tale of friendship.