'Tetris' Builds An Intriguing Comedic Thriller
We're getting near the bottom of the rabbit hole that is the video game adaptation. From Super Mario Bros being rebooted to The Last of Us captivating audiences, Tetris continues the tradition of properly adapting something that nongamers can enjoy. Unlike Mario or The Last of Us, Tetris isn't about the game itself but rather the making and release of the product, which had far more conflict than one could imagine.
Tetris is similar to films about Apple or Facebook, where enormous egos are at play, and money is on the line. Tetris may be a simple game anyone can pick up; similarly, the movie's story is simultaneously complicated yet easy to understand. There are a lot of contracts thrown around. Who owns the rights to Tetris or which party gets a cut of the sales are the driving force behind the film's drama. Yet at the center of all of it is an appealing character who centers the audience's engagement.
Leading the film is Taron Egerton playing Henk Rogers. Henk is a salesman who discovers Tetris during the eighties version of an E3 event. When finding Tetris, Henk gets an unstoppable drive to sell the game to the world. But first, he must reserve the rights from Russia. Henk's a bit like Steve Jobs, where Steve would see the potential in something, incorporate it into Apple then have a team refine it. Henk found Tetris from Alexey Pajitnov (Nikita Efremov) and then attempted to sell it. Unlike Mr. Job's, however, Henk has a heart for other people. Yes, Henk is a salesman who will sell your product. But he won't rip you off. He's not Ray Kroc or anyone from Glen Gary Glen Ross. The difference between Henk Rogers and the common folk is Henk's unrelenting motivation.
Henk's enthusiasm can get him into trouble as he doesn't understand the concept of holding back his tongue even when in the face of danger. If there's one country you shouldn't tamper with, it's Russia. When Henk enters the USSR, his limited knowledge of customs gets him into deep water. The USSR doesn't want America to profit off their game. They so adamantly don't want it that they go so far as to threaten Henk and his family's lives. The acquisition of the rights to Tetris reaches from the cubicle of a programmer all the way up to Mikhail Gorbachev. How accurate some portions of the film are to the real story is likely entirely fiction. But that's okay if it is over the top since the film is meant to entertain more than enlighten.
Tetris as streaming popcorn entertainment should be scrutinized with as much accuracy as one would find in a James Bond film. The film is meant to be fun, not authentic. The protagonists are real people. Henk Rogers and Alexey Pajitnov not only exist in real life but also place their blessing on the script. The idea is to convey the fear the two men felt at the time. If the film were more accurate, it would bore the audience to death.
Henk wants to distribute Tetris globally. Who controls gathers the riches from the residuals and becomes a spy thriller mixed with a touch of The Social Network. The story takes many left turns as much as it frantically cuts between meetings. The art of Henk's deal is the most alluring aspect of Tetris, thanks to Taron Egerton's magnetic performance. If played improperly, Henk could be a nuisance since his character, for better more than worse, doesn't know when to shut up.
The heart of the film is the friendship developed between Henk and Alexey. Initially, Alexey wants nothing to do with Henk and his "American emotions." Despite developing the game, Alexey has yet to see a dime come his way. From Alexey's point of view, Henk is a lying thief. Gaining Alexey's trust is an uphill battle for Henk.
Moving the narrative along is a tight pace that cuts its scenes at a fast rate. As mentioned, the film is like The Social Network, where most of the movie is driven by business decisions. What could be boring is engaging. Rarely does the film settle on being in one location. To establish times, companies, characters, and locals are 8-bit recreations of vital pieces of information. One scene that stands out is a car chase that turns the racing vehicles into pixelated versions of themselves. What could be more impressive is some of the film's technicalities. Tetris can feel like a Funny or Die sketch. It's probably due to the fake mustache Mr. Egerton is sporting. If his mustache is real, then color me surprised.
The film could be more aesthetically impressive. Not that it has to be. It's certainly a better fit for a streaming service instead of the big screen, as the cinematography has that overly digital look resulting from the camera the movie was shooting on more than the expertise crafted behind the lens. It has that milky digital look that's part of the chipset relating to the Sony CineAlta Venice cameras. Those particular models look better for large visual effect-driven films like Avatar more than lower-budgeted biopics like Tetris. Nevertheless, it's a small issue that most people won't care about or notice.
Tetris contains plenty of fun and excitement to warrant a late-night watch from home. The release of Tetris is filled with espionage and politics to make it more than a simple fan film about a video game. Tetris is a story about not giving up. Even when everyone says something is impossible, Henk proves to his critics that great things can be achieved with enough due diligence. Not only does Henk earn a friendship with Alexey, but he also bridges the gap between markets for a video game that's now a ubiquitous success. While Tetris the movie isn't a rousing cinematic achievement, it's enough to gather one's interest to add to the streaming cue.
