Movies
“Tetris” Fits The Puzzle Pieces Together Nicely
“The story of how one of the world’s most popular video games found its way to players around the globe. Businessman Henk Rogers and Tetris inventor Alexey Pajitnov join forces […]
“The story of how one of the world’s most popular video games found its way to players around the globe. Businessman Henk Rogers and Tetris inventor Alexey Pajitnov join forces in the USSR, risking it all to bring Tetris to the masses.”
Director: Jon S. Baird
Writer: Noah Pink
Staring: Taron Egerton, Nikita Efremov, Toby Jones, Oleg Stefan
Release Date: March 27, 2021
IMDB
People often turn their brains off by playing video games. Can I interest you in not a video game movie, but a movie about a video game? Such is Tetris (2023), the story regarding the popularization of one of the most popular, and profitable video games of all time.
Business and salesman Henk Rogers (Taron Edgerton) is convinced that this pixelated puzzle shower is the next big thing, and in order to achieve his vision he must partner with the games inventor Alexey Pajitnov (Nikita Efremov). The unlikely pair become great friends, but with the caveat that the USSR and its bureaucracy is a wrecking ball ready to break through the wall.
It is Rogers job to work through the Soviet Union vice, the backstabbing lying gluttonous businessmen and his own sky rocketing expectations. There is quick dialogue, totally unique editing choices, positive Friday night energy vibes and easy going laughs. This may be an emotional spoiler, but Tetris has a happy ending. The movie never really hints that there may be a negative conclusion. Tetris is meant to elicit a smile, just like when you clear four lines and can scream TETRIS!
I have a man crush on Taron Edgerton. I think everything he appears in is watchable at worst, and worthy of recommendation on the average. I think Edgerton was worthy of an Oscar nomination for playing Elton John in Rocketman (2019) and I am happy to see he is reappearing in live action movies. Crazy as it sounds, Edgerton did appear in a feature length live-action movie at any point between Rocketman and Tetris. That’s four years of animation, television shows, podcasts and video shorts.
Edgerton just does his charming thing in Tetris. He has the effervescent energy of I Can Do This surging through the character of Henk Rogers. The same saucy smoothness that we saw in the admittedly meh Robin Hood (2018) is amped up with dad energy. The mustache, heavy coats, and overly messed up yet seemingly coiffed hair, all work well to create the presence of a man who won’t leave any scenario till he gets the answer he wants.
The character of Henk Rogers is ping-ponged from plot point to plot point. It is a bit like a ping-pong game where the ball is instead the mental health of Rogers. Luckily for audiences, Edgerton is flexible. Edgerton is able to play Rogers with a plausible combination of excitement, desperation and exhaustion. Just top notch fun stuff.
The best foil to Rogers’ ever present smile is Nikolai Belikov, played by Oleg Stefan. The actor (who was born in the former USSR, and current Donetsk, Ukraine) takes the part of the Russian state/businessman and implores him with a perfect dose of robotic charm. I chuckled everytime Rogers is trying to talk to Belikov and the Russian storms off. His character is a straight man integral to comedic relief in an already funny movie.
The most jarring part of the movie is its editing choices. When the story changes landscapes or countries, it is often a digital transition of tetris pieces falling into place. The same style is implemented during the final chase sequence leading to a climatic airport run through. The choice to make it more playful during these moments emphasizes to the audience that this story is in fact a fictionalized story. Tetris is not a drama about papers being pushed; it’s more an adventure caper, and this editing choice is the equivalent to the maps in the Indiana Jones movies.
Tetris is directed by Jon S. Baird and I have seen only one other of his movies. Filth (2013) was a James McAvoy actors choice junket where he plays an off the rails cop trying to get a promotion and win back his kids. Not exactly a happy-go-lucky type of movie, but it is one with an extreme sense of style. The same boldness can be said for Tetris; it is one of the most original movies of the year and it veers in artful and playful directions.
Other Random Tid-Bit Thoughts
- Toby Jones is playing another slimy character that can’t be trusted and has a bit of a Napoleon complex.
- Anthony Boyle plays a young arrogant businessman in this Tetris, and I had the thought that he would belong in Game Of Thrones in some capacity. Turns out he had been in the show as a Bolton guard! It makes total sense.
- First thing I have seen written by Noah Pink, and I would like to see more. He allowed wittiness and it was fast talking. It was kind of like Edgar Wright-esq.
- There is a connection to Epstein in this movie. Yea, that guy. Robert Maxwell is the businessman with super shady business tactics in Tetris. We met Kevin, but he is only one of nine kids. Another one of his children is Ghislaine Maxwell, who was found guilty of child sex trafficking with Epstein.
Do yourself a favor and turn on AppleTV+ and press play on Tetris. Then maybe download a mobile version of Tetris and let it wash over you.
STANKO RATING: B
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