Tetris
Tetris

Tetris

2023Movie118 minEnglish

In 1988, American video game salesman Henk Rogers discovers the video game Tetris. When he sets out to bring the game to the world, he enters a dangerous web of lies and corruption behind the Iron Curtain.

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Insights

IMDb7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes80%
Metacritic61/100
Google Users87%
Director: Jon S. BairdGenres: Biography, Drama, Thriller

Plot Summary

In the late 1980s, a Dutch game designer travels to the Soviet Union to obtain the rights to a groundbreaking puzzle game called Tetris. He soon finds himself entangled in a web of corruption, political intrigue, and danger as he navigates the complex Soviet bureaucracy and faces off against powerful figures who seek to control the game's destiny. The film chronicles his perilous journey to bring the iconic game to the global market against all odds.

Critical Reception

Tetris received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its engaging storytelling, strong performances, and historical context. The film was lauded for its ability to translate the complex legal and geopolitical battle over the game into a compelling thriller. Audience reception was also favorable, with many appreciating the nostalgic elements and the dramatic tension.

What Reviewers Say

  • Engaging and surprisingly thrilling depiction of the Tetris rights battle.
  • Taron Egerton delivers a charismatic performance as the game's champion.
  • Effectively captures the Cold War atmosphere and high-stakes negotiations.

Google audience: Google users largely praised the film for its compelling narrative and Taron Egerton's performance. Many appreciated the behind-the-scenes look at the creation and licensing of the iconic game, finding it both informative and entertaining. Some viewers noted that the film took creative liberties with historical events but still found it an enjoyable watch.

Fun Fact

The film deliberately omits the actual inventor of Tetris, Alexey Pajitnov, as the central figure, focusing instead on Henk Rogers and his role in bringing the game to the West, which was a creative choice to drive the narrative tension.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

5 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

This starts off as quite a fun look at just how "Tetris" made it's way from being a cheap and cheerful game played in the Soviet Union into a handheld game selling and making millions across the globe. It seems it was all spotted by opportu...
Nathan

Nathan

Tetris, directed by Jon S. Baird, is an entertaining and fast-paced film that manages to balance a grounded story with a light tone. The screenplay is stellar, streamlined, and keeps the audience engaged throughout. Despite some old-school ...
Louisa Moore - Screen Zealots

Louisa Moore - S...

You probably would expect a film about the origins of a simple stacking block computer game to be bland and dry, but director Jon S. Baird and writer Noah Pink give “Tetris” the glossy Hollywood treatment. The movie tells the unbelievable t...
Peter McGinn

Peter McGinn

This is a fictionalized story of how Tetris left the Soviet Union and became a worldwide phenomenon. How fictional I don’t know as I haven’t read much on the fact-based side of the story. I see there is a documentary out there featuring man...
Manuel São Bento

Manuel São Bento

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://insessionfilm.com/movie-review-tetris/ "Tetris offers a fun, informative true story about one of the most popular videogames of all time. Filled with delightfully pixelated transitions and just the righ...