Rating (2.5 out of 5)
Summary: A mediocre first attempt at developing an interactive move. However, a storyline matching the technology being introduced soured me on the show. Watch this if you are interested in how seeing the technology but in the end, I became frustrated with the story.
Plot: A young man Stefan (Fionn Whitehead) develops games in the 1980s and bases his game on the “choose your own path” book called “Bandersnatch”. Stefan suffers from psychosis that he can’t control his own destiny and he is being controlled.
Detail: The relationship between Stefan and his idol Colin (Will Poulter) was the highlight of the film, but the relationship was a minor part of the story. Did Colin fizzle away because I chose the wrong path? I don’t know and don’t care! Finding the right path of the story becomes work, and that isn’t what I want in a movie.
Midway, the movie asked me to choose, “Chew Fingernails” or “Play with Earlobe”. Stefan resists because he believes his actions aren’t his own and his actions are controlled by someone. Exactly at this point, I lost interest in the story and realized the extreme silliness of the overall plot of the film.
There are no clear explanations of anything, or maybe I picked the wrong path. I really don’t want to sit around and start from the beginning to get the clarity I desired.
The main character, Stefan, wasn’t likable. My interest in finding Stefan a happy ending waned since I didn’t like him. A key to an interactive movie lies with a likable hero. Your hero must be so likable that when you select an unhappy ending, you incensed to return to the beginning and get the hero the happy ending he deserves. When Stefan had an unhappy ending, I was done and had no interesting in trying again.