Bandersnatch is a 2018 interactive film in the science fiction anthology series Black Mirror. It was written by series creator Charlie Brooker and directed by David Slade.
A novelty, a curiosity at best but nothing more. That’s the kindest way to describe this, the interactive movie that has just been released on Netflix.
The premise is simple – a young programmer makes an interactive fantasy novel (“Bandersnatch”) into a game. Soon, reality and virtual world are mixed up and start to create confusion. At different points in the story, the viewer is presented with two choices, the selection of which will – or so is believed – determine the plot of Bandersnatch.
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Except that there’s not really much of a plot here, apart from this gimmick.
Sure, there are cool reference points – the 80s setting, the video game background and of course, the obvious nod and wink to Philip K Dick.
Presumably, someone online will figure out the best choices to make in order to make Bandersnatch an entertaining movie. For us, once the novelty factor wore off, Bandersnatch became tedious very quickly.
Our advice? Choose not to watch.
Now streaming on Netflix.
… still there’s more …