There have been many attempts at making movies based on video games. Most of the time the results haven’t been that favorable however movies like the recent Super Mario Bros. Movie and Sonic the Hedgehog trilogy of movies have been reversing that trend. Another type of movie, one that you wouldn’t think would be very exciting actually has made a really great story to tell in movie form. It can be described as a biographical thriller but in more specific terms it’s a movie based on the dealings of the video game development and publishing business world during the 1980’s. The whole story is told through the main character Henk Roger’s (who is a real person) a programmer and owner of video game developer and publisher Bullet Proof Software. You are plunged into the world of 1980’s international video game business dealings as Henk chases the trail of the legitimate rights to Tetris all the way to Moscow in the Former USSR.
This unique crossroads in history as the end of communism and beginning of the international video game development industry has been visually immortalized with this movie telling an elaborated version of a tale of a Japanese business-man securing the rights to one of the most successful video games of all time from behind the “Iron Curtain”. The creator of the game Alexij Patjitnov was a programmer for the Soviet Union and in his spare time programmed a very crude version of the game using an extremely basic monochrome early computer known as the Electronika 60. Later on he and some colleagues made a version that had graphics and color compatible with IBM PC’s and compatibles. Due to the way communism worked in the Soviet Union, Alexij didn’t stand to profit anything from the creation of the game as legally it was owned by the state as were most types of personal property. During a time when neighboring communist controlled states were demanding freedom, the growing disenchantment within the Soviet Union’s own people created a situation were change was inevitable and corrupt politico’s were scrambling to get something when their job’s would soon be declared redundant. This lead to a situation of wide-spread corruption and one corrupt politician had decided to use Tetris as his ticket to having a healthy retirement fund. The movies revolves around the battle of negotiations surrounding the rights to Tetris on all the platforms by Mirrorsoft, Bullet Proof Software, ELORG and the corrupt politician/KGB Agent. Even Sega, Atari and President Gorbachev get involved in this story of video/computer game espionage and intrigue.
The visual style of the movie is done with a pixel art, 8-bit art-style flair with pixelized graphic animations separating important parts of the story with cut-scenes that indicate an increase in game level. Behind the surface value interpretation of the movie you have the issues under-toning the main premise of the storyline. The main character Henk must make some significant sacrifices to make his dream come true of his company transitioning from video game developers to video game publishers and making enough money to allow for them to be in control of the key decisions relating to their own products. This is in addition to being financially independent from the bank and not having to put his house up as collateral in the future. However, to borrow the $3 million he needs to develop and publish Tetris for Nintendo he does need to put his house up as collateral from the bank. He then has to travel to Moscow, Russia to legally secure the rights which he does illegally on a tourist VESA. During this time rights are sold illegally by Mirrorsoft to Sega and Atari. Henk battles Mirrorsoft’s Agent Robert Stein from Andromeda Software to gain the trust of the general manager of ELORG and secure the worldwide rights for video game and handheld platforms.
In addition to everything that’s going on Nintendo of America is getting ready to release their latest top-secret project and first true portable gaming console the Gameboy. When Henk learns that they plan to package the console with Mario he famously comment’s “if you want the Gameboy to appeal to little boys package it with Mario, if you want it to appeal to everyone both young and old, package it with Tetris.”. When Henk first saw the Gameboy he had the source code of Tetris in C on him which he was able to adapt to the Gameboy on the spot by changing the total amount of pixels on the screen. He was then able to show the president of Nintendo of America Tetris running on their device which instantly convinced them to forego Mario as the packaged game with their response to Henk’s offer being “can you get us the rights?”.
For a while Henk is really in a tough spot, he had literally bet his entire life (financially) on being able to publish and sell Tetris for a profit. He is accused by multiple people who don’t have the same strength of will to see his vision through of not being able to keep his promises. Both his wife Akemi and the creator of Tetris Alexij Patjitnov accuse him of making promises he can’t keep. Of course Tetris got officially released so it’s not really a spoiler to tell you that it works out in the end. While Alexij too must take a significant risk which ends up being a significant sacrifice of his own financial well-being in order to see the deal through to the end. He loses his house and job and at doesn’t believe that his sacrifice had a purpose so is angry at Henk for promising him royalties from Tetris.
In time, after the release of the Gameboy and massive success of Tetris the royalties came in and Henk passed them on to Alexij after which they partnered to form the Tetris Company. The corrupted nature of the KGB agent is contrasted against Henk Roger’s strongly honest morality. There’s also the corrupt western business-man who is contrasted by his arrogant yet honest son who ended up having to face legal judgement for his father’s criminal behavior. What is highlighted in all this is the strength of will of Henk Roger’s who remains honest whilst being accused of being a criminal many times by actual criminals. He courageously faces being locked up in a jail in a foreign country because he is so determined to do what is right to secure the rights to the game legally. One can’t help but like and admire Henk Roger’s who plays the role of hero in the movie, starting out as the underdog and coming out on top of some severely trying circumstances as a successful victor.
Closing thoughts on this movie, overall I think it’s a very positive, inspirational and well-made and presented, entertaining movie. I like it so much that I frequently re-watch the movie. I can really relate to having to lose or sacrifice everything in the hopes that it will pay off in the future. I also really love stories of the underdog winning and this movie also fulfills that craving. Sometimes I watch this movie simply to be transported to the world of the early days of video game development. It’s been embellished a bit from the original story of Tetris but there’s no denying that this is a great movie. Highly recommended right up there with the Sonic Trilogy and Super Mario Bros. Movie. The movie Tetris is a satisfying wild roller coaster ride through the days of 80’s video game development where justice and freedom wins out in the corrupt world of communist Russia. A new video game set to be a smash hit launch title on the first handheld console to be launched on the consumer market is at stake as an honest company battle a billion dollar media tycoon’s publishing empire for the rights to Tetris. The story progresses surprisingly quickly and does not lose any pace throughout the entire movie keeping the energy and enthusiasm high. This is a great movie to see with a partner or with family or with pretty much anyone. There isn’t much that is offensive, some very light swearing and minor scenes of violence so you can even see it with your grandmother. Very highly recommended for anyone into retro video gaming.
