Tetris movie review: An irresistible thriller that plays fast and loose with the facts

Tetris

Four stars

Apple TV+; Cert TBC

First, the disclaimer: This frothy, energetic display is not a film based on the Tetris video game. That would be horrifying. Instead, it embellishes the true story of a determined Dutchman who travelled to Russia to acquire the rights to said video game. A worthier venture, you’ll agree.

The year is 1988 and Henk Rogers (Taron Egerton) needs a win. Raised in the US and based in Japan, our eager entrepreneur is desperate to find the next big gaming experience. It’s at a convention in Vegas that he stumbles upon a clever new Russian endeavour that will change his life.

Tetris, Henk discovers, is an extraordinarily addictive game, and will almost certainly make a fortune. He wants in – so, too, does the Maxwell media empire. Alas, the Russians aren’t interested in sharing. Things get tricky.

Directed by Jon S Baird (Filth, Stan & Ollie), Tetris plays fast and loose with the facts, and fancies itself as an edgy, cold-war thriller.

A big ask, but we mustn’t let the truth get in the way of a good time – and that’s exactly what Tetris provides. Egerton, too, elevates proceedings – and hey, those 8-bit cartoon interludes are fun.

In a word? Irresistible.