Rate Black Mirror: Bandersnatch out of 10

[CharlesX]

I've no idea if Charlie Brooker will eventually do a similar project or sequel to Bandersnatch, as my understanding is it took some work even though it was pretty well-received (his Cat Burglar is ultimately interactive too), or whether others will make more big interactive films perhaps inspired by this one. What is your view of this film, by whatever criteria are important to you (overall quality first presumably, perhaps influenced by whether it satiates you gaming appetite, or appeals to you)?

   I thought Bandersnatch was great, with intelligent writing, well-designed from a game point-of-view, with length and some paths that trigger only under certain hard-to-find circumstances. I would say it wasn't particularly deep in terms of plot or message, which I have no problem with (because neither is Star Wars or Spirited Way). OTOH I would say calling it 'style-over-substance' or 'superficial' does a disservice to this above-average work.

[kieran]

I gave it a 7 - I enjoyed it but I had no huge urge to try it again after the first viewing. Although it compares itself to CYOA, it's a bit different in that previous bad decisions influence how the good decisions play out if I recall correctly.

[CharlesX]

Oct 9, 2023 10:32:35 GMT kieran said:

I gave it a 7 - I enjoyed it but I had no huge urge to try it again after the first viewing. Although it compares itself to CYOA, it's a bit different in that previous bad decisions influence how the good decisions play out if I recall correctly.

I thought the story was good but could have been longer, even though it was longer than it had to be and testifies to a lot of work. It was very consuming for Brooker's team, in part because it was a high-quality product (which CYOA wasn't always); they'd already turned it into a stand-alone rather than another series, and more from their pov would have made whole of Black Mirror an interactive series. I kind of agree with reviewers that while Black Mirror: Bandersnatch was technically impressive, its quality was above-average rather than phenomenal compared with other Black Mirror.