“Black Mirror: Bandersnatch” is a mess of a movie, and that mess is the point. The 2018 Netflix feature is a choose-your-own-adventure film, letting viewers pick branching paths through the story of a programmer named Stefan Butler who is trying to adapt a children’s book into a video game. The result is a film that is often brilliant and often baffling, a work that rewards patience and punishes skimming.
Trailer, via Netflix.
The Setup
Stefan Butler lives in a small English town in the 1980s. He has written a book about a boy who enters a magical world and must solve a series of puzzles to escape. The book is called “Bandersnatch.” Now he wants to turn it into a video game, but he cannot get anyone to fund it. He takes a job with a big company, and the story splits into multiple paths depending on what the viewer chooses at key moments.
The Branches
The branching structure is the star of the show. At several points, the viewer picks a path, and the story diverges. Some paths lead to dead ends, some lead to alternate endings, and some loop back on themselves. This creates a strange, recursive feeling. You can watch the same scene twice and see it play out differently depending on your choice.
“You have made a choice.”
That line, spoken by a character named Colin, is the signature moment of the film. It is delivered in a way that feels both theatrical and intimate, and it captures the tension between freedom and determinism that runs through the whole story.
The Cast
The cast is strong across the board. Freddie Highmore plays Stefan Butler with a quiet intensity that makes him sympathetic even when he makes bad decisions. Will Merrick plays Colin, the man who hires Stefan, with a cold, calculating edge. Kiki Layne plays the love interest, and her scenes ground the film in human emotion. The supporting cast is full of familiar faces from British television, and they all deliver solid performances.
The Problems
The film is not perfect. The branching structure is a gimmick, and it is a gimmick that sometimes gets in the way of storytelling. Some paths feel like filler, and some choices lead to scenes that add nothing to the plot. The ending, in particular, is a letdown. After spending an hour building tension, the finale feels rushed and unsatisfying.
The film also leans heavily on nostalgia for the 1980s, and that nostalgia can feel hollow. The references to video games, computers, and music are fun for those who lived through that era, but they do not always serve the story. The film is at its best when it stops being a period piece and starts being a tense psychological thriller.
The Music
The score is effective. It builds tension during the chase sequences and provides a sense of dread during the darker moments. The use of sound design is also notable. The film uses silence and ambient noise to create a sense of unease, and it works.
The Themes
The film touches on themes of control, fate, and the nature of choice. It asks whether we are truly free or whether our lives are predetermined. These are heavy questions, and the film handles them with a light touch. The story is entertaining, but it is not the kind of film that stays with you long after you finish watching it.
The Length
The film is long. Depending on your choices, it can run anywhere from an hour to two hours. That length can be a problem. Some viewers will want to start over and make different choices, but the film does not make that easy. There is no clear way to restart, and the film does not remember your choices from a previous viewing. This is a minor annoyance, but it is one that will frustrate some viewers.
The Verdict
“Black Mirror: Bandersnatch” is a bold experiment that mostly works. It is a technical achievement, and it is a film that rewards careful attention. But it is also a film with flaws, and those flaws are significant enough to keep it from greatness.
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