Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
On Quartile, Tetris scores 7.5/10 across five categories — strongest on Plot (Above Average).
In 1988, American video game salesman Henk Rogers discovers the video game Tetris. When he sets out to bring the game to the world, he enters a dangerous web of lies and corruption behind the Iron Curtain.
Tetris (2023) is a competent, entertaining thriller that dramatizes the surprisingly tense true story of securing the rights to the iconic puzzle game. The plot is engaging and well-paced, translating a licensing dispute into genuine Cold War tension, though it takes considerable dramatic liberties with the facts. Acting is solid across the board — Taron Egerton carries the film well — without anyone delivering a truly standout performance. Cinematography is functional and period-appropriate, with some fun retro video game visual flourishes that add personality but don't elevate it cinematically. Novelty is moderate: using a video game rights battle as a Cold War thriller is a fresh premise, and the pixel-art stylistic touches are distinctive, but the film follows fairly conventional thriller beats once established. The ending is satisfying and crowd-pleasing, tying up the true story neatly, though it leans into sentimentality without subverting expectations. A solidly above-average crowd-pleaser that doesn't quite distinguish itself in any single dimension.