--- title: "Tetris — How the puzzle game escaped Soviet Russia in 1988" description: "Instead of being set in the game world, ‘Tetris’ tells the wild true story of how the iconic puzzle title made it from Russia into the world. It’s buoyed by a motivated lead performance but some of its story beats reek of distracting Hollywoodisation." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "WHAT WE’RE WATCHING" author: "Noelle Adams" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/noelle-adams/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-04-07-tetris-how-the-puzzle-game-escaped-soviet-russia-in-1988/" published: "2023-04-07T08:00:56" updated: "2023-04-06T16:34:08" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 724 --- # Tetris — How the puzzle game escaped Soviet Russia in 1988 > Instead of being set in the game world, ‘Tetris’ tells the wild true story of how the iconic puzzle title made it from Russia into the world. It’s buoyed by a motivated lead performance but some of its story beats reek of distracting Hollywoodisation. By Noelle Adams · Published 7 April 2023, 10:00 SAST · Updated 6 April 2023, 18:34 SAST ## Key points - Tetris is a thrilling true story about the puzzle game's escape from Soviet Russia in 1988 and its rise to becoming a global phenomenon. With Taron Egerton's captivating performance as small-scale video game publisher Henk Rogers, the film expertly captures the heated competition of the 80s between capitalism and communism while also delivering an exciting car chase finale. Tetris is a unique and entertaining take on one of gaming's most iconic titles. - Tetris is a thrilling film based on true events about the puzzle game's escape from Soviet Russia. - Taron Egerton stars as small-scale video game publisher Henk Rogers, who is determined to secure the handheld rights from the Russian authorities. - The film provides an eye-opening and convincing look at Russia during the last-gasp days of the Soviet Union, while also exploring themes of fairness and corporate sliminess. - Despite its exciting finale, Tetris struggles to maintain a consistent sense of plausibility throughout. ## Content *Tetris* is a very different kind of [video game film](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetris). Unlike the [*Uncharted*s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHp3MbsCbMg&t=4s), and [*Sonic the Hedgehog*s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szby7ZHLnkA), *Tetris*keeps the action very much in our reality. Well, to a certain degree. This thriller, based on real-life events, is noticeably pounded to fit the Hollywood mould at times, but it nonetheless presents the fascinating true story of how the puzzle game *Tetris* escaped Soviet Russia in 1988 to become a global cultural phenomenon. [YouTube video: "YouTube video"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BLM1naCfME) For a film that is mostly about people bickering over contracts and negotiating licensing rights in utilitarian boardrooms, *Tetris* is surprisingly entertaining and breezy. Continually referencing its video game source material, establishing shots and key scenes are overlaid with colourful eight-bit graphics. More important in energising the film, though, is [Taron Egerton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taron_Egerton)’s performance as small-scale video game publisher [Henk Rogers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henk_Rogers). Rogers is a likeable everyman who sees the potential of *Tetris* to capture the imagination of everyone – not just gaming’s traditional adolescent audience — and therefore won’t take no for an answer in the heated contest to secure the handheld rights from the Russian authorities. There is no property ownership in the Communist USSR, of course, so *Tetris* creator [Alexey Pajitnov](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexey_Pajitnov) ([Nikita Efremov](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikita_Yefremov)) has no say in the matter, with his bosses at state-owned computer company Elorg handling the deal instead. Forced to bargain in person in the Soviet Union, which means numerous bureaucratic obstacles, and severe culture clashes, Rogers has to stay motivated. He’s put everything on the line as collateral, from his company to the Tokyo home that his wife and children live in. And yet, he doesn’t succumb to the underhanded tactics of his rivals — which include hefty media tycoon [Robert Maxwell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Maxwell) ([Roger Allam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Allam)), his pampered son Kevin ([Anthony Boyle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Boyle)), and fellow small-scale game licenser [Robert Stein](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Stein_\(computer_pioneer\)) ([Toby Jones](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toby_Jones)). All Rogers wants to do is secure a fair deal for everyone concerned. It’s this sense of fairness that is *Tetris*’s greatest emotional hook. Audiences want underdog Rogers to succeed as he’s caught in the middle between ruthless 80s capitalism out of the West (represented by the Maxwells), and the utterly self-serving side of communism that has taken root east of the teetering Berlin Wall. The latter is embodied by Igor Grabuzov’s greasy Valentin Trifonov, head of the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs. ![Production still from 'Tetris'. Image: Apple TV+ / Supplied](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/4PYVdlygUbruBCp4EEjCWYI95sI=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Tetris_Photo_0103.jpg) *Production still from 'Tetris'. Image: Apple TV+ / Supplied* ![Production still from 'Tetris'. Image: Apple TV+ / Supplied](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/Me9d5P0fNiJF0Jp-8g0cwLfl18Y=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Tetris_Photo_0104.jpg) *Production still from 'Tetris'. Image: Apple TV+ / Supplied* ![Production still from 'Tetris'. Image: Apple TV+ / Supplied](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/-1jOxgt-B9quBoHJIxux-28yVG8=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Tetris_Photo_0101.jpg) *Production still from 'Tetris'. Image: Apple TV+ / Supplied* ![Production still from 'Tetris'. Image: Apple TV+ / Supplied](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/TlBKUd5O89IoOpZv3IND3YRf0iU=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Tetris_Photo_0102.jpg) *Production still from 'Tetris'. Image: Apple TV+ / Supplied* Trifonov’s corruption will hit especially hard for South African audiences, as he’s a political authority who prioritises personal enrichment at the expense of their country. Having long ago discarded ideological principles, Trifonov drives bad deals if bribes slide into his pocket, bullying and beating good people into submission if they stand in his way. Meanwhile, the general population live miserable lives of deprivation, and waiting in long queues. *Tetris* provides an eye-opening and convincing look at Russia during the last-gasp days of the Soviet Union. In fact, the film nails the era of the late 80s in general, inside and outside the USSR. It’s just a pity that the same sense of credibility doesn’t extend through the entire film. Maybe it’s because we see so much brazen corporate sliminess on the daily now, but the characters’ ferocious drive to do the legally right thing, and not just distribute *Tetris* without a licensing agreement, doesn’t ring true. Then again, this plot point could be explained away as simply doing business at a different time. Far less excusable, and believable, is a high-stakes car chase to cap off the film. It’s unquestionably exciting, but given the amount of time *Tetris* spends on showing Soviet Russia as a surveillance state, all the villains really needed to do is make one phone call to stop Rogers and co. But then viewers wouldn’t receive their crowd-pleasing finale, where the heroes triumph and the boo-hiss bad guys get their comeuppance. As a piece of history turned into brisk, easy-to-digest entertainment, all the pieces are present in *Tetris*, barring a consistent sense of plausibility. **DM/ ML** *This story was first published on*[*Pfangirl.com*](https://www.pfangirl.com/review/tetris-movie-review/)*.*Tetris *was released on Apple TV+ on 31 March.* !['Tetris'. Image: Apple TV+ / Supplied](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/LuYDAHKbpQR9yIz-PCYwRX4s0Dw=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Tetris_poster.jpg) *'Tetris'. Image: Apple TV+ / Supplied*