Black Mirror’s “Bandersnatch” is a movie of its own breed
Bandersnatch brings a choose your own adventure book to life in a stunning film where you determine how the movie ends.
Hit Netflix exclusive Black Mirror took the internet by storm in 2011 with its first season. Known for delivering unique, dark, and interesting stories consisting of a different cast and plot every episode, the show has excelled at retaining viewers, keeping them locked in episode after episode. Soon after Christmas, the series released its first movie, Bandersnatch, which made viewers not just follow, but choose themselves the story of 19 year old Stefan Butler.
When following Butler, a young programmer in the late 80’s of Great Britain, the viewer is presented with choices, varying from those as simple as choosing what cereal you eat in the morning to ones more drastic such as deciding whether you jump off of the roof of a sixty story building. Each decision you make affects how the rest of the story plays out leading to multiple interesting endings that help you understand the story while also keeping the movie open-ended. Each unique ending causes the viewer to explore more of what the movie is truly about.
One great thing about Bandersnatch is its high replay value. Viewers will play through the film over and over again searching for secrets and different endings. Every time you watch this movie, you pick up on more of the hints the films provides, giving you a more in-depth story. Everyone that watches gets a different experience, then re-watches to get an alternate one. Many have taken to social media to converse about what options they chose and the consequent plot twist, causing the movie to spread like wildfire.
This kind of film has never been made or even attempted before and critics have taken notice. Jen Chaney from The Vulture says “Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is a gargantuan, extremely meta commentary on Netflix and the way we watch television in 2018. Or: It’s the most ingenious attempt to troll TV critics ever executed.”
Bandersnatch seamlessly blends a choose-your-own-adventure book into the film world. The choice the creators made was bold and has paid off by being one of the most engaging movies to date.
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Nathan Thayer is a senior at Wiregrass Ranch and this is his first year writing for The Stampede. He is a member of the class of 2019 club and plays lacrosse...
Don Howard • Jan 16, 2019 at 10:45 am
Had not decided to watch this one until now. Now you have me interested and will be watching this upcoming 3 day weekend. Thanks!
PBerry • Jan 16, 2019 at 7:02 am
Bandersnatch was AMAZING! Highly recommend to any fans of choosing their own adventures!!
Mrs. Swain • Jan 15, 2019 at 9:33 pm
… Adding this movie to my watch list!