Black Mirror: Bandersnatch- Revolution in Film

Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is a new Netflix movie which is a segment of the Black Mirror series but the first Black Mirror film and it was directed by David Slade. Before the movie begins, it tells us that we actually control the movie by selecting one of two options with the controller. Every decision we make alter the film in different ways. The main goal is to make the video game successful while keeping Stefan sane. The movie begins by introducing us to Stefan Butler, an 19 year old living with his Father. After he wakes up and takes his pills, we get our first choice, sugar puffs or frosted flakes. We soon learn that he is a computer programmer in 1984 and was going to pitch his video game (Bandersnatch) to a programming company called Tuckersoft and the company liked his idea but when asked if he wanted to work there, we get two options, yes or no. I will not tell you what happens for each option because I do not want to spoil the surprise and so that you can make your own story. His video game is based on the novel Bandersnatch written by Jerome F Davies which drove him crazy and led him to decapitate his wife. Davies also became obsessed with the idea of free will. Bandersnatch deconstructs the choose your own adventure format by telling a story about the choose your own adventure format. This film uses lots of symbolism that stand for many different things. For example, the most prominent symbol is the shape of an upside down field goal which represents diverging timelines and control.

The main goal of the film is to have the audience so engaged so that you care what happens to the characters. The movie does have very interesting characters and great actors playing the characters. There are about 5 different endings that could happen from your choices, each one being more confusing than the next. According to Netflix, there are over a trillion story combinations which is a bit misleading because I have watched Bandersnatch a couple of times now and have come to the realization that you do not have as much free will as you think. For example, there are many choices you make that don't actually affect the larger plot and there are several plot points that always happen, regardless of your choices. Your choices always affect the specific scene you are watching, but often don't affect what happens in future scenes. There are a lot of dead ends and loops that force you to travel back and try again while showing you which choice you made determined your fate and bringing you back to that point in the story to try again when you hit a dead end. The theme of free will is the idea that the characters are not in control of their destiny. This puts the audience in the same situation because you think you have the decision to change Stefan's fate, but in reality you do not have much control. Placing the audience in the same situation as the characters is a great way to get them to empathize and connect with the characters. The director and writer of the film makes you a part of the world he is deconstructing, which creates the best episode of Black Mirror yet. This is why Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is a Good Good movie