Critical Essay on Black Mirror: Bandersnatch - Choose Your Own Adventure in 1984

Introduction

Released in 2018, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is a science fiction movie directed by David Slade and written by Charlie Brooker. The main character, Stefan Butler (Fionn Whitehead) is a young programmer whose journey in the film, decision-wise, is made by the viewers as they watch the show. Other characters include Butler's father-Peter acted by Craig Parkinson and Dr. Haynes (Alice Haynes) who is Butler's therapist (Slade). In the film set in 1984, Butler aims to adapt a 'choose-your-own-adventure' fantasy novel into a video game. Being an interactive film, it begins with a short preamble after which the viewers are given an option to click and choose the path that Butler as the protagonist will follow. Each choice leads to a different ending, and as explained later by the director, there are as many as twelve endings. Being an uprising video game designer, Stefan lands the support of large tech company to adopt the novel to a video game. As the audience ventures into his world, it is seen how he struggles to complete the game in solitude which leads him to descend into mania. He begins taking pills.

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The manner in which the show was presented brings a feeling that, for the viewer, the end is determined by the choices one makes. It is built on the premise of options. For instance, the choice of tape Stefan listens to, or the cereal he takes in the morning is effortless. Every move is predetermined because, at some point, a viewer gets an option of having an experienced designer (Will Poulter) to help Stefan, but the former says "wrong path," and this automatically cues the view to start over again. From a personal point of view, the film is created to make every viewer experience it differently, and that is why it mirrors reality as much as it questions it. The level of technology presented also appears to be too advanced for the time in which the film is set.

Whether or not the show left an effective impact in terms of the creator's vision is questionable. While it is built on the premise of choices and the related consequences, this film has no real dire implications in most of its endings. The achievements that the creators have made, and should be rightly credited include the intractability, interactivity and the notion of varied experiences for each viewer with the film. However, the premise is betrayed by specific predetermined actions. Some choices are false, while others are not choices at all. For instance, one is told the "wrong path" or, when Stefan is given pills, and the viewer chooses to decline or throw them away, the protagonist is drugged against his will. This goes against free will to which Stefan is entitled. Also, the film does not permit forwarding or rewinding, ensuring that the viewer is glued to the experience. However, these aspects do not take away the due credit that this film exists in a paradox with a uniqueness people are not so much used to in television.

This film fits some aspects of visual culture, such as the visual presentations of struggles-physically and psychologically-that people go through in everyday aspect of daily life (Lightman 2). The protagonist here strives to achieve something but faces psychological struggles which lead him to the usage of pills. Certain aspects of culture are dependent on the choices people make, which in turn decide their fate, and this is a significant premise on which this film is made.

Conclusion

Since the release of this film, hilarious memes have flooded the internet showing different frustrations users go through as they try to take charge of Stefan's life and influence his decisions. One is given below in figure 1 showing my experience too.

Works Cited

Lightman, Bernard. "Victorian Science And Popular Visual Culture". Early Popular Visual Culture, vol 10, no. 1, 2012, pp. 1-5. Informa UK Limited, doi:10.1080/17460654.2012.637389.

Smith, Katie Louise. "31 Memes About Black Mirror: Bandersnatch That'll Make You Destroy Your Computer". Popbuzz, 2018, https://www.popbuzz.com/tv-film/news/black-mirror-bandersnatch-memes/.

Slade, David. Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. 2018, https://www.netflix.com/ke-en/title/80988062. Accessed 24 Sept 2019.