Tetris (2023): Before I received this assignment, I didn’t know what Tetris was. Upon research, I realized that I knew what I was seeing but just wasn’t aware of its identity. Tetris is that game that you may have played which involves blocks (tetrominoes) falling from the top.
They need to be arranged so that there are no gaps in the middle, which results in a few rows getting eliminated. The game ends when the blocks accumulate on your screen and reach the top. Henk (Taron Egerton), in the film, called it something that stayed with him as he saw blocks falling in his dreams. He said, “It’s poetry, art, and math all working in magical synchronicity.”
But what is the story behind it? That’s what this Apple TV+ film is all about. I’m not sure how true it is, and it doesn’t really matter. This article is purely to explain how director Jon S. Baird’s film ended and answer any questions about the same.
Tetris (2023) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
The film focuses on Henk Rogers’ attempts to secure the rights to Tetris, a game he discovered when his salesgirl got busy and forgot to promote the game he designed. It saw him make a pitch to Nintendo for a handheld game and then get embroiled in a high-stakes battle with hungry game sharks from Europe and individuals in the USSR. There is drama, such as the embassy threats, the involvement of the KGB, and the Argo-like escape from the Moscow airport. How did it come to the escape?
Tetris (2023) Movie Ending, Explained:
Henk Rogers seemed to have given up after realizing that he was scammed. However, Nikolai, through Alexey, sent him a fax that showed the contract wasn’t a contract. Henk took this to the powers at Nintendo and got them to see the light. When asked what they had to do, he told them that they needed to travel beyond the Iron Curtain with their checkbooks. At the same time, Robert Stein realized that the deal had slipped through him, and he lost the rights he had.
This saw him publicly call out the Maxwells. Robert and Kevin Maxwell heard of Nintendo’s offer and headed to the Soviet Union themselves.
What was Mirrorsoft’s contract and agreement?
Robert Maxwell tried to remind Gorbachev of their deal, i.e., an exchange offer between the game and the encyclopedia publication. He tried to sell it as a step toward communism, but the leader seemed to understand that his country was falling. Later, the Maxwells tried to get Nikolai to hand over the rights of Tetris to them. Robert claimed that it was his first and final offer- an IP for IP, and he was taking back video game rights. He reminded Nikolai that the agreement guaranteed Mirrorsoft the Tetris rights if they made the counteroffer, and that was it.
What was the catch with Robert Maxwell’s agreement?
Nikolai was willing to sign, but Robert had to cough up $1 million on the spot.
How did Henk realize Mirrorsoft was bankrupt?
Robert did not want to pay the money, and his sign blurted out the line on pity money. This led Henk and Nintendo to understand that Mirrorsoft was broken. Robert denied it, saying it was an accounting quirk that would be resolved in the next quarter. Nikolai had to look for what was best for his country and took a call.
Whose contract did Nikolai sign?
Nikolai inked the deal with Nintendo, which gave his country $5 million upfront. He then advised the trio that they would only be safe once they had taken off from Moscow.
How did Nikolai tell the KGB the truth?
The KGB rushed to the Elorg headquarters to keep “the capitalists” away from Elorg. They were late, and Robert Maxwell complained about Nikolai not fulfilling the deal. He told Valentin, Boris, and Sasha that he had taken the deal that was the best for his country. Nikolai explained that no money voided the contract. When Valentin questioned Robert, he said that he had the money, just not at that moment.
Why did Kevin leave the Elorg headquarters?
Robert bribed the KGB agent to have a leg up in the Tetri race. He wanted his money back, and Kevin looked shocked at this piece of information. When Robert chastised him, Kevin looked furious and strode out of Elorg headquarters.
What new offer did Robert Maxwell make to the KGB to secure Tetris?
Robert Maxwell was not done, and he tried to secure Tetris despite Nintendo having signed the deal. He asked Valentin what it would take and received the reply: 50% ownership. Robert agreed as Sasha looked shocked. Just earlier, when she had reminded Valentin that he worked for his country, she was on the receiving end of a brutal comment. As a nationalist and someone who was hurt, she did not follow her comrades.
Who saved Henk from the KGB?
Three KGB agents chased Henk and the Nintendo agents. They were saved by Alexey, who arrived in his orange car. He ferried the trio through the streets of Moscow and ensured they made it safely through a high-speed pursuit. Alexey stayed with Henk and his companions until they safely reached the airport. Once there, he refused to leave their side until they had gone through customs.
What happened to the corrupt KGB agent Valentin?
Valentin failed to detain the three foreigners and headed back off the aero bridge in disgust. As he stepped off, Sasha arrested him and had the soldiers take him away for corruption and breaking the law.
Where did Henk Rogers fly to?
Fleeing the Soviet Union was important, meaning any international flight would do. Hence, the trio booked the first flight available. They flew out to Zurich.
What happened to Alexey at the end of Tetris?
The corrupt KGB agents would have known that Alexey played a part in Henk’s escape. As they were arrested, they couldn’t spill the beans. Hence, Alexey returned to his accommodation (the one-room apartment he had been sent to as atonement for siding with foreigners earlier in the film). Following the fall of the Soviet Union, he received a Gameboy with Tetris from Henk. The box also had airplane tickets to San Francisco for Alexey and his family. Once in the ‘Golden Gate City.’ Once there, Henk touched on Alexey’s last line in Russia and asked him if there was time for American emotion now.
Related to Tetris (2023): Game of Love (2023) Movie Review: Not as Fun as a Board Game but Tolerable as a Rom-com
Tetris (2023) Links: IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Wikipedia
Tetris (2023) Cast: Taron Egerton, Mara Huf, Miles Barrow
