• Network: Netflix
  • Series Premiere Date: Dec 28, 2018
User Score
6.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 277 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 39 out of 277

Review this tv show

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling

User Reviews

  1. Dec 29, 2018
    6
    While innovative for a Netflix idea the main theming is from a very meta sense and often it felt heavy handed with it not letting you make certain decisions.
  2. Dec 29, 2018
    1
    Bandersnatch starts out being somewhat entertaining and slow moving, typical for Netflix. Once the viewer has the ability to change the outcome, the story loses significance. Instead of anticipating one compelling ending, the viewer choses between five uninteresting ones. I've been better entertained watching paint dry.

    I have no patience watching a line cross the screen of my computer
    Bandersnatch starts out being somewhat entertaining and slow moving, typical for Netflix. Once the viewer has the ability to change the outcome, the story loses significance. Instead of anticipating one compelling ending, the viewer choses between five uninteresting ones. I've been better entertained watching paint dry.

    I have no patience watching a line cross the screen of my computer as time is running out to do something on it. As a result of this aspect of the program, boredom is mixed with aggravation.

    The one true line in the story is when the main character tells his counsellor he is in a Netflix movie. The counsellor says it cannot be true because the main character and the things he is doing in the story are boring. That part of Bandersnatch was completely true.
    Expand
  3. Jan 7, 2019
    6
    Kudos for taking a chance on the concept, which I'm sure we'll see more of, but I hope that in the future there's a bit more effort put into the other elements of the production aside from the gimmick.
  4. Dec 29, 2018
    10
    The point of this piece is so completely different from other Black Mirror episodes that it's hard to review this fairly in comparison to others. The writing falls short of excellent like some other episodes, but instead of a strict narrative, it is an interweaving web of choices whose structure makes its own point. Its chaos and abruptly ending timelines contribute to the perceivedThe point of this piece is so completely different from other Black Mirror episodes that it's hard to review this fairly in comparison to others. The writing falls short of excellent like some other episodes, but instead of a strict narrative, it is an interweaving web of choices whose structure makes its own point. Its chaos and abruptly ending timelines contribute to the perceived arbitrary nature of the choices you make. You don't know if you have explored all possibilities, but that's also the point in that it doesn't matter if you try to guide yourself down some path.
    Ultimately, Bandersnatch has many chilling scenes and it communicates its somewhat meta message effectively. As such, it is a disruptive and invasive experience for the viewer, which is what I have always wanted out of Black Mirror.
    Expand
  5. Dec 28, 2018
    10
    I am a fan of Black Mirror series and tbh I didn't even know about this one. I saw an ad, or I don't recall what, and jumped right in.

    Man, I was mind-****ed, as I would be from a Black Mirror series thing. This fits the interactive-movie area 100% in my opinion. There were at least 3 moments, where I felt really "THIS IS GREAT" (Imagine me saying this in my head like a real psycho),
    I am a fan of Black Mirror series and tbh I didn't even know about this one. I saw an ad, or I don't recall what, and jumped right in.

    Man, I was mind-****ed, as I would be from a Black Mirror series thing. This fits the interactive-movie area 100% in my opinion. There were at least 3 moments, where I felt really "THIS IS GREAT" (Imagine me saying this in my head like a real psycho), That doesn't mean the rest is bad - but the opposite!

    The overall system is working so good, you're not wasting time. I was strapped the first minute I got in, and can't wait to invite someone to my place to try this and see their reaction.

    Please, see, it's a great ride. Giving this less than 8 is somehow understandable (Not by me, this is great project, and should be continued), but giving under 5 (Like the 0-1 trolls) - not reasonable, and most likely not objective. They watched, selected something, it ended, and were like - "Meh". Yeah, then the don't know how these work, and that's it.
    Expand
  6. Dec 30, 2018
    5
    "Choose your own" gimmicks aside, it was an ok episode, not great, not terrible, the 80's nostalgia make it better than bad. Hope the upcoming new Black Mirror season hits it out of the park, but basing it on last seasons disappointing eps, and the relative blandness of this entry, I'm not holding my breath.
  7. Dec 29, 2018
    7
    I have no idea what Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is. It is something entirely new, a cross between a movie and an interactive, choose-your-own adventure–style game. Netflix’s episode description reads as follows: In 1984, a young programmer begins to question reality as he adapts a dark fantasy novel into a video game. A mind-bending tale with multiple endings.
    You may notice that Netflix
    I have no idea what Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is. It is something entirely new, a cross between a movie and an interactive, choose-your-own adventure–style game. Netflix’s episode description reads as follows: In 1984, a young programmer begins to question reality as he adapts a dark fantasy novel into a video game. A mind-bending tale with multiple endings.
    You may notice that Netflix also states that Bandersnatch has a runtime of one hour and thirty minutes; this is a lie. I spent over six hours in Bandersnatch today, going through all of the ideas, plots, and scenes, and of one thing I’m certain: there’s quite a bit left to see. With five possible endings, over three hundred minutes worth of content, and a trillion possible scenarios, Bandersnatch definitely snatches my interest.
    The choices are wide-ranging, from what cereal to have for breakfast, what music to listen to (read: play in the background), to how best to dispose of his father’s body. There are numerous pathways, some more surreal than others; one in particular involving a certain familiar name had me in stitches through to the end. The choices are entertaining and you’ll find yourself going back, as I did, to see what you can do differently the next time around, and the answer might surprise you.
    However, when you get down to it, that’s what makes Bandersnatch work. If you take away the viewer’s involvement and the novelty of it all, what Bandersnatch tells is a fairly straightforward story of a young boy with mental health issues who wants to make a video game, and then ends up killing his father and possibly another programmer as well. There’s a bit thrown in there about free will and all of that, and about how everyone’s actions are controlled and there’s really no free will to begin with, but there’s no real depth to it. It’s more for lipservice than anything else. That being said, I can think of no better starting point for interactive shows than Black Mirror, nor can I think of a better meta-fest entry than this one. I mean, it’s a choose-your-own adventure–style movie about a guy obsessed with a choose-your-own adventure–style book making a choose-your-own adventure–style game. Bandersnatch loves to dive deep into the meta-hole, with certain paths involving the lead actively resisting your commands and convinced that he is being controlled by an outside force. There is even one particularly hilarious path that has the direct involvement of the viewer that I enjoyed immensely.
    Above all else, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is wildly entertaining and morbid and, although we’ve come to expect a higher standard of storytelling from Black Mirror (cough-San Junipero-cough), Bandersnatch grabs you with its novelty and manages to impress with its technical prowess, if not as much its story.
    Expand
  8. Dec 28, 2018
    5
    I am not sure if this episode of Black Mirror is nothing short of genius or blatantly and shockingly bad. Despite, it is just overwhelmingly underwhelming, anticlimactic and overly disappointing.
  9. Dec 28, 2018
    10
    It's genius, on many levels. Daring in concept and as always with Black Mirror gorgeous to look at and slick in execution, nice location touches the elephant, Croydon and goldfinger tower in London. I watched it on my own for ten mins then stopped and forced it on my family just now...like a twisted Christmas family board game, passing the control on each question and my parents despairingIt's genius, on many levels. Daring in concept and as always with Black Mirror gorgeous to look at and slick in execution, nice location touches the elephant, Croydon and goldfinger tower in London. I watched it on my own for ten mins then stopped and forced it on my family just now...like a twisted Christmas family board game, passing the control on each question and my parents despairing at my choices and me latterly smiling at a twist. It was pure magic and my Christmas highlight. We'll see more of these as you can't copy them onto a streaming site... modern, subversive, superb. Expand
  10. Jan 1, 2019
    0
    Garbage. There's too much wrong with this film to adequately right down what I think about it, I've tried multiple times...

    So I'm just going to leave this here. It's crap, no actual story whatsoever, the choose your own path thing is irritating and hurts the film more than it helps (seriously, watch one of the ripped versions of it where you don't make the choices, it gets its point
    Garbage. There's too much wrong with this film to adequately right down what I think about it, I've tried multiple times...

    So I'm just going to leave this here. It's crap, no actual story whatsoever, the choose your own path thing is irritating and hurts the film more than it helps (seriously, watch one of the ripped versions of it where you don't make the choices, it gets its point across far better, although its still crap).

    The creator is clearly far more interested in getting a "message" across to the audience than actually writing a story so you don't get one. Piss poor
    Expand
  11. Dec 28, 2018
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I feel like this film had a lot of potential, yet threw it all away for the sake of gimmick. The concept behind it was great, but halfway through I got bored as things started to go off the rails. This film is praised for being creative and innovative, but I feel it should be judged for its content and writing just as much as the idea behind it. Compared to other Black Mirror episodes, Bandersnatch simply falls short, and I am a huge fan of Black Mirror so I was incredibly disappointed by this.
    I feel like the flaws in this story would become obvious if choose your own adventure stories become more common. I was also annoyed by the fact they kept throwing in simple philosophy about determinism into the mix to make the film seem deeper than it is. These elements should unfold naturally, not in drug-fueled ramblings that seem nearly comical in nature.
    Overall, I wouldn't recommend this to anyone that enjoys deep storytelling, but if cheesy stories are your thing you might enjoy it.
    Expand
  12. Dec 31, 2018
    0
    25 years ago they tried to sell things like this as PC games. Stuff like *Critical Path*. Back then, pretty much everyone agreed that this was not enjoyable and the concept fell into a coma. I actually assumed it to have died, but now here we go again.

    The problem with choose your own adventure books, games and movies, is that they tell weak stories and they are inferior to other
    25 years ago they tried to sell things like this as PC games. Stuff like *Critical Path*. Back then, pretty much everyone agreed that this was not enjoyable and the concept fell into a coma. I actually assumed it to have died, but now here we go again.

    The problem with choose your own adventure books, games and movies, is that they tell weak stories and they are inferior to other mediums that do a far better job at the same thing. Roleplaying games, be it computer based or pen and paper, are far better in the actual choice department, while choose your own adventure books beat things like Bandersnatch with the number of prefabricated options.

    Worst thing though is that Bandersnatch is lying right off the start. The first two choices are meaningless, but the very third choice already is a binary right/wrong choice. If you do not choose what the creaters want you to choose, it is over and you can try again. This time you may "decide" to choose the other option. In behavioral studies, this is called conditioning and it has nothing to do with choice or free will, let alone with excitement.
    Expand
  13. Dec 28, 2018
    10
    Giving less than an 8 for this movie is ridiculous. If you complain that it seems unfinished you are totally wrong, its obvious that it is impossible to create an infinite range of possibilities because of your choices and netflix did an incredible work at dealing with it.
    On top of that its an amazing movie that you can watch more than one time. Strongly recommend.
  14. Dec 28, 2018
    10
    exceptionally well done. For the medium and the idea of it its a stellar piece. Does a great job exploring choice and lack there of.
    The "endings" varied greatly but still kept with the theme of the story/black mirror.

    It appears all the negative reviews miss the point of the film or haven't explored it properly.
  15. Dec 28, 2018
    6
    This was mildly interesting. It wasn't quite on par with the higher end stories of the regular Black Mirror season shows, and it wasn't really a "Choose-Your-Own-Adventure", it was more "choose until you make the right decision and see a bad ending whenever you don't and start over". There was a lot of potential here, particularly for messing with the viewer, but it feels like they wentThis was mildly interesting. It wasn't quite on par with the higher end stories of the regular Black Mirror season shows, and it wasn't really a "Choose-Your-Own-Adventure", it was more "choose until you make the right decision and see a bad ending whenever you don't and start over". There was a lot of potential here, particularly for messing with the viewer, but it feels like they went the cautious route because they were unsure how the audience would react to an "interactive" movie in the first place.

    The acting was serviceable, the overall plot was generic, and overall it was enjoyable, but hardly groundbreaking. If they do this again, hopefully they'll have the guts to really get into the viewer's head and make us think.
    Expand
  16. Dec 28, 2018
    2
    A confusing mess of ideas that don't add up to a solid point. A real shame considering it's source material. Fans will eat it up because of the name attached, but it pales in comparison to the rest of the black mirror line up. Hopefully a full season with better, more cohesive stories will turn up at some point. Until then, I am disappointed and disgruntled at the decision to put so muchA confusing mess of ideas that don't add up to a solid point. A real shame considering it's source material. Fans will eat it up because of the name attached, but it pales in comparison to the rest of the black mirror line up. Hopefully a full season with better, more cohesive stories will turn up at some point. Until then, I am disappointed and disgruntled at the decision to put so much effort into something that didn't hit the mark. Expand
  17. Dec 28, 2018
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. So Black Mirror... where to begin. The shows have always been a hit or miss depending on your preferences. Some of the show I absolutely loved, and some make me feel like I just wasted 45 minutes of my life. 2 things that tied the shows together was Easter eggs from previous shows and social media.
    Since social media was absent back in 1984, this choose your own adventure episode was fresh and new. The closer to the end you get, the crazier the decisions you made ranging from choosing your favorite cereal to fighting you female ninja psychiatrist.

    I give this a 10 for the creativeness of the producers :P
    Expand
  18. Jan 6, 2019
    7
    Well, that was an interesting experience that reminded me of John Scalzi’s Redshirts. It was more a video game than a movie so the movie succeeded there (given thats what the movie tried to do), but as a movie, it was pretty lacking. The story was unfocused in telling its story and I felt like I did not see a complete movie by the time when the credits rolled.

    The story telling was very
    Well, that was an interesting experience that reminded me of John Scalzi’s Redshirts. It was more a video game than a movie so the movie succeeded there (given thats what the movie tried to do), but as a movie, it was pretty lacking. The story was unfocused in telling its story and I felt like I did not see a complete movie by the time when the credits rolled.

    The story telling was very innovative and that was enabled because of technological advancement. But when you think about it, many choose your own adventure video games like Telltale’s The Walking Dead series and Life Is Stranger have done it much much better. I look forward to making decisions in the game but when ever the situation occurs, the movie basically just stops for 10sec for the audience to “play” the movie. I get it, its for the audience who arent used to this kinda thing. But for me who plays video game, it really breaks the story’s momentum. In The Walking Dead, things are still happening on screen while you have to rush to a decision, which felt a lot more organic. The first 10mins of the movie was so removed from the rest of the movie because it was kind of a tutorial.

    It was an interesting experiment and the use of the this choose your own adventure tech was fun.
    Expand
  19. Jan 4, 2019
    10
    The point of Bandersnatch isn't the story itself, but how the story unfolds and how the viewer interacts with it. This show brings together some basic theories of free will, parallel realities, philosophy, and psychology. These elements are easily noticed within the film itself, but what isn't as apparent is how the show forces the viewer to play into the same principles. In most scenesThe point of Bandersnatch isn't the story itself, but how the story unfolds and how the viewer interacts with it. This show brings together some basic theories of free will, parallel realities, philosophy, and psychology. These elements are easily noticed within the film itself, but what isn't as apparent is how the show forces the viewer to play into the same principles. In most scenes you are presented with 2 choices to pick from in order to chose your path. This presents one of the largest areas of complaints from many people "well I'd chose something else!" The thing that isn't noticed by these people is that, like a character in the movie, you don't get to chose from anything that you want, you don't have total free will. It is through these choices that the show makes you feel like you are controlling the characters, but in reality, the show is controlling you, giving you an artificial false dichotomy which provides the illusion of free will, and puts you into the role of the characters that you are watching. If you want to just watch something creepy or thrilling, go watch the normal black mirror episodes. If you want to interact with something that provides an interesting thought experiment and a novel experience, watch Bandersnatch.

    Also, main character is a really good example of how someone progresses from the early stages of schizophrenia to full blown psychosis.
    Expand
  20. Dec 28, 2018
    9
    The interactivity is much more than a gimmick, and integrates excellently with both the theme and the subject of the movie. Loved it, especially that when you get an 'ending' and you roll back, the ending that you rewinded from is still remembered and used elsewhere in the movie.
  21. Dec 28, 2018
    2
    Meh, such a disaster. I was expecting much more from a Black Mirror episode.
  22. Dec 28, 2018
    2
    I've played a lot of interactive stories over the last 10 years, bandersnatch manages to feel as a proper black mirror episode but it's one of the worst interactive story structures I've seen. Apart from the Stanley Parable.

    It's a good attempt, but I have to say I was disappointed. Some parts of the story were completely detached from the main story and certain characters disappeared
    I've played a lot of interactive stories over the last 10 years, bandersnatch manages to feel as a proper black mirror episode but it's one of the worst interactive story structures I've seen. Apart from the Stanley Parable.

    It's a good attempt, but I have to say I was disappointed. Some parts of the story were completely detached from the main story and certain characters disappeared and came back to life depending on completely unrelated decisions.

    It seems like the writers did not get enough time.
    Expand
  23. Jan 2, 2019
    4
    Choices aren't totally gimmick, in fact they change how the story continues. I just feel that sometimes there are alternatives you think that don't need to be taken. Didn't like that if you choose the "wrong option", movie just tell you to go back and take the other alternative. Unfortunately my final was ridiculous.
  24. Dec 28, 2018
    0
    Ok Netflix, you tried.
    If it is an interactive product, the least you can expect is that each path has some kind of connection between your decisions and something makes sense. Bandersnatch fails (and a lot) in that.
    Several endings that leave the viewer simply not understanding anything about what happened, much less how their decisions affected the story, aside from several holes in
    Ok Netflix, you tried.
    If it is an interactive product, the least you can expect is that each path has some kind of connection between your decisions and something makes sense. Bandersnatch fails (and a lot) in that.
    Several endings that leave the viewer simply not understanding anything about what happened, much less how their decisions affected the story, aside from several holes in the script (which become so obvious that they do not even have to be listed). Bandersnatch seems much more an incomplete work and a film that was "extended" to become interactive than a really "special episode" Black Mirror. For example, one of the first decisions you make is simply not planned and takes you to an immediate end, that's not how you make an interactive product. Maybe if the project was better planned at the end the result would be better. The only positive point is the acting of the actors, but the poor execution of the plot can throw all this down the drain.
    Black Mirror deserved much more than that, unfortunately the result is totally disappointing.
    Expand
  25. Dec 28, 2018
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A barely coherent narrative that forgets to actually make sense in pursuit of allowing watchers to decide what it was about.

    The team behind this clearly wanted this to be a case where the watcher could decide what was really happening in their own head-cannon. The problem here is that instead of leaning into ambiguous themes and endings the show decided to force the viewer to do the work of making sense of the show altogether. This might have worked had the show not contradicted itself at nearly every ending. Some endings play it straight with the main character jailed for committing crimes, others end abruptly with the main character implied to have been killed by a literal demon, others end with the main character in a karate fight with his therapist who suddenly produces a pair of battons with which to fight it out martial arts style. And that's to say nothing of the ending where the main character ends up in the real world amidst filming of the aforementioned fight scene very much in character while his director berates him for deviating from the script.

    At times the show appears to be commenting on the nature of free will, others it waxes on about the permanence of reality amid a not so theoretical set of alternate timelines. Sometimes we appear to be watching the hallucinations of a rapidly deteriorating mind, others we appear to be watching someone struggle as some mysterious technology from the distant year of 2018 forces them to make bad decisions and others the show seems to just shrug and a literal demon kills the main character.

    At it's best it's an ambitious project that forgot it actually had to be internally consistent, at it's worst it's an enormous meta wink at the audience that feels not just out of place but down right confusing.

    Black mirror is often thought provoking, but this particular episode just didn't make enough sense - I found myself asking a lot of questions, not because the episode had anything profound to say but because it simply wasn't coherent one ending to the next.

    I'm baffled to see so many positive reviews for this poorly executed gimmick, don't waste your time - Bandersnatch isn't coherent, much less an enjoyable viewing experience.
    Expand
  26. Dec 30, 2018
    3
    This does not compare to the series. I loved the seasons but Bandersnatch left me disappointed. I disliked having to rewind and watch the same thing over so that I can pick what I was supposed to pick. It started to get boring.
  27. Dec 29, 2018
    4
    Please, ¿can people stop saying hoy innovative they think this is? Graphic novels, such as Steins;gate, have been allowing us to interact with the story and to decide how things will turn out for ages, but it's not until an american streaming service does it that people recognize it.
  28. Dec 28, 2018
    9
    I think considering this a gimmick in the way some people are is a disservice to what's actually being done by this film.

    This film uses conceits from the plot as a means of generating the relevance of the mechanic rather than deciding on the mechanic and creating the rest to match. To this end, I actually think this achieves a great deal as a media concept piece. Every element seems to
    I think considering this a gimmick in the way some people are is a disservice to what's actually being done by this film.

    This film uses conceits from the plot as a means of generating the relevance of the mechanic rather than deciding on the mechanic and creating the rest to match. To this end, I actually think this achieves a great deal as a media concept piece. Every element seems to further every other element.

    I find it quite jarring exactly how stupid some of the reviews and criticisms have been.

    Wondering why this film uses choose your own adventure as Variety did in its review is so shockingly stupid. What other form would it take? The mechanic is a scaffold for everything to do with the film. It's not really an inclusion so much as an integral part of the structure of the experience. Perhaps they said it so they could review this film as if it didn't include the mechanic. Under this pretense, then one can surely justify the criticisms found throughout the piece which otherwise ignore the medium altogether.

    CNN belittled the philosophy of Colin as if it was actually the same as the philosophy of the film. They compare it to the musings of a drug-addled teenage, somehow missing that in context they actually were the musings of a drug-addled teenager, or rather the delusions of a mentally-ill drug-addled teenager. What a grand statement for CNN to make. How marvelously clever of a criticism!

    More than likely this is a symptom of something else. This is a symptom of a review culture that systematically derides anything it sees as video game-esque. Leave it to this review industry to totally overlook a cheeky usage of a medium that is otherwise gimmicky in a way that is actually integral to the function of the narrative.

    Indiewire seems to be, admirably, not so obnoxiously self-serious and pontificating to the extent that they actually seemed able to receive the experience of this film.
    Expand
  29. Dec 29, 2018
    10
    This is simply one of the most amazing feats in television innovations ever conceived. Period!
  30. Dec 28, 2018
    6
    Yeah, all this buzz by being an interactive episode it's amazing and i truly loved this idea of choices. But i expected a connection in my choices and actions. Couldn't find that. The end it's just thrown at our face. They don't even try to explain why that action lead to that moment or action that Stefan taken. Actually a true mistake that can be forgotten by the glorious innovation thatYeah, all this buzz by being an interactive episode it's amazing and i truly loved this idea of choices. But i expected a connection in my choices and actions. Couldn't find that. The end it's just thrown at our face. They don't even try to explain why that action lead to that moment or action that Stefan taken. Actually a true mistake that can be forgotten by the glorious innovation that netflix made. Expand
Metascore
61

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 16
  2. Negative: 1 out of 16
  1. Reviewed by: Simon Parkin
    Jan 4, 2019
    70
    Bandersnatch’s do-overs lighten the weight of our decisions, which in turn lightens the gravity of the whole. It’s an exhilarating experiment, not least because it’s played out on such a major stage, and on one of Netflix’s prestige properties. Much of the episode’s success, however, relies on the clever marriage of theme and mechanism. Without this, the flimsiness of the supporting framework, more gimmick than revolution, would be exposed.
  2. Reviewed by: James Poniewozik
    Jan 4, 2019
    60
    Bandersnatch can be fun, if you’re entranced by its puzzle structure, or if you’ve always believed TV episodes would be better if only you could spend hours grinding through them again in order to watch 45 seconds of new footage. But it doesn’t make for much of a story. This is partly because the core plot is uninspired. ... It’s occasionally genuinely moving. But it’s not haunting in the way that comes from reaching the end of a story and realizing that the only “What now?” answer you get will have to come from you.
  3. Reviewed by: Pat Brown
    Jan 2, 2019
    63
    Black Mirror‘s stories are often effective without being subtle. At their worst, they merely recapitulate omnipresent popular anxieties, but at their best they compel critical reflection on the technologies that structure our lives. Whatever assemblage of parts make up an individual viewer’s experience of Bandersnatch, it will likely be a mixture of both.