Choose or Die (2022)

Choose or Die taps into a deliciously nasty “what if your screen could bite back?” premise and dresses it in a neon-dusted, 1980s computer-game aesthetic that feels more like a lived-in nightmare than a cute reference. The movie’s biggest pleasure is how creatively it turns simple choices into escalating dread, using slick, technically sharp filmmaking to make the unreal feel uncomfortably close. It’s brisk, mean-spirited in the best horror-thriller way, and consistently entertaining as reality starts to warp around its heroine with the logic of a cursed program. If you want subtle character drama, this may not be your game—but if you’re in the mood for a punchy, retro-flavored ride with inventive set pieces and a nasty hook, it’s well worth pressing Start.

Choose or Die is clearly aiming for a slick, retro “cursed video game” nightmare with moral-choice pressure and reality-bending set pieces, and that hook is genuinely fun on paper. The problem is it plays out like a patchwork of better horror-thrillers, with scenes that feel familiar, a script that telegraphs its turns early, and a third act that struggles to stick the landing. If you’re looking for fresh mythology, smart twists, or a story that escalates in a satisfying way, this may feel disposable. If you just want an easy, neon-tinged watch with a few tense moments and don’t mind predictability, it can still pass a lazy-night test.