Playtest : Sci-Fi Horror (Review)
I am really excited to announce that I will now be reviewing movies and television series once a while . I would really appreciate movie connoisseur to give me suggestions on how I can improve my reviews.
Today I am going to review an episode from the television-series Black Mirror, that I recently discovered. Black Mirror is probably one of the best anthology sci-fi television series that I have come across and I am really excited to share my thoughts on it.
Playtest premiered on Netflix on 21 October 2016 and is the second episode of the 3rd season.
What is the storyline ?
The episode is about an young adult named Cooper who has been grounded at home for years due to his sick dad. Upon the death of he's dad , Cooper plans a world tour to have a change in environment. Apparently after dads death, he is not in talking terms with he's mother .
On the tour he encounters a bad incident where he's bank account is hacked. And due to this he forced to take up a job for some money to buy he's return flight ticket.
He takes up a volunteering job to test a sophisticated AI- augmented reality personal survival horror game for a famous Video-game company. The game is designed to dig into the person's deepest and darkest fears and simulate the fears in the game. Shit scary huh ?!
Cast and Crew
The episode playtest was written by British screenwriter , producer and the creator of Black Mirror Charlie Brooker himself.
And the episode was directed by American film maker Dan Trachtenberg. Trachtenberg is famously know for his horror thriller film 10 Clover field, which went on to win him the directors Guild of America Award
The protagonist Cooper is played by an American actor and former hockey player Wyatt Hawn Russell. Russell does have experience working with horror films, he has worked in the horror film overload.
I Have to say that it is clearly evident from he's facial expressions in the episode that he is gripped with fear and passes on the same emotion to the audience.
Nigerian-born British actress Wunmi Mosaku makes her appearance as katie in the episode and is Shou's assistant. The very experienced Hannah John-Kamen plays Sonja, and is Coopers girlfriend in the episode. Her natural looking smirky face had me confused to thinking that she was plotting against him. The Gaming company CEO Shou is played by Japanese actor Ken Yamamura as show in the above image.
Awards and nominations
The Playtest graphics team led by Justin Hutchinson-Chatburn did get nominated for BAFTA Craft Awards under the Visual and Graphic Effects section
You can watch the episode here
Conclusion
In my honest opinion this is a must watch for all science fiction fanatics out there . One of my favorite lines from the movie is when Sato says says" In an immersive horror game I have always liked to make the player jump , Afterwards you feel good , you glow. why ?! Because you are alive. You Have faced your greatest fear in the safe environment , it liberates you " and I have to say it was at this moment I really felt the essence and thrill of the episode.
Thank you for reading. Also check out my blog here
12/8/2021