Originally titled Curs>R, the newly-renamed lightweight horror Choose Or Die almost does exactly what it says in its new title. However, with a few smartly executed twists and a real sense of stakes for the characters, this may not be the film you were expecting…
When a cassette copy of a rare Eighties text adventure video game, ‘Curs>R’, resurfaces in the hands of computer programmer Kayla (Iola Evans), she soon discovers that the choices she makes in the game affect her own reality with horrific consequences. Faced with her only option to choose or die, Kayla must confront increasingly more violent and traumatic decisions if she has any hope of surviving through each level and beating the boss.
Starring alongside a charismatic Asa Butterfield, a joyously unsettling Eddie Marsan, plus a literally phoned-in performance from Freddy himself, Robert Englund, Evans has no problem holding the screen. Exuding an elusive and guarded mystique, she innocently pulls you into this bizzarro world and makes a good stab (pun intended) at keeping the audience grounded in the reality of her decisions.
Though the storyline might sound a little familiar (the plot feels akin to 2008’s Untraceable and 2016’s Nerve), writer/director Toby Meakins and writers Simon Allen and Matthew James Wilkinson walk the story down a more supernatural path than other voyeuristic manipulation horrors, which results in a surprisingly original movie that manages to shock, distress and entertain.
Indeed, though it loses a little cohesion as it tries to flesh out an emotional backstory for Evans and teeters dangerously close to preachy when it tackles multi-layered messaging, Choose Or Die still delivers a surprisingly satisfying third act conclusion that showcases this well-produced Indie horror’s heart.
Fed on a diet of Goosebumps and Amblin adventures, Choose Or Die brings its own original flavour to a new era of streaming-service-horror typified by Netflix’s Fear Street, and Amazon’s Welcome To The Blumhouse series. Empowered by a strong cast, creative storytelling and a restrained flair for directorial flamboyance, Choose Or Die is a welcome addition to the new breed, though its unique tone will leave you with your own choice to make when Netflix starts playing it in 5, 4, 3…
Choose Or Die is out now on Netflix
