Name: Choose or Die
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Science Fiction
Released: 2022-04-15T00:00:00+00:00
Cast: Iola Evans, Asa Butterfield, Robert Englund, Angela Griffin, Ryan Gage

The opening scene of Choose or Die is a grim tableau: Kayla, played by Iola Evans, watches in horror as a café waitress chokes on shattered glass, her life drained away like pixels on an old CRT screen. This visceral moment sets the tone for Toby Meakins’ feature debut, a film that blends 1980s nostalgia with visceral horror and a dash of tech-noir thriller.

At its core, Choose or Die is a cautionary tale about the seductive allure of easy money and the dangers of dredging up forgotten curses. Kayla, a broke college dropout, stumbles upon an obscure 1980s survival computer game called CURS>R, which promises a $125,000 prize for anyone who can complete it. What follows is a descent into a nightmarish world where the boundaries between the digital and the real begin to blur. The film’s strength lies in its ability to tap into the primal fears of technology gone awry, evoking classics like WarGames and The Ring while carving out its own niche.

Meakins’ direction is confident, particularly in the sequences where the game’s influence spills over into reality. The scene where Kayla’s mother, Thea (Angela Griffin), is menaced by a giant rat is a standout, blending practical effects with clever digital enhancements to create a genuinely unsettling moment. The film also benefits from a strong central performance by Evans, who conveys Kayla’s desperation and growing terror with palpable authenticity. Asa Butterfield, as her tech-savvy friend Isaac, provides solid support, though his character arc is somewhat predictable.

However, Choose or Die falters in its pacing and structural coherence. The film’s first act drags somewhat, bogged down by exposition and setup. The narrative also suffers from a lack of clear stakes beyond the immediate danger, making it difficult to invest emotionally in Kayla’s predicament. Additionally, the film’s attempts at social commentary—particularly regarding poverty and addiction—feel heavy-handed and underdeveloped.

The film’s climax, set in the home of Hal (Eddie Marsan), is a chaotic mess of unresolved tensions and abrupt revelations. The final act’s reliance on jump scares and frantic editing undermines the slower, more atmospheric build-up that preceded it. Moreover, the film’s resolution feels rushed and unsatisfying, leaving several plot threads dangling.

Choose or Die is a flawed but ambitious debut from Toby Meakins. It succeeds in creating a claustrophobic, tech-infused horror experience but stumbles in its execution.