From director Jon S. Baird and writer Noah Pink, “Tetris” is based on the true story of businessman Henk Rogers (Taron Egerton) and Tetris inventor Alexey Pajitnov (Nikita Efremov). The semi-biographical thriller follows the pair’s journey through unrelenting legal trials to release the titular game Tetris from the grips of the Soviet Union and into the hands of the masses.

The first hour of “Tetris” feels like nothing special. The opening scenes present obstacles for the main character that would typically appear in the middle of a plot, establishing sluggish pacing just 10 minutes in. Within this hour, “Tetris” feels exactly like any other legal or business drama, but without any genuine drama — just business monotony. However, the one-hour mark brings a needle drop of Europe’s “The Final Countdown” mixed in with retro Tetris sounds, slapping viewers awake and kicking off the entertaining aspects of the movie. Suddenly, what started as a boring business expedition transforms into a non-stop thrill fest filled with exciting chase sequences, high stakes and excellent music. Halfway through the movie, “Tetris” finally takes a unique approach to its story, almost as if the script suddenly beat its own Tetris high score and kicked into overdrive to surpass it even further.

Egerton gives a standout performance as Rogers. Every other actor also gives their all and inserts their own quips here and there, but no performance can hold a candle to Egerton’s energy. Egerton gives Rogers an ecstatic personality that feels as infectious and addicting as the titular game itself. Egerton’s choice to lean into a more cartoon-like, exaggerated portrayal pays off, with his performance and energy rivaling that of his most famous role of Elton John in “Rocketman.”

The score composed by Lorne Balfe shines with hints of the game’s main theme sprinkled through nearly every song. Even the 8-bit sounds chosen for different sequences work expertly in reminding the audience of its source material, ultimately standing out as one of the movie’s best elements. To be fair, how could audiences expect anything less than greatness coming from the composer of “Megamind”?

“Tetris” in no way will be labeled as a standout movie of 2023, but its last hour will offer some of the most fun audiences will have this year. Not many other movies can successfully mold a true story into an action-packed thriller about bringing colorful blocks to a handheld device. Audiences will love “Tetris” for its bold swings despite a slow first half of its runtime. This tale of tetromino-loving best friends will make even the most cynical audiences smile.

3 tetrominoes out of 5