We try the new 'choose-your-own-adventure' interactive movie theatre experience: How is it better than what we already have?

If you've watched or heard of the Netflix film Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, you'd be familiar with the concept of interactive films — imagine the video version of the hit 1980s Choose Your Own Adventure book series.

But the 2018 award-winning movie isn't the first to have viewers make choices for the protagonists.

That honour goes to Late Shift, a British crime thriller first screened in 2017 at the Cannes Film Festival and made available on PlayStation, Xbox, Apple TV, and other platforms. Now, it is also the first feature-length interactive film to receive a wide theatrical release, and the film will soon be available in Singapore at Golden Village.

The movie's about a student Matt (Joe Sowerbutts) who is kidnapped and sort of forced into doing a heist at an auction house while working the late shift at a car park. I say 'sort of' because some of the decisions you, in the audience, get to decide are whether Matt agrees to do the heist and how big of a percentage cut he'd get in return.

(Of course, even if the majority of the audience doesn't want him to be involved in the crime, he'd still have to do it through an alternate development because of plot necessity. Same with some other scenarios in the movie.)

While the heist is mostly successful, Matt and his fellow robbers are pursued by a vicious gang and he has to search for a safe way out of the mess.

How it works

Before entering the theatre, you should already have the CtrlMovie app on your mobile phone; it's available for download for free on the App Store and Google Play. After you enter the theatre hall, scan the QR code that's on the movie screen, and you should see the message "You're all set!" on your phone app.

Once the movie is running, decision buttons will be displayed on the app. The first binary scenario will appear a mere few minutes into the film, and you have around four seconds to make your decision. The majority choice will be reflected on the screen, and the transition is so seamless you won't notice it at all.

According to an article by the South China Morning Post, there are 180 binary scenarios and seven alternative endings. The 90-minute film will have around 60-plus binary scenarios.

Is it fun? Is it worth the hype?

Yes, and yes, if only for the novelty of it.

Being quite the 'just follow law' kind of person in real life, I found myself selecting the proper, socially correct choices for Matt. But not the rest of the viewers in my theatre hall. There were several times when the opposite — rebellious — choice was the majority decision, and I suspect the people there are the cheeky sort who wants to make decisions not normally made in real life.

And that's where the fun comes in, I realise.

Late Shift provides you many opportunities within 90 minutes to make decisions that you won't make in your life and witness the gory consequences. The difference between doing this in the cinema and on your home entertainment system is, besides the better visuals and sound system, the unpredictability of what's going to happen — cue occasional chuckles and loud groans from the audience.

As entertaining as the experience is, I still have my doubts on whether the movie really followed the audience's choices, or if the binary scenarios were computed beforehand.

Still, I reckon if you're a movie-lover, this interactive theatre experience is worth at least a try. The movie has enough thrills and spills to entertain.

How to get tickets

AsiaOne attended the media screening at Golden Village Gold Class earlier this week where we also enjoyed a sumptuous three-course meal — Chili Crab Potato Skin, Coq Au Vin, and Dark Chocolate Ice Cream — by Executive Chef Kenny Yeo from One Faber Group's Arbora Hilltop Garden & Bistro and Dusk Restaurant & Bar, with drinks provided by Chivas.

This Gold Class package is priced at $95 for GV members, and $98 for the public, and will be held on April 20 and 21.

The movie will open on April 22 at GV Funan, GV Plaza, and GV Suntec City, with tickets priced at $13 (weekdays) and $15 (weekend). If you are rewatching the movie for alternate outcomes, present your ticket stub or e-tickets to purchase discounted tickets at $8 (weekdays) and $10 (weekend).

kwokkarpeng@asiaone.com