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    Movie Review

    Makers of Netflix horror film Choose or Die opt for wrong story

    Alex Bentley
    Apr 15, 2022 | 10:30 am
    Makers of Netflix horror film Choose or Die opt for wrong story
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    There are many keys to a good horror movie, but one of the most important ones is how well the premise is set up for the audience. An opening scene sets the tone for everything to come over the next couple of hours, and if you miss the mark there, it’s difficult to recover.

     

    The new Netflix film Choose or Die commits that cardinal sin, throwing viewers directly into a confusing situation in which Hal (Eddie Marsan) hides in his ‘80s-themed man cave while his wife (Kate Fleetwood) and son (Joe Bolland) argue about his obsessions in the next room. He’s playing a game called Curs>r, an ‘80s-style computer game where the player is given choices for what to do next. In this game, however, the choices are diabolical, with no good options, and affect the real world around the player.

     

    The film then switches perspective completely to Kayla (Iola Evans), a cleaner at company called Kismet, and her friend Isaac (Asa Butterfield), a game programmer. Both young people are obsessed with old games and gaming systems, and so when they come across a copy of Curs>r, its lure is irresistible, especially to Kayla. Soon she’s under the game’s control herself, with seemingly no good way out.

     

    Led by first-time feature director Toby Meakins and written by Simon Allen, the film plays out like a mixture between Jumanji, where players become a part of the game they’re playing, and Saw, where the bad guy gives people impossible choices that lead to gory outcomes. The concept is objectively solid and had the potential for a lot of freaky and/or scary situations, but the filmmakers continually drop the ball.

     

    All of the different personal connections in the film are given short shrift, with the filmmakers telling instead of showing why each is good or bad. Consequently, any horrific aspects the film contains are blunted to a degree. They also include odd scenes where, mere minutes after experiencing something that should be life-changing, characters are going about their lives as if nothing happened.

     

    The horror itself is often implied and not shown; that’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially for anyone averse to too much carnage, but it does lessen the impact of whatever evil is possessing the game. While there are moments of intrigue over the film’s 84 minutes, it never truly reaches its potential.

     

    Evans, who only has a few TV credits to her name, manages to impress despite being hampered by the so-so story. Butterfield, a child star now graduating to adult parts, is strangely not given much to do, and makes a poor impression in his relatively short time on screen. Marsan plays creepy well, but he too isn’t allowed much time to show his skills. The filmmakers try a horror homage by having Robert Englund - Freddy Krueger himself – play himself as the voice on a Curs>r phone line, but the reference falls flat.

     

    There are many directions the filmmakers could have taken the storyline of Choose or Die, but the one they chose wound up being one of the least effective. Let other horror aficionados learn their lesson: Start your film strong, or pay the price.

     

    ---

     

    Choose or Die is now streaming on Netflix.

    Iola Evans in Choose or Die.

    Iola Evans in Choose or Die
      
    Photo courtesy of Cursr Films Limited 2022
    Iola Evans in Choose or Die.
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    CREEPY CRAWLIES

    Nightmarish stinging fireworms are washing up on Texas beaches

    Brandon Watson
    Jul 28, 2025 | 3:25 pm
    Fireworms
    Harte Research Institute/ Facebook
    Researcher Jace Tunnel holds a nightmarish fire worm.

    Heads up, Gulf vacationers: Officials are sounding the alarm about a creepy critter that could ruin your next beach trip. The Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies says that fireworms, a centipede-like sea creature with sharp bristles, are washing up on Texas shores.

    Researcher Jace Tunnel posted the warning in a Facebook photo series detailing a recent beachcombing expedition. Along with benign finds like lost stuffed animals, seashells, and seeds, the explorer encountered a slithery pair of fireworms feeding on a pile of gooseneck barnacles.

    Although voracious predators, fireworms are not usually a threat to humans. But their common name should give any beachgoer pause if they encounter them in the wild. The hollow bristles can inject a potent neurotoxin that can cause painful burning, nausea, and dizziness.

    “[I]t literally feels like fire for about three hours,” explains the institute in a 2024 post. “Your skin can feel sensitive in the sting site for weeks, depending on where it stung you.”

    The bristle worms are native to the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean and are most commonly found near coral reefs. Although not a new sight in the Gulf of Mexico, they are rare enough to cause a stir. When angler Alyssia Ramirez posted a 2020 video of catching a fireworm, it made international news, according to Corpus Christi NBC affiliate KRIS 6.

    While the risk of getting stung by the washed-up amphinomids is relatively slim, WebMD says the treatment is relatively simple. Affected swimmers should apply vinegar or isopropyl alcohol to the affected area, then remove the bristles with tweezers or adhesive tape. Inflammation and burning can be treated with over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream. Although painful, the neurotoxin is not potent enough to be deadly.

    Fireworms are not the only nightmare creature causing a stir in Texas this year. In late June, the Texas Animal Health Commission and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department formed a task force to battle screwworms, a parasite that threatens the state's wildlife and cattle.

    Fearless Texans can watch Tunnel's close encounter with fireworms — and other beachcombing expeditions — via the institute's YouTube channel.

    gulf of mexicotexas gulfbeachestravelfireworms
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