‘Choose or Die,’ directed by Toby Meakins, is a horror film about Kayla, a little girl who discovers an old computer game from the 1980s. Kayla agrees to play the game in the hopes of winning the $125,000 prize money, only to find herself in more perilous scenarios.
Kayla discovers more about the enigmatic game ‘CURS>R’ as she fights to preserve her life. But, exactly, what does ‘CURS>R’ imply? What role does the name play in the plot of the film? If you’re looking for answers to these questions, we’ve compiled a list of resources for you!
Must Read: ‘Choose or Die’ (2022) Movie Review and Ending Explained
What does CURS>R stand for in ‘Choose or Die’ Movie?
The video game that Kayla and Isaac discover in Isaac’s collection of 1980s technology is dubbed ‘CURS>R’ in the film. It’s an 8-bit retro game with an outdated wrapper code that was made with analogue data. The game places the players in a perilous scenario and gives them two choices. Both options are equally harmful, but choosing one ensures that the player completes the level and progresses to the next.
Kayla and Isaac review the game’s code and discover that it lacks a command prompt or cursor while trying to find out how to claim the prize money and end the game without falling prey to the game’s wicked machinations. As a result, it’s clear that ‘CURS>R’ is a pun on the word “cursor,” which is used in programming to refer to a specific row in a series of data rows.
A cursor in a video game assists the player in guiding their characters in a specific direction. The cursor appears as a “>” sign in ‘CURS>R.’ As a result, the game’s title appears to be a stylized form of a crucial retro gaming component.
During the film’s last act, however, spectators discover the true significance of the game’s title. Isaac and Kayla track down the game’s creators and locate an old videotape in a warehouse. Beck, the game’s inventor, is shown experimenting on an unknown man on the tape. Beck says that he has harnessed the cursed symbols’ abilities and put them into a code.
Anyone who has been “cursed” with these symbols has the capacity to influence them. The individual who casts the curse reaps the advantages of the cursed person’s suffering and is referred to as the “curser.” As a result, the literal meaning of the term “curser” is given to the game’s title.
Finally, ‘CURS>R’ is a meta-reference to the game’s old school programme, a gaming component, and the game’s genuine nature. The creators keep the spectators guessing about the game’s genesis and production by integrating several references into the game’s title. All is revealed in the end when the truth about the cursed symbols is disclosed.
‘CURS>R’ was the working title for the picture at the time. However, owing to marketing concerns, the name was altered to ‘Choose or Die.’ Nonetheless, the film’s style is given a new twist by the distinctive title and its meta meaning.
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CHOOSE OR DIE, starring Asa Butterfield and Iola Evans is now streaming on Netflix. pic.twitter.com/DMtNrcHZDG
— NetflixFilm (@NetflixFilm) April 15, 2022
‘Choose or Die’ (2022) is currently available to watch on Netflix.