Escape The Undertaker brings the interactiveness of Black Mirror: Bandersnatch while adding comedic horror elements throughout for a film/video game hybrid you won’t want to miss!

In the past few years, Netflix has been testing the waters with a new genre of adult interactive programs, the first-ever being Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. The purpose is to use pre-existing and fan-followed franchises that allow the viewers to participate in the character’s choices in the story, producing a film/video game hybrid. Netflix’s first attempt at this new type of virtual experience garnered primarily positive reviews. Since then, they have continued to pop out more immersive film adventures, with their newest release being Escape The Undertaker on October 5th.

Combining all sorts of elements, Escape The Undertaker is an ominous, wrestling-inspired, and Halloween-ready special that follows three wrestlers who are led to escaping in one piece from The Undertaker’s mansion by the player. The premise that can be seen in the trailer is that The Undertaker, a retired wrestler, is storing a powerful urn that feeds off of the souls of good people to give the owner of the urn unmatchable strength. Our three main characters that the watcher plays through have a brotherhood-like bond and go to lengths to take the urn from The Undertaker for their own use.

Are you brave enough to wield the power of @undertaker‘s urn?

💀 Escape The Undertaker premieres October 5 on @netflix! 💀@WWEBigE @TrueKofi @AustinCreedWins pic.twitter.com/3suU33j1bx

— WWE (@WWE) September 21, 2021

While previously expecting that it would be scarier, don’t get it twisted because this title is a mysterious and comedic take on horror themes. Imagine the dark arts mixed with spirits, rituals, and wrestling! Considering the length of the special, it was hard to be realistically scary since traditional horrors have more time for the setup that gives the audience those jump scares that Escape The Undertaker was attempting. Even so, the special has a lot going for it by touching little bits of horror components from all over, but if you take the easy route out then, you might not get to discover the meanings behind all of the chaotically different motifs.

Something that we haven’t discussed enough yet is the wrestler to actor pipeline. The featured wrestlers who take on the Undertaker to steal his mighty urn are Kofi Kingston, Big E, and Xavier Woods. Their performance was a playful and over-exaggerated one that created funny moments throughout the program and an equally exciting set of paths for the viewer, regardless of their choices. The acting felt almost satirical by displaying our three wrestlers as the typical naive characters seen in every old horror movie, making the most ludicrous decisions that put them in dangerous situations.

In roughly 30-40 minutes of episode gameplay, there were 10-12 choices that the audience could make regarding this narrative which left a good ratio for watch to participation time for every choice being about three minutes apart. There appeared to be many options for paths to follow within their quest, so even with a successful ending, playing again with different decisions would make the plotline a whole different expedition.

Overall, we love what Netflix has done by making their television and movie-watching experiences even more thrilling and unlike any other. Even if wrestling or spooky mysteries aren’t your thing, surely everyone on Netflix would want to try out this highly involved and one-of-a-kind story that tells a tale of teamwork and vigor.

Try out Escape The Undertaker for yourself on Netflix beginning on October 5th, and let us know what you think!