‘All of Us Are Dead’ Review: A New Korean Apocalyptic Masterpiece?
Following the success of webtoon-based dramas adapted by Netflix, All of Us Are Dead joins Sweet Home, #Alive, and more in Netlix’s impressive Korean apocalyptic collection.
Set in fictional Hyosan High School, a group of teenage friends found themselves in an unknown epidemic’s ground zero. In the midst of all that’s going on in teenagers’ lives, they must now deal with surviving a zombie outbreak. Will they still honor and value friendship, life, love, and trust with lives at stake?
After watching countless zombie movies in the past, the setting they portrayed in this series is a refreshing take on cataclysms. All of Us Are Dead tackled how social hierarchies and the true face of humanity are put to the test when faced with desperation and hopelessness.
Based on the webtoon, Now at Our School, created by Joo Dong Geun, now renamed after the series, All of Us Are Dead gives us ‘Euphoria’ but with flesh-eating monsters. Also, if anyone remembers, a little bit of School 2015 too, now, it has taken over the number one spot on Netflix Philippines Top 10 TV Shows since it aired last January 28.
How humane can you remain when facing hordes of zombies who were once your classmates, friends, teachers, and loved ones?
Warning: A slight spoiler up ahead. Trigger warnings are also applied, and viewer discretion is advised.
The opening scene
The usual zombie movies or series would have started with the typical laboratories and mad scientists. It is curious to see a brutal bullying scene as the first episode begins. Straying from the usual, this continues for the next episodes before we experience the turning point from the story. And it’ll make you wonder, what does it mean? Does it pose any significance to the plot?
How it all began
It was a seemingly ordinary day for students going in and out of the school. A wandering student touched something they shouldn’t lead to an unprecedented bite. The next thing they know, an outbreak has begun. What does it have to do with a father’s love for his son?
The characters
All of Us Are Dead has brought together a brilliant mix of talented actors, starting from familiar faces like Choi Yi Hyun and Lee Yoo Mi, to Lee Eun Saem and Kim Jin Young.
The 12-episode zombie-high school series gave us a balance of admirable and lovable characters to the most disliked and despised. An indication that they did wonderfully well in portraying their characters.
The ‘zombie-acting’ was truly commendable, and the creation of the prosthetics for the zombies is almost natural in a sense.
How it ends
It was evident that the whole series was seen through the students’ perspective from start to finish. The characters have struggled for survival on their own and come face to face with death many times without adult help. When all hope is lost, they come to realize they only have each other to hold on to.
Episode 12 marks the end of the season. But does it end the series? Who knows. Some netizens expressed their contentment with its end, and some are still looking for answers to unanswered questions. Even though it shows how the characters have slowly come to terms with their losses and grief, I’m sure some did not expect the cliff-hanging end. For it shows only the climax, with no resolution.
Stream or Skip?
Chun Sung Il creatively planted the idea of the epidemic exposing the social injustices present in today’s society and the horrors of high school, where class structures and social hierarchies exist in favor of the ones already benefiting from a flawed system. You confirm your fears when you realize that it (not the zombies) exists in the real world too.
Definitely worth the STREAM. A 9.7/10.
All of Us Are Dead is not your typical zombie movie coupled with teen angst. It reflects a timely crisis that we are still facing today, even though not literally.
Are you planning to watch All of Us Are Dead yet? Let us know when you do and tell us what you think about it.
