Source: Rotten Tomatoes
“This is hell. What are the rules in hell?”
We’ve all watched some creepy movie or show about people forcefully being made to play some sort of game to save their lives. I’ve become a huge fan of such stories where the consequence of imaginary death suddenly becomes real and so, I couldn't hold myself back when I saw such a show released on Netflix that had not just any games, but children’s games.
Today I bring you ‘Squid Game’, the show that, within a few days of its release, has become the new trend on the internet and will soon become the most-watched show on Netflix. It’s become so popular that you’d have to be either dead or living under a rock to not know about it.
Introduction
Series Name - Squid Game
Written & Directed by - Hwang Dong-hyuk
Genre - Action, Thriller, Survival, Drama
Language - Korean
No. of Episodes - 9
Release Date - 17th September 2021
Plot Synopsis
‘Squid Game’ follows the story of 456 people, beaten down by life, completely drowning in their humongous debts, who receive a mysterious invitation to play a survival game for a chance to earn more than 38 million US dollars. The players play 6 games over 6 days on a remote and unknown island.
The players are held captive and watched over by guards in masks and pink overalls until a winner is determined. The games include classic Korean games for children from the 1970s and 1980s with a deadly twist added to them. It includes the game that the series is named after- squid game, a form of tag in which the attack and defense use a squid-shaped board painted in the mud.
Series Review
Squid Game. The name itself gives off this vibe that you won't ever regret watching the show. Imagine, it's a sunny day and you’re playing the silliest of games that you used to play with your friends in your childhood. But this time, the consequence of losing isn’t an imaginary death but a real one and as gruesome as possible at that. Doesn’t sound much fun now, does it? This is what it's like in the world of ‘Squid Game’.
Source: Vulture
A group of 456 financially distraught people willingly risk their lives in six deadly games to win the ultimate prize of 46.5 billion won. Squid Game is a dark and morbid take on 'modern capitalism,' according to writer-director Hwang Dong-hyuk, that displays severe rivalry while being able to include emotional, dramatic, and theatrical aspects to the story.
This show is not for the faint of heart. The trailer only shows a taste of the gore and bloodshed that will be present throughout the series as the competition progresses and it pales in comparison to what actually occurs in the series. If the sight of blood makes you uneasy, it's better to keep away.
Source: The Sun
Hwang Dong-hyuk creates a rich cast of compelling characters with distinct personalities ranging from a Machiavellian investment banker to a slacker absentee father to a North Korean refugee turned pickpocket. Despite the lavish production values and sets, it is the well-written characters that captivate your attention and tempt you to binge-watch the entire 9-episode thrill ride in a single sitting.
Source: Deadline
The writer-director said in an interview, “I wanted to draw a connection between the nostalgic games we enjoyed as kids and the never-ending competitiveness that modern adults experience. It's ironic how our most beautiful and innocent memories are transformed into the most terrifying realities.”
Seong Gi-hun, our protagonist, is a not so likable but passable character. Because the entire series focuses on him, you can already guess who will take home the prize money. This character is tolerable since he has a good heart but he is still a useless father who gambles.
Source: IMDb
He somehow manages to stay stupid until the end, when he decides to avenge the game's perpetrators rather than being a better father to his daughter or donating the money to a worthy cause or anything else. All he wants to do now is a return to the same torment.
The only thing that I had complaints about were the VIPs. On one hand, we had amazing actors doing their amazing acting and completely being immersed in their roles, and then we had the VIPs who should’ve been the more prominent characters adding that extra spice but instead was a huge disappointment; their dialogue delivery was completely cringing and they didn’t add anything to the plot.
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| Source: The Cinemaholic |
The Bottom Line
This project manages to juggle themes of social injustice, immigration, honor, the shallow facade of "civilization," conspiracy, and loyalty without abandoning any of them, blending thriller, class drama, and a smidgeon of police procedural. It shows people of higher positions treating those lower than them like cattle. They turn them into game pieces just because they’re “bored” and crave some fun.
It carries many messages for the audience to interpret. For example, through Ali, we see that being a kind sheep in a world full of hungry wolves is certainly begging for death. Sang-woo and Deok-so are the perfect examples of “better the devil you know than the devil you don’t”.
The sets are highly smart, the music is refreshingly tight and apt, and the show can seamlessly go from absurdist black comedy to incredibly grim without losing its rhythm. If you’ve watched and loved the Hunger Game series, then I think you’ll definitely love this show.
IMDb ratings - 8.3 on 10
Squid Game is currently streaming on Netflix
Written By - Sanjana Chaudhary
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