Squid Game

There was already something like this last year from a related corner of the cinematic world: Alice in Borderland. Identical idea, the same decent drive, which over time starts to descend into cluelessness and predictability and ends with a pathetic punchline about the strength of gelatin. Asian productions love to push the emotion a level higher than appropriate, but likewise the genre fails to keep fingers crossed for many characters, so it's ultimately just a flashy swing of a leaky bat. The police storyline contains a ton of illogicality and the VIP charade was painful to the eyes, ears, and brain. Credit must be given to the extremely strong 6th episode, which features the best of the rules of the game, emotions, and exploration of the various aspects of human behavior, morality, and a bit of ethics. Overall a better average. After this experience, despite the pointlessly open-ended ending, I don't see how Season 2 can be better. (06/10/2021)

This series is perfect. It is one of those whose creators you will love for what they invented and how, and at the same time you will hate them for what they do to you. Did one character become your favourite? Likely is they only have a few minutes left to live, because Squid Game is uncompromising in that regard. All of the slightly more important heroes and heroines are absolutely brilliantly written, and the children's challenges where lives are on the line usually end in horrific carnage, but the players are forced to reflect on themselves and their characters begin to be revealed. And that's the real horror. The price of one's own and other's life, the price of money, the price of humanity… Everything is at stake, and how will it turn out? I dare say that the finale will surprise everyone. I probably wouldn't have needed a second series, I liked the ending the way it was, but since there will be one… Yeah, of course, I’m looking forward to it. (09/03/2023)

Excellently written... How to quit gambling easily and fast with the help of kids’ games. In addition to having a great screenplay which grabs you and doesn’t let go, despite the slow opening and superfluous epilog, Squid Game can rely on precise directing and perfectly chosen actors. Hae-soo Park clearly rules the screen. Each game points at a different aspect of what it is to be human, and lots of people won’t like what they see. I sincerely don’t know if we need another season. As it is, it’s great, if you forget about that epilog. So leave it be. (11/10/2021)

The plot is entertaining and it has catchy minimalist visuals. Plus, it is just the right length concerning the richness of the narrative it wants to present. I would perhaps criticize the over-predictability of the fate of some characters, and I think it really did not need the strange twist in the last episode and would have been better without it. Otherwise, this is really a decent show from South Korea. (18/11/2021)

Hollywood is done, Korea dulez!! The combination of Netflix and South Korea is the best thing anyone has ever thought of, and it has once again resulted in an awesome spectacle with all the Korean parameters, traits and attributes, and the same big names have come together to make South Korea a powerful mainstream hit that is shaking up the world. A variation on Battle Royale and Hunger Games along the lines of Japan's Alice in Borderland has never been more entertaining, smart and disturbing. Squid Game follows the die-hard Korean template and has all the elements every fan expects: an original twisted theme, perfectly written and acted characters with strong progression and changes, the requisite dose of action, violence and high body-count, built-up suspense, believable twists, ornate visuals, compelling dialogue, well-conceived melodrama toying with the audience's emotions, and it wouldn't be Korean if there wasn't also people trafficking. Only the Koreans can incorporate so many elements and present it confidently with a raised middle finger, and they do it again with clarity and breathlessness. Episode 6 is probably the strongest for me and the reveal of the White Horse put a smile on my face, I didn't expect it in the least. Excellent Job. I loved the cameo by Gong Yoo and Lee Jeong-jae in the lead, but in a very unconventional role. Story 5/5, Action 4/5, Humor 1/5, Violence 5/5, Fun 5/5 Music 4/5, Visuals 5/5, Atmosphere 4/5, Suspense 5/5, Emotion 4/5, Actors 4/5. 9/10. (24/09/2021)