I'll admit that the posters for #Alive had gotten the zombie-movie fanatic within me pretty excited. The urban setting, the spectacular make-up effects, the 'few survivors vs. a massive zombie horde' storyline, and the use of modern-day gadgets - I was quite enticed by these factors. #Alive has a fantastic first act - it's all Yoo Ah-in until then, and of course, the gratifying zombie chaos taking place around his apartment complex. Add some food-related FOMO to that and we have an interesting bunch of scenes stitched together.
As expected, not much is detailed about the outbreak except for the basics - these zombies are fast, cannibalistic, and attack in hordes. Things change around the 40-minute mark with the entry of a female survivor (played by Park Shin-hye) who lives across the complex in another building. Hereafter, the cliches start to pile up. They develop a vibe, a couple of walkie-talkies are conveniently found, and they even end up saving each other at different instances. Yet, it's the predictably bland final act that makes #Alive a middle-of-the-road effort.
The set-pieces are all racy, hair-raising, and effective, even if one feels tempted to revisit and question how certain scenes play out. With a highly animated zombie mob hot on the trail of the protagonists from start to finish, the action has a well-choreographed feel to it. #Alive, when viewed as a quarantine film in the year 2020, can also send a message across to people that all hope is never lost and personal battles can eventually be won.
As expected, not much is detailed about the outbreak except for the basics - these zombies are fast, cannibalistic, and attack in hordes. Things change around the 40-minute mark with the entry of a female survivor (played by Park Shin-hye) who lives across the complex in another building. Hereafter, the cliches start to pile up. They develop a vibe, a couple of walkie-talkies are conveniently found, and they even end up saving each other at different instances. Yet, it's the predictably bland final act that makes #Alive a middle-of-the-road effort.
The set-pieces are all racy, hair-raising, and effective, even if one feels tempted to revisit and question how certain scenes play out. With a highly animated zombie mob hot on the trail of the protagonists from start to finish, the action has a well-choreographed feel to it. #Alive, when viewed as a quarantine film in the year 2020, can also send a message across to people that all hope is never lost and personal battles can eventually be won.