Alive is a South Korean thriller with a zombie survival theme released in 2020. Cho Il-Hyung, who goes by Il Cho, directed the film, while Matt Naylor and Cho collaborated on the screenplay. The film features Yoo Ah-in and Park Shin-hye in the lead roles as two young adults trapped in their apartments in Seoul during a zombie outbreak, fighting to survive.
The film showcases the gripping reality of feeling isolation and fear during the COVID-19 pandemic. The film is relevant to the social commentaries during the ongoing global crisis as well as the parent’s obsession with zombies. The film also aims to analyze a person’s reliance on technology, mental state, and how one solitary person can change everything in a world where authentic human connection is vanishing.
A Summary
The film begins by portraying the childhood of video game enthusiasts. In this age, video game enthusiasts are known as ‘streamers’ and in the movie, he is referred to as Oh Joon-Woo (Yoo Ah-In). He lives with his family in a highrise and the chirps of birds can be heard making the apartment look more like a home. He is also a self-diagnosed introvert. Everything in the life of Oh Joon-Woo (Yoo Ah-In) comes crashing down when a peculiar disease starts infecting the people of Seoul. The novel virus seems to be spreading way too suddenly and too quickly to control.
While the infected are on a rampage chase anywhere from the streets to sophisticated residential complexes, Joon-woo is trapped in an apartment by himself. His only connection to the outside world, a cell phone, had already lost its signal and the TV was out of order. Joon-woo was disconnected from everything and everyone, including his family who were out in the city. His only way of contacting the outside world was through social media where he’d post desperate messages for help.
Unlike most families who build on precious memories with one another, Joon—Woo grieved the thoughts of being alone for the rest of his life. His only remaining motivation was a box filled with water and food—every single drop of water along with food was oxygen to his body. In a matter of seconds, each remaining shred of sanity drove him to a spiral of depression coupled with suicidal thoughts. Just when he was about to take the last leap severing any possibilities of himself, he found another survivor named Kim Yoo-bin (Park Shin-hye) who was stranded in the vicinity of his building.
To Yee’s surprise, he managed to contact Yoo-bing with nothing but a single bolt of light which he would reflect off a mirror. Yoo-bin wasn’t the only one who needed rescuing. Capturing both of their attention was the news of a rescue mission being set up. With limited access to resources, she used all her skills alongside drenched in sweat and blood striving to make save them in the nick of time. Both of them set out on an ambitious attempt of navigating through the turbulent storm together.
Main Cast and Performances
Yoo Ah-in as Oh Joon-woo
Delegating each role’s casted actors does not automatically mean Joon-woo is equally dynamic as Yoo Ah in. Bringing authenticity of emotion captures a range of human reactions from a disaster takes denial, fear, desperation and the spectrum of resilience. Joon-woo starts out as a self-absorbed, isolated individual turns into a selfless, courageous and compassionate human.
Park Shin-hye as Kim Yoo-bin
Unlike other characters, Yoo-bin is composed and emotionally guarded, which make her unique. Contrasting to her character is Park Shin-hye, who portrays the more stoic character than Yoo Ah-in’s eccentric performance. Her character is a reminder of mental strength in the overwhelming face of adversity.
Alongside, their chemistry fuels the emotional core of the narrative. The film evolves into more than just a survival story as their wordless understanding and anticipatory interaction goes deeper into human connection.
Direction and Cinematic Style
The use of setting Cho Il-hyung as a direction uses the apartment enabling the story tells to analyze the endless potential of both the location and character. With the use of strategy focused storytelling, tension is incited by the tight and claustrophobic setting. The lack of surroundings paired with the small cast boosts the urgency and allows utilizarion of intimacy to the audience into the character’s emotional state.
The camera work makes use of vertical space with shots of suffocating narrow hallways to towering buildings and balconies. The action within the film is practical: stunts and props are used instead of CGI, and the pacing alternates between quiet reflection and high intensity.
Equally important is the sound design. There is perpetual menace in the growls and screams of zombies reverberating through walls. At the same time, the absence of certain sounds creates a stark sense of solitude.
Themes and Analysis
Isolation and Mental Health
The film was acclaimed for depicting the psychological toll inflicted by isolation, and the reality of enduring mental health challenges. As Joon-woo descends into despair alongside feelings of profound hopelessness and near-suicidal ideation, his emotional decline resonates intimately with issues worsened during lockdowns. The discourse around a human connection that emotionally revives and restores life, albeit temporarily, brilliantly elevates the value of empathy and companionship.
Digital Dependency
This iteration of the zombie survival genre captures the impact of contemporary technology, as smartphones, drones, and social media become crucial for survival. Joon-woo’s help plea is livestreamed, as he digitally reaches out to Yoo-bin. While sketching out the contours of modern critique on technology, the film balances the dualities of isolation and salvation, underlining reliance on tech.
Resilience and Adaptation
Joon-woo and Yoo-bin both adjust to ensure their survival. They know how to ration, make tools, and defend themselves if need be. His evolution from a helpless gamer to a proactive survivor makes Joon-woo’s character growth one of the more important aspects of the film’s story arc.
Hope in Desperation
Despite its bleak and utterly brutal moments, #Alive is a hopeful film. The last part of the movie, which includes a signal being received from rescue forces, suggests that even at our lowest point, survival and getting help is possible as long as people remain connected, emotionally and physically, to one another.
Reception and Impact
Alive became incredibly popular shortly after its release and streaming on Netflix, making it to the top of multiple countries’ streaming charts. The film resonated strongly with people in isolation due to the COVID pandemic, echoing their fears, seclusion, and the struggle to stay sane during unprecedented times filled with uncertainty.
Critics praised the film for its tight storytelling, excellent performances, and relevance to society’s contemporary issues. While some pointed out its all-too-familiar zombie film cliches and simple storyline, most others appreciated the emotional depth and the film’s context as prominent strengths.
The movie further showcased South Korea’s increasing influence in genre cinema. After the success of films like Train to Busan, #Alive continued to establish Korea’s reputation for rich and visually captivating horror and thriller films appealing to a global audience.
Conclusion
Alive is much more than another addition to the zombie film genre; it is an elegantly suspenseful human narrative on surviving the weight of solitude. The film portrays the existence of zombies through the lens of profound loneliness and how elusively, one connection can spark the will to live. It is driven by strong performances, tight direction, and emotional writing.
At a time when millions of people felt lik e they were isolated, cut off from the world, fearful and dependent on digital communication, #Alive became an indispensable piece of cinema and surprisingly therapeutic one. It inspires the viewers that in the fight against the overwhelmingly hopeless situations, hope is never completely lost, as long as someone is still out there, alive.
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