Netflix’s series All Of Us Are Dead based on a Korean webtoon made by Joo Dong-geun is a dystopian fantasy where a group of students try to escape their school which became the ground zero for a zombie virus outbreak. The first few minutes of the web series itself give a sneak peek to the viewer of how horrifying the show is going to be. The series is as much an emotional drama as it is a horror one.
The brilliance of the series begins with the title design which slowly shatters and becomes a group of zombies snarling together. The theme music of the series also adds to the element of horror. Almost two and a half minutes of the first scene of the series taken in a single shot hint at something extraordinary is in the store. The movement of the camera in the first scene itself gives the viewer the conviction of the brilliant making of the series. There are several mindblowing shots in the series. Gunshots travelling through the water while Nam So-ju tries to escape, and a shot in which hundreds of drones travel through the sky are a few of them. The casting is brilliant. All of the actors from the main leads to junior artists have delivered incredible performances throughout the series. The flawless Makeup plays make the viewers believe that this dystopian fantasy is real.
The series is an emotional rollercoaster ride for the viewer. The viewer along with the characters experiences horror, fear, dilemma and loss. The characters witnessing their family and friends turning into zombies in front of them is truly heartbreaking to watch. The ‘rain scene’ was such an emotional experience for me as a viewer. The humorous elements coming in between the show gives the audience a few moments of relief. The part where a cop and his partner try to pass important information to the military to end the zombie attack and the events that occur on their way was hilarious to watch. A vlogger trying to capture the zombie attack and finding himself surrounded by zombies was also amusing.
The series holds the audience under pressure until the end as nobody can predict by then which all characters are going to survive. A few surprises are thrown our way by the writer which I should not mention here.
The ending of the show hint at a stronger comeback of zombies.
