Zombies thrive in “#Alive”

A new epidemic is arising and zombies are everywhere you look. There is no running water, electricity or extra food supplies. Oh Joon-Woo has to survive with the scraps left in his house. He feels as if he is the only one survivor left. He starts to lose his mind wondering how  much longer he will have to wait for help. He receives a text from his parents telling him that he must stay alive. He must survive. 

Tension and suspense is felt throughout the Korean film “#Alive,” based on the original script of “Alone.” The film was directed by Cho Il-hyung. The main stars of the movie include Yoo Ah-In and Park Shin-hye. The film was released globally on Sept. 8 on Netflix.

 I was never a fan of zombie movies. They all seemed way too predictable and not enjoyable to watch. Although this zombie movie had its predictable moments, it also felt strangely relatable. 

Throughout the movie Oh is trapped inside of his home, not able to leave due to the zombies all around his apartment complex. Oh has a scarce amount of food and every time he leaves his house to get more he must gear up. When he is at home he is wondering how much longer it will be till he doesn’t have to suffer alone anymore. 

This all feels like a parallel to our current situation with the stay at home order. Whenever we leave our homes for any reason we must social distance and wear masks to be weary of the coronavirus. Many are wondering how much longer we have to stay at home. We have no clear idea at this point. 

Of course I must clarify that a zombie apocalypse is much more serious than our stay at home case. However I realized that I was whispering to my screen for Oh not to give up. It made me feel like I should not give up hope as well. This type of feeling made me really enjoy the movie.

Cho explained why he chose to expand off the original script of “Alone.” 

“The film is adapted from the script of the zombie thriller ‘Alone’ by Matt Naylor, and the part I found most interesting was how the characters, trapped in their homes, would react and deal with the disaster at hand,” Cho said.

 The movie “#Alive” follows the journey of Oh’s fight for survival. Just like him we all must survive this.