Yet another zombie masterpiece from South Korea is the recent Netflix's K-drama hit Kingdom, K-drama is back with another horror thriller for zombie gore lovers. With a newer setting, All Of Us Are Dead sparks fresh and bloodier story in a modern survival setting, unlike previous zombie productions.
The 12 episode series received immense positive responses for its over-the-edge storyline and compelling performances by the cast. Zombie thriller shows have gained massive popularity over the past years and continue to do the same with improved effects and better plotlines. All Of Us Are Dead does break a lot of the stereotypical plots and scenes that usually feature in a zombie series setting apart from any other horror-thriller show seen before.
An Apocalypse Or Coming Of Age?
Horror enthusiasts love the classics, but what kills the excitement could be the story's predictability or the repetition in the storylines. Commonly seen tropes on-screen play safe with the script, yet the interest could soon die down.
With Lee Jae Kyoo's directorial feature, the story not just revolves around the zombie gore but blends a coming of age story wrapped along with it. While the story unwraps itself as the students from Hyosan High school are left to fend themselves during the unprecedented zombie attack, it also displays the individual disputes and the relationships among the characters. A perfect blend of teenage drama within a survival game.
An Improved Version Of The Undeads
Zombies and brains are the perfect matches seen popularly. The undead generally kills people or eats them for just their brains and flesh without any personal instincts. But this Netflix series lands on a different ground.
The show's zombies follow the same basic styles, mindless and hungry but what differs them is their will to survive. Unlike other plotlines, the zombies created from the outbreak of the virus by Mr. Lee in the science lab were an experiment for his bullied son. The virus' mutation is a major change that sets the tone of a possible season 2. With hybrid zombies also in the mix, they do not just have a heightened sense of hearing and strength but may even have regenerative capabilities.
The Not So Happy Ending
The perfect ending of things settling down, the hero getting the girl, and the leads looking for a hopeful future ahead. Nothing could be more wrong than the statement. All Of Us Are Dead gives you everything except this.
Unlike the endings frequently seen in a horror series, the series ends with a cliffhanger, wishful about coming for a season 2. With characters like Lee Cheong San's death to Choi Nam Ra's mutation, hopeful might not be the word to describe the ending. Although, the series did leave the fans 'hopeful' for season 2.
Using Realistic Fight Weapons
Massive guns, bombs, explosives, and ruthless weapons are must-haves to survive in an apocalypse. Horror shows at times circle around the use of fine weaponry and explosives, which may not technically be available during the fight. It sometimes questions the sanctity of the story and makes it non-relevant.
On the other hand, All Of Us Are Dead had a more realistic approach to fighting the zombies. The use of fire hoses in the school building to sports equipment used as armors to other props seen lying around their campus each scene shows a realistic and relatable means of survival.
Multiple Antagonists Throughout The Story
Antagonists fuel the much-needed tension in any plot. In a horror genre series or movie, we could guess the antagonist would be the horror elements themselves. But what if the series broke that mold and gave multiple characters to blame along with the narration. All Of Us Are Dead's major fight would be with the zombies themselves, but the antagonist still varies over the series progression.
Lee Byeong-Chan, the reserved, quiet science teacher who first developed the virus, regrettably becomes the cause of the apocalypse. He even goes to the length of imprisoning Kim Hyeong Ju, the first victim. Though Mr. Lee is the reason for the zombie troubles, credits for the main antagonist would be Yoon Gwi Nam. Gwi Nam is the vicious bully who would step on other Hyosan students to save himself at any length. The multiple baddies, including the undead, definitely up the ante of the story.
The Place Where The Outbreak Takes Place
An abandoned place or lost in the wilderness or even a haunted spooky country house; the setting is of utmost importance just as the storyline. Horror stories seem to have an awfully similar location of the event.
When it comes to zombies, the mayhem often takes place in the neighborhood mall or the local amusement park, yes that infamous Zombieland park scenes; however, All Of Us Are Dead yet breaks the common setting stigma. The start of the series shows the leads singled out at their school, where the virus outbreak first starts. While the school became the main battlefield in the story, there were certain scenes beyond these extents.
The Leads
A blend of horror and coming-of-age drama sets a perfect tone of emotions, jumpscares, and thrill throughout the series. Usually, similarly themed storylines dwell more on the action and big sequences. However, All Of Us Are Dead displays a more evolved approach to a plain horror fest.
The leads in All Of Us Are Dead evidently seem more intelligent and have better instincts. Despite being basically teenagers, they show resilience and bravery, especially when they learn that they are on their own. The storyline itself isn't shy about valuing emotions of losing close friends or having personal conflicts. Although the story is focused majorly on the survivors within the school premise, the plot layers with other characters who have personal vendettas. Each character written has flaws that perfectly complements Lee Jae Kyoo's directorial.
Cause For The Zombie Apocalypse
Major franchises and series revolve around a plotline that provides major jumpscares, a significant backstory, and usually a mysterious outbreak of the horror elements.
It is significantly rare to see horror series showing the real cause of the paranormal activities, especially in the beginning. All Of Us Are Dead tackles the usual plot to reveal the cause of the zombie apocalypse was not just a random event but rather a science lab virus let loose. The outbreak was not a product of a governmental experiment or a defense strategy made but rather a father trying to help his son, which unfortunately led to chaos.
