Written by Jejomar Laab
Mind-blowing escape rooms, brutal mayhem, and unpredictable plot, Alice in Borderland is the newest addition to the thriller genre popularized by The Hunger Games and Battle Royale. The eight-episode Netflix series is as intense as the former and as violent as the latter. Although named after Alice in Wonderland, it is not so much comparable to the children’s book. This Japanese manga adaptation makes the mouth water over another episode.
Set in an empty city of Tokyo, a group of long-time friends forcibly participates in sick and twisted games to keep themselves alive. They figure that it is just like a survival video game, but they bet on their own lives this time around. The three teenagers must fight their way to clear deadly games in order to extend their ‘visas’ in this entirely out of the ordinary world.
Each game is classified into four symbols in a deck of cards: clubs are for cooperative-multiplayer games, spades test the physical strength, diamonds are games of wits, and hearts toy with players’ emotions. The number on the card denotes the difficulty. The higher the number, the more likely it will push players to their emotional, mental, and physical limits.
Early on, the audience will root for characters as they gamble their lives on cleverly orchestrated life-threatening games. Survivors leave the arena not with a bag of cash prizes but with empty faces and heavy hearts. More often than not, they get the ill fortune to look on the face of death and never come out alive.
Some games don’t require muscles and quick wits. It is basically the survival of the fittest. Hence, anything can happen during the match. The tournaments can claim the life of any character, lead or not. This murder fest may remind viewers of Game of Thrones.
This show is unlike any of its kind. It has a well-crafted mixture of drama, action, a sense of humor, and violence in it. Despite the many bated breaths and suspense-packed moments, there are also compelling character development and heart-wrenching turn of events. It may bring to mind other similar sadistic thrillers out there, but it created its own space in the genre with its fresh storyline and theme.
All in all, Alice in Borderland is yet another binge-worthy Netflix show. On every episode, questions just keep on popping up in the viewers’ minds. Some are answered immediately, and others will leave people thinking heavily. For this reason, spectators are sure to thirst for more episodes. It is worth clearing the schedule on weekends for this series.
The good news is that Netflix has already confirmed another season. Perhaps fans will know more about the game master, the mysterious world, and more jaw-dropping games. There is so much to be excited about about Season Two. How long before it comes out? No confirmation yet, but it better come fast!
Watch the trailer here:
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