Squid Game

Ein Crossover der Motive aus Battle Royal und Saw, brillant als ein achtstündiger kollektiver Weg durch die Hölle gestaltet. In einer ansprechenden bunten Form mit einer beeindruckenden Ausstattung und effektvollen Kostümen, mit einer hochwertigen Darstellung der Figuren und einer soziologischen Untersuchung ihres Verhaltens, mit einfallsreichen Spielen, schlauen Überraschungen und viel Blut sowie Brutalität. Hwang Dong-hyuk kombiniert in einer kommerziellen Massenserie mutig verschiedene Popkultur- sowie Genre-Trends und trägt einen eindeutigen Sieg davon. Folge 6 ist ein emotionaler Knockout, mit dem ich wirklich nicht gerechnet habe. Das einzige Stolpern, welches die Wahrscheinlichkeit des Verhaltens der Figuren betrifft, kommt erst in der letzten Folge. Diese hat eine scheinbar überraschende und aus dem Finger gesaugte Pointe, die im Widerspruch zu gewissen Ereignissen steht, die früher passiert sind. (18.11.2021)

Yeah, a pretty cool Korean take on Battle Royale, Hunger Games, Saw, Cube, and Escape Room that goes out of its way to attempt some relatively adult social insight. But in spite of how serious it wants to look at times, the core of the whole thing is completely banal, and the execution of the action is quite logically haphazard in the details. That is fine with stuff like Escape Room (it's basically identical in concept), which is not trying to be anything other than a fun B-movie, but Squid Game wants to be more like Parasite and I found that quite distracting at times. And the awful line with VIPs is a chapter on its own, terribly cringe. In its strongest moments it’s excellent (the sixth episode in particular is amazing, though actually quite predictable from the beginning), but lame in its weakest. Either way, compared to last year’s Alice in Borderland, it’s light years ahead. (23.09.2021)

Hollywood is done, Korea dulez!! The combination of Netflix and South Korea is the best thing anyone has ever thought of, and it has once again resulted in an awesome spectacle with all the Korean parameters, traits and attributes, and the same big names have come together to make South Korea a powerful mainstream hit that is shaking up the world. A variation on Battle Royale and Hunger Games along the lines of Japan's Alice in Borderland has never been more entertaining, smart and disturbing. Squid Game follows the die-hard Korean template and has all the elements every fan expects: an original twisted theme, perfectly written and acted characters with strong progression and changes, the requisite dose of action, violence and high body-count, built-up suspense, believable twists, ornate visuals, compelling dialogue, well-conceived melodrama toying with the audience's emotions, and it wouldn't be Korean if there wasn't also people trafficking. Only the Koreans can incorporate so many elements and present it confidently with a raised middle finger, and they do it again with clarity and breathlessness. Episode 6 is probably the strongest for me and the reveal of the White Horse put a smile on my face, I didn't expect it in the least. Excellent Job. I loved the cameo by Gong Yoo and Lee Jeong-jae in the lead, but in a very unconventional role. Story 5/5, Action 4/5, Humor 1/5, Violence 5/5, Fun 5/5 Music 4/5, Visuals 5/5, Atmosphere 4/5, Suspense 5/5, Emotion 4/5, Actors 4/5. 9/10. (24.09.2021)

1st season – 70% – The concept is enticing, the plot is uncompromising, and the characters are concrete and honest to the point that it is impossible not to give in and continue watching, getting caught up in the madness where even viewers who a week ago wouldn't have given Korean cinematography a second thought are wearing geometric patterns on their faces. However, the best moment is the initial shock at what is happening to the protagonists. At that moment, anticipation, tension, and the feeling that I have been waiting for a spectacle like this for years all come together. But that moment can't be surpassed, and I quickly become frustrated that the audience constantly stays one step ahead of the main characters, without realizing what will happen next. The naivety of what awaits the poor souls in the next game and their surprised reaction that it's a matter of life and death becomes more and more irritating, as well as their way of thinking and their desire to ally with those who clearly have ulterior motives and only play for themselves. By the end, many questions have been pushed hurriedly aside, and even the non-game storyline gleefully mocks me, saying that the answers may come someday next time. The impact is gone, but the curiosity still remains, albeit to a lesser extent. (18.01.2022)

If anything makes this series special, it's the games. They are visually, musically, choreographically, and in terms of tension absolutely – I know, it's a stupid word to use given the content – fascinating. But unfortunately, behind that is a shallow story that is sub-par compared to what Koreans are capable of coming up with. The denouement, unfortunately, turned out exactly as I thought it would (I've read a similar book). There was no shock waiting for me at the end either, because I had already figured out the character in the first half (there are too many hints), and when the person under the mask spoke in English, I knew immediately who was hiding underneath. But a nice cameo, and not a pointless one. I feel like the viewer could have used more clarification. Unfortunately, I'm afraid the creators have yet to come up with it and will introduce it to us in the next season, which I’m doubting will be of any quality. So yeah, I think the next Korean wave should have been kicked off by a different series. But on the other hand, I can understand that a viewer not familiar with Korean filmography might enjoy it completely differently. And the games are really, really good. (17.10.2021)

Excellently written... How to quit gambling easily and fast with the help of kids’ games. In addition to having a great screenplay which grabs you and doesn’t let go, despite the slow opening and superfluous epilog, Squid Game can rely on precise directing and perfectly chosen actors. Hae-soo Park clearly rules the screen. Each game points at a different aspect of what it is to be human, and lots of people won’t like what they see. I sincerely don’t know if we need another season. As it is, it’s great, if you forget about that epilog. So leave it be. (11.10.2021)

Squid Game may not look like it, but its means of expression say a lot in a small space. Primarily sociological, it examines characters with various bad backstories in an extreme setting, but does it with refinement and unpredictability. At times brutal splatter carnage, at times a slow burn of great emotion. A wonderful gamut of different fates, motivations and development of many characters, where no normal person seems to find their own, but in many situations it is hard not to sympathize with and root for many of them. A brilliant complex drama with at times quirky humour, poignant moments and unadulterated brutality, in a typically Eastern sprawling style. Must see. (01.02.2022)

Squid Game ist perfekt. Es ist eine der Serien, deren Autoren Sie dafür lieben werden, was sie sich ausgedacht haben. Gleichzeitig werden Sie sie aber dafür hassen, was sie den Zuschauer*innen antun. Haben Sie eine Figur lieb gewonnen? Es ist gut möglich, dass sie nur noch ein paar Minuten leben wird, weil Squid Game in dieser Hinsicht kompromisslos ist. Alle wichtigen Figuren sind hervorragend gezeichnet. Die Kinderspiele, bei denen es ums nackte Leben geht, enden in der Regel mit einem fürchterlichen Massaker. Aber was ist das schon gegen die Szenen, in denen die Spieler*innen über sich selbst nachdenken müssen und ihr Charakter zum Vorschein kommt. Das ist richtig unheimlich. Der Preis vom eigenen Leben, der Preis des Lebens von anderen, der Preis des Geldes, der Preis der Menschlichkeit… Es wird um alles gespielt. Und wie geht es aus? Ich wage zu behaupten, dass das Finale jeden überraschen wird. Eine zweite Staffel hätte ich eigentlich nicht gebraucht. Das Ende hat mir so gefallen, wie es war. Wenn es sie aber geben wird… Sie können sich sicher sein, dass ich mich auf sie freue. (09.03.2023)

Mit einem unterhaltsamen Schema, minimalistischer visueller Anziehungskraft und einer angemessenen Länge entspricht es der Fülle der Geschichte, die erzählt werden will. Ich würde vielleicht die übermäßige Vorhersehbarkeit des Schicksals einiger Charaktere bemängeln und die seltsame Wendung in der letzten Folge, auf die ich hätte verzichten können. Ansonsten handelt es sich um eine sehr solide Show aus Südkorea. (18.11.2021)

There was already something like this last year from a related corner of the cinematic world: Alice in Borderland. Identical idea, the same decent drive, which over time starts to descend into cluelessness and predictability and ends with a pathetic punchline about the strength of gelatin. Asian productions love to push the emotion a level higher than appropriate, but likewise the genre fails to keep fingers crossed for many characters, so it's ultimately just a flashy swing of a leaky bat. The police storyline contains a ton of illogicality and the VIP charade was painful to the eyes, ears, and brain. Credit must be given to the extremely strong 6th episode, which features the best of the rules of the game, emotions, and exploration of the various aspects of human behavior, morality, and a bit of ethics. Overall a better average. After this experience, despite the pointlessly open-ended ending, I don't see how Season 2 can be better. (07.10.2021)