It did take me a little longer than I had planned to finish the zombie epic, but here’s my review of the full-season Netflix Series of all of US Are Dead, which is available on Netflix.
So here is the new Netflix South Korean zombie series All of Us Are Dead review. Should this be your next binge? Let’s find out.
All of Us Are Dead Review (FULL SEASON)Â
Since I already did a preliminary review of the first three episodes, I won’t rehash everything that I had talked about in that review, but you can check out those thoughts by clicking here.
The show continues to astound me in the way that it pulls me into the narrative. Just when I think that I’m getting a little numb to what’s going on, some new infusion of drama, emotion, or even action pops up and then invest me all over again, and sometimes to a deeper degree than I had previously been.
I love how we get an insight into what the people who change into zombies go through. It’s visceral, but it’s also touching and sad. And this created a lot of empathy for the infected, despite them just becoming living horrors.
The visuals that are shown are creative, and this new perspective is also refreshing because I don’t think I’ve ever seen it from that viewpoint before.
I like some of the morality play that accompanies the story. I mean, as characters do, certain actions that affect their friends, questions are raised about what is right or just, and then what responsibility each person carries.
Personal choices versus good for the group discussions they play out in different ways, which then provides some great moments of introspection.
And the scenes get fairly deep when all of this is going on, which then also gives us a chance to take a breather from some of that zombie chase.
Okay, so as we know, the whole show is bonkers. But there was a scene in episode four where the social media idiot decided to go out into the city where the breakout was happening in order to live stream it.
His footage interspersed throughout the episode. But there’s one portion at night where he encounters a very unique group of zombies that first made me laugh out loud and then shudder from the creepiness.
And I love that there are times when the teenager mentality pops out in the show, so despite dire circumstances, sometimes a character will question another about a crush.
It seems wildly out of place, but it also fits perfectly within a teenage mindset, and this happens more than once. It’s great that the story didn’t forget that these are kids with maturing minds, but also raging hormones.
Sometimes they just need to blurt out their feelings, and every time this happened, I chuckled or laughed because it was so endearing, but also an inappropriate moment for that type of conversation, which then felt very real.
And I certainly found myself having some favorites amongst the characters, and sometimes they surprised me because I didn’t start out liking them. Sometimes it was their growth as characters, and other times it was their inner strength and resolve that endeared me to them.
And then of course, there are moments where characters put others first ahead of their own safety, and then they truly become heroic in those times, even if they ultimately do escape unscathed.
Now there are some moments of story protection for some of the key characters where all of a sudden they’ll just be out of a predicament, but we don’t see how they escaped.
And this is especially bothersome when the character was surrounded by a horde and there was just no foreseeable way of escape.
This also happens when a character can perform certain acts that seem uncharacteristic for what’s been previously established.
Part of the genius of this show is the use of cliffhangers each time I think I’m going to take a break, the episode ends in a way that I must start with the next one just to find out what’s going on with the characters that I’ve become connected with.
I love how the show keeps evolving. There’s a new complication that’s introduced about halfway through the show, and I like also what it can mean for future zombie shows and movies because I’m not sure that I’ve ever seen this story element used before.
While not all of the action sequences hold up, most of them do. There are some ridiculous sequences, especially involving one of the students dead who is a firefighter, and the more that we follow him, the more his escapades become somewhat unbelievable.
But this doesn’t break the entire series. I mean, it’s just a small weak point to it. I think overall, the show is a little too long.
I mean, I love the drama and even how more of the story is unveiled to us, but there are portions that seem to stall, which is mainly noticeable when the students are just sitting around waiting to make their next move.
If you’re binging this as a whole, you may notice it more than if you watch a few episodes, take a break, and then return to it.
Now, as I mentioned in my initial review of the first three episodes, there is some good and subtle humor in this, but there is also some silliness that just doesn’t work.
One of the storylines follows a police Detective and a junior officer as they try to get across the city. Their dialogue borders on stupid, just with jokes and behaviors that are meant to elicit laughs, but they just made me cringe.
There are also some portions that just make no sense to me where the students are involved. I mean, the main group that we are following at one point they find a fairly secure location, but they can’t sit still, so they do something that borders on the insane.
Now I understand what they’re trying to accomplish, but I’m not sure their decision was thoroughly thought out.
While I didn’t always notice the musical score, there were times that it stood out to me because of how it was influencing my emotions.
There were several times where the music was building in intensity, but then there were also these beating drums that just work to increase the tension and the dread.
As much as I tried not to become too invested in certain characters, I was just terribly drawn to them. There was so much peril around every corner.
It was easier for my brain and my heart to keep the players at arm’s length so that if something bad happens, I’m not emotionally wrecked. But yeah, try as I might, that didn’t happen.
I mean, there are several episodes that broke my heart, but I think the worst of it comes in episode eleven. You may want to check yourself if you’re not crying in that.
I mean, I certainly teared up and I was devastated because the show is coming to its climax and the stakes are at their highest.
The amount of tension, anxiety, suspense, sadness, and then laughter contained with this show. I think it’s amazing. It’s an emotional roller coaster, but one that is incredibly satisfying.
And just when I think I may be getting tired of the story or even the entire narrative, a portion of the story arc renews my interest, grabbing hold of me once again so that I’m sitting on the edge of my seat just riveted to it all.
So like I said, this isn’t a perfect show and there are issues with some of the humor, the conveniences, plot protection, and even length at times. But taking the show as a whole, it’s a wonderful watching experience.
The action and cinematography are immersive and engaging. The characters are varied, but they’re rich in detail, in-depth. And the story itself, while it’s simple, introduces so many complexities to keep it stimulating.
And sure, there are a lot of zombie shows and movies that you can choose from, but not many of them can capture your heart the way that this does and then emotionally wreck you.
And what I love about this is how the story concludes. Yes, there has been some immense sadness along the way, but the resolution that the story leaves us with is hopeful and sweet.
And I’m not going to call it happy because, I mean, come on. The whole premise of the show is about infected people eating other people, but I found the end of the story to be very satisfying.
This is certainly a big-time investment, but if you stick with it, you are rewarded with a very rich watching experience that will take you through a variety of emotions.
There’s no sex or nudity, but there is a lot of profanity and of course, just a ton of violence.
I am going to give All of Us Are Dead 2022 full season 4.5/5.
So do you have a favorite zombie movie? Let me know what it is in the comments below.Â
Guys this was my full season review of the All of Us Are Dead (2022) Netflix Series. See you next time.
