Movie Review: #Alive (2020)

 #Alive (2020) directed by Cho Il

A young Korean man (Ah-In Yoo) is trapped in his apartment when a viral outbreak (i.e. zombie apocalyptic event) happens. His parents and sister left early (he woke up at 10 a.m.) and never made it home. He has some tech toys at home but they hardly satisfy his need for entertainment and companionship, especially when the internet coverage and cellular signals die out. The TV coverage is not encouraging, though the cable lasts longer than the internet for some reason. He bars the door with the fridge and plans out his last few meals with what's left at home. Seemingly, all he can do is watch what's going on in the street below. And hang off the balcony to get better cell coverage.

The plot follows a fairly standard zombie survival arc. The introduction of recent technology (texting, drones, etc.) creates some new, minor twists to freshen up the story. After getting to the point of suicide, another person finds him and they start to connect. The usual stuff happens after that. The actors did a good job with no outstanding moments. The gore was very subdued, which seems standard for Korean horror. The movie had no big surprises, but no big flaws either.

Slightly recommended.

Available streaming on Netflix.