
The Quarantine Stream: ‘Alice in Borderland’ is a Twisty Japanese Thriller With Plenty of Puzzles and Exploding Heads
Posted on Tuesday, February 23rd, 2021 by Hoai-Tran Bui
(Welcome to The Quarantine Stream, a new series where the /Film team shares what they’ve been watching while social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.)
The Series: Alice in Borderland
Where You Can Stream It: Netflix
The Pitch: What if Battle Royale and Saw had a sick, twisted baby that that puts its characters through a series of manipulative, tortuous games — usually with a high body and splatter count?
Why It’s Essential Viewing: Based on the manga of the same name by Haro Aso, Alice in Borderland has the unfortunate fate of having a bad title. Or at least, a confusing title that doesn’t really convey the kind of horror/sci-fi series that Alice in Borderland is. But once you get past the idea that there is no one named Alice in Alice in Borderland, and that the dystopian riff on Alice in Wonderland is thin at best, you’re in for a twisty little ride.