Squid Game review: A rewarding third season filled with thrills, spills and a gripping final twist
has wrapped its tentacles around Squid Game and is refusing to let go. Following the conclusion of Hwang Dong-hyuk's brutal story of a sadistic survival contest on a mysterious island off the coast of Korea, there is speculation Social Network/Fight Club director
David Fincher
is to oversee a US adaptation of the franchise.
That Squid Game is about to go international seems to be hinted at in the final episode of the show's third and concluding season (Netflix) when a Hollywood star turns up playing a western version of 'The Recruiter', who tempts the financially desperate to risk life, limb and sanity in the games. But Hwang has denied his series explicitly sets up a US spin-off. The Recruiter cameo (more about anon) is there to make the more serious point about how power structures can be pulled apart but always rise up again.
'I wanted to leave it on a note highlighting the fact that these systems, even if one comes down, it's not easy to dismantle the whole system – it will always repeat itself,' he told the Hollywood Reporter. 'That's why I wanted to end it with an American recruiter. And I wrote that scene wanting an impactful ending for the show, not in order to open rooms for anything else.'
Impactful the end of Squid Game certainly is. It is also a marked improvement on the
underwhelming second series
. As the action resumes, Player 456 (Lee Jung-jae) has been forced to continue in the games despite leading a failed rebellion against the all-powerful Frontman (Lee Byung-hun). This year's challenges are every bit as dastardly as in earlier seasons – including a devious challenge where the remaining contestants are divided into two teams, and one is instructed to kill the other.
READ MORE
[
What is Squid Game, Netflix's ultraviolent breakout hit show?
Opens in new window
]
Out in the real world, meanwhile, Frontman's brother Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon) proceeds in his search for the mysterious island where the games are taking place. Then there is North Korean defector Kang No-eul (aka 011). She is trying to take down the games from the inside and rescue the newborn child of Jun-hee (her way of dealing with her trauma over her daughter's disappearance).
It's grippingly dark stuff. Hwang, to his credit, pulls off a rewardingly paradoxical finale by killing off a major character and giving several other protagonists redemptive endings. And then, at the end, there is that cameo, with Lady Galadriel herself, Cate Blanchett, playing the American Recruiter. It is a final twist at the end of a show packed tight with thrills, spills and gory demises. But of course, the one death that is not permitted is of Squid Game itself, which Netflix, via Fincher, is determined to keep alive at any cost.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Love Is Blind star, 29, shows off results of hair transplant and reveals staggering five-figure sum it cost him
LOVE Is Blind star Jimmy Presnell has shown off the results of his hair transplant, revealing the staggering five-figure sum it cost him. Jimmy, 29, who found fame on the Netflix dating show this year, took to TikTok to share the cost - as well as why he decided to have it done in the U.S. rather than abroad. 4 Love Is Blind star Jimmy Presnell has shown off the results of his hair transplant Credit: Instagram He told fans on TikTok: 'I decided to stay in the states for my procedure, which typically is a little bit more expensive to do. "But there's a lot of things that come with that, and I'll explain that as well.' In the video, Jimmy told his nearly 90,000 followers that he booked in with Solve Clinics, based in the River North area of Chicago. He added: 'They charge roughly $5 a graft. I had a little over 2,000 grafts, I think 2,100 or 2,200. So roughly 10, 11 grand for the procedure." read more on Love Is Blind While many people head to countries like Turkey for cheaper treatment, Jimmy said he wasn't keen on that route. He said: 'When I was going through the evaluation process, I was getting quotes anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000. 'It included flight, it included hotel, all that good stuff, but there was no ongoing consultation or talking to your surgeon. "So they just pretty much send you home after the surgery. You don't really have any type of relationship.' Most read in Reality Alongside the transplant itself, he's also been paying for extra treatments to boost the results. He explained: 'I have been doing PRP, which I've made some videos on that and what that kind of entails, and those typically run anywhere from 400 to $600,' referring to platelet-rich plasma therapy. First look at Love Is Blind UK series two with Matt and Emma Willis as Netflix reveals launch date Jimmy first documented the procedure back in December, posting daily updates as he healed. Just three days after going under the knife, he revealed: 'It's swollen bad. It hurts to smile, it hurts to laugh. My head definitely feels super dry.' He also made it clear the goal wasn't to wind the clock back completely, adding: 'I didn't want to try to have a hairline of a 17 or 18-year-old. It's not realistic. "I wanted to look my age and have thicker, healthier-looking hair . That's the goal here.' More recently, Jimmy marked the six-month point since surgery by posting a progress update on Instagram for his 274,000 followers. 'Officially 6 months post hair transplant with @solveclinics,' he captioned the clip. 'Super excited where I'm at already! Even more excited to see where it'll go!' Leaning in to show his new hairline, he told viewers: 'I saw a ton of growth in months four, five, and six.' And now? 'It's getting thicker and thicker as the days go on.' Jimmy shot to fame earlier this year when he appeared on Love Is Blind, where his ex-fiancée Chelsea made headlines for comparing herself to Megan Fox. Hair Loss 101 HAIR pro Why Does Hair Loss Happen? Hair loss can be influenced by so many factors, from genetics and hormone changes to lifestyle choices. Stress, diet, and even hair care habits can all impact hair strength. It's perfectly normal to lose some hair each day, but sometimes the body can shed more than usual, responding to things like hormonal shifts or even life stressors. Why It Happens More This Time of Year Have you ever noticed your hair seems to shed more in autumn? That's seasonal shedding! During summer, we hold onto extra hair to protect our scalp from the sun. As the weather cools, it's like our body recalibrates and lets go of those extra strands. Dry, cooler air can also make hair more brittle, making it easier to lose a little extra volume during these months. Hacks and Affordable Buys to Treat Hair loss The great news? You don't need to spend a fortune on pricey treatments to support your hair. Try daily scalp massages—they're so simple but really help boost blood flow to the follicles. Castor oil is another fantastic, budget-friendly option that's rich in nutrients to strengthen your strands. Adding a bit more protein to your diet and a biotin supplement can also work wonders for overall hair health. Products to Avoid Steer clear of products with high levels of alcohol, sulphates, and parabens - they can be drying and damage hair over time. Heat styling and chemical treatments can also cause breakage, so try to use them sparingly. Instead, look for gentle, hydrating formulas to support your scalp and keep hair healthier through the seasons. 4 Jimmy paid $11k for the procedure Credit: Instagram 4 He is pictured on the day of the op Credit: Instagram 4 He found fame on the Netflix dating show this year Credit: Netflix
RTÉ News
7 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Helen Mirren says she is 'ageing with fun' as she marks 80th birthday
Actress Helen Mirren has said she is "ageing with fun" rather than "gracefully" as she marks her 80th birthday. The Academy Award-winning actress from London, who turned 80 on Saturday, is best known for playing the Queen and detective Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect. Speaking to OK! Magazine, Mirren said she feels "insulted" when people tell her she looks good for her age, adding that she finds it "patronising". Mirren said: "I am not ageing gracefully at all! I hate that term – it sounds like you have to be elegant and accepting, and, no, I am not. "I am ageing with fun, with commitment, but not gracefully. Who cares about graceful? "We just do grow older, there's no way you can escape that. You have to grow up with your own body, your own face and the way it changes. "It's not always easy but it is inevitable. You have to learn to accept it." As she marks her milestone birthday, she also shared her tops tips to keeping healthy and feeling good. She said: "It's as important to make the inside of you as healthy as the outside of you. I always go everywhere with my vitamins. That is probably the most important thing in my beauty bag, actually. "What you eat, what you drink, what you don't smoke, really makes a massive difference to your skin, especially as you progress through life. "It's incredibly important to feed the inside of your skin, as much as the outside of your skin." Mirren plays the Harrigan family matriarch Maeve Harrigan alongside Pierce Brosnan in Guy Ritchie's MobLand. She also stars in the upcoming Netflix film adaptation of Thursday Murder Club, based on the book series by game show host and author Richard Osman where Dame Helen plays one of four retirees alongside Brosnan, Celia Imrie and Sir Ben Kingsley, who spend their time solving cold case murders.
Extra.ie
12 hours ago
- Extra.ie
Happy Gilmore 2 review: Can Sandler (and a LOT of cameos) solve a problem like legacy sequels?
It appears that there are no original ideas in Hollywood anymore, with the legacy sequel becoming more and more common in cinema. While they sometimes work — Top Gun: Maverick being the best example of the bunch — many were worried once Happy Gilmore 2 was announced; not only as a legacy sequel, but as a Netflix exclusive. While Happy Gilmore remains a cult classic, and arguably one of Adam Sandler's best films, a sequel nearly three decades later that would only be released on the streaming giant rather than getting a cinema release, would have some fans worried that we were going to get some more slop. And while there are more cameos than can count, the writing, somehow, makes up for it. Adam Sandler reprises his role as the hockey mad golfer Happy Gilmore, now 30 years older with a drinking problem. Pic: Netflix **SPOILER ALERT FOR HAPPY GILMORE 2 NOW IN EFFECT. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!** The film kicks off with 30 years of exposition, which includes Happy winning five more Tour Championships and having five children with his wife Virginia Venit – who was killed after an errant drive from her husband as he teed off. Yep, I guess Julie Bowen has made enough money from Modern Family just to show up for five minutes in this film. Good for her, I guess. The all is lost moment comes quick in here, with Happy ending up a broke alcoholic who loses his grandmother's house again, working a minimum wage job while hiding his drinking problem in increasingly unlikely hip flasks. Bad Bunny is a highlight of the film as Happy's caddy. Pic: Scott Yamano/Netflix When he learns that his only daughter gets accepted into a prestigious ballet school in Paris — that will cost over $300,000 — Happy dusts off the clubs and re-enters the tour (after nearly killing three people he was playing a round with to try and get back into shape). From there, the guest appearances come thick and fast, and while half of them get spoiled in the trailer, there are some moments that will have you shout 'oh my god, they got THEM!?' while stars from the original movie (minus a few who have passed on either in the film or in real life) carry the film. Christopher McDonald returns as Shooter McGavin, now committed to a mental hospital after going crazy because he didn't win, and ends up doing a lot of heavy lifting in the third act, Bad Bunny — yes, the rapper — plays an absolute blinder as the Tour's bus boy/Happy's caddy and is a highlight of the film, while Ben Stiller's character Hal L. trades in his nursing scrubs for AA chips (but don't worry, the physical labour remains). Christopher McDonald as Shooter McGavin and Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore in Happy Gilmore 2. Pic: Scott Yamano/Netflix Of course, the film needs a big bad; and while Shooter wouldn't have been a necessarily terrible choice, the antagonists come in the form of the all too familiar new golf league that plans to destroy 'traditional' golf and tries to recruit some of golf's biggest pros (now where have we heard that recently?) Happy ends up joining a motley crew of golfers (including our own Rory McIlroy) to try and take down the in your face 'Maxi Golf' league; and while this is where the final act drags, you can't blame the pros for trying (Rory, it's a good thing you finally got that grand slam, because an Oscar is unfortunately not in your future). While the film uses almost too many clips from the original to fill in the gaps, and as we mentioned before the final game between the traditional golfers and the Maxi Golf golfers goes on, and on, and on… there is enough here to get plenty of chuckles out of viewers. The slapstick comedy in some of the golf rounds are pretty great, the extent of Happy's alcoholism and his increasingly unlikely hip flasks are hilarious, while Christopher McDonald hits a hole in one returning as Shooter. Could this have worked better as a cinematic release, like other legacy sequels that will be coming out later this year? Probably. But hey, I guess Netflix were willing to pay all those celebrities upfront for their appearances. rating: 3/5. Happy Gilmore is available on Netflix.
