Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
A case of the flu quickly morphs into a pandemic. As the death toll mounts and the living panic, the government plans extreme measures to contain it.
The Flu is a solid South Korean disaster-thriller that delivers competent pandemic tension and emotional stakes through a mother-daughter relationship, but doesn't transcend its genre conventions. The plot hits familiar epidemic-film beats with government overreach and civilian chaos, executed capably but without major surprises. Acting is serviceable with genuine emotional moments but no standout performances. Cinematography is functional disaster-film work — crowd chaos and quarantine zones are rendered with reasonable scale for its budget. Novelty is low as it follows a well-worn pandemic thriller formula without a distinctive voice or fresh angle. The ending resolves emotionally if somewhat conventionally.