REVIEW: Dead Kids - When The Games Get Serious

Reading Time: 3 minutes

We all have our special high school memories. It is during this period when we try to make memories between our childhood and adulthood, given that it is the last stage before we head into college. This is the time when kings and queens of the batch reigned and the misfits were preyed upon. As Mean Girls once put it, it was a jungle. So, what is up with all these talks about high school? Well, it is the setting for the first Netflix-licensed Filipino film, Dead Kids. And it was one crazy, crazy film! Bingers, we were at the premier of Mikhail Red’s Dead Kids and I must say, it is something not to miss!

Contents

Aren’t we all Dead Kids inside?

In a time of social media popularity or clout and this influencer mindset, it is no surprise that we are all so pre-occupied with one goal- making it big on social media. I am not gonna lie, as a content creator myself, there is a certain high and satisfaction whenever I get likes and comments on my photos on Instagram and tweets on Twitter. It’s the type of validation that I am settling for. Sad, really, but it is the reality in which the characters of Dead Kids were painted on.

In the film, we meet a group of boys: Blanco, Gabriel, and Uy. They are your typical high school boys- playful, reckless, and they run wild. And similar to any pack, there is an alpha- Chuck. Chuck has everything: clout, money, influence, and girls. It is no surprise that this got into his head, thus the reason for his arrogance and total “bow down to me” mentality. The boys got fed up with this so they devised a plan to turn things around and take advantage of Chuck’s influence and power. In doing so, they added a member- Sta. Maria. He is the goody-two-shoes who can do no wrong. But then again, he got tangled up with a huge mess that his friends had planned.

When The Games Get Real

At the start, it was all just a game. What could go wrong? Who could be harmed? Nothing and no one, right? And that is when things took them by a surprise and the whole plan started falling apart. It was this turning point where the boys will have to man up and face the consequences of their little games.

Mikhail Red’s Dead Kids is a great starting point to introduce the Filipino brand of film in the global streaming platform. It is action-packed, hilarious, and thrilling. The boldness of it separates it from the typical “high school heist” movies. Through its sharp and witty script, it kept the audience engaged the entire time. The cinematography is pretty though a bit exhausting with its excessive use of neon lights. Aesthetics, let’s assume.

So, should you check out Mikhail Red’s Dead Kids on Netflix? Definitely. It is fun when it plays around and dark when it gets serious. The contrasting tones of the movie will keep you hooked til the exciting finale. Personally, I liked this better than Birdshot and Eerie because of its fast pace and relatable characters.

Dead Kids is now streaming on Netflix!