Came for Kim Dami, stayed for the plot
I love how they utilized the sci-fi so well to enhance the drama. It might get boring if you dislike repetitiveness though I can argue it's an important part of the plot that made you empathize with the character and understand the story betterIf you loved Netflix's Wonderland (2024), you would love The Great Flood. This was even better than Wonderland because Kim Dami carried the whole movie's emotional aspect by herself. Definitely a must watch if you love Kim Dami, sci-fi, AND family drama!
Was this review helpful to you?
Promising 1st act, followed by terrible 2nd and final act
Starring Kim Da Mi, The Great Flood is more than just a disaster movie, and you won't realize it unless you actually give it a try. The outcome, for me, was a big disappointment.The opening 30 minutes is breathtaking, it is the movie's strongest point. It is a "breathlessly tense" survival thriller with impressive digital effects that capture the terrifying scale of a global tsunami.
The protoganist, An-na (Kim Da-mi), a top-tier Al researcher performance is also greatly appreciated. Her maternal role performance is praiseworthy. She carries the physical and emotional weight of the movie, making her desperate fight to save her son feel grounded and believable.
The biggest problem and the twist comes in the second half, where the movie pivots from a simple disaster flick into an "ambitious action-packed puzzle box". Drawing comparisons to films like Edge of Tomorrow and Interstellar, it explores a recursive, "time-looping" narrative. However, this tonal shift leads to a super complex plot with so many loopholes, that by the final act I already got tired of seeing it till the end, and yes it still disappoints.
My thought - The Great Flood is presented as a disaster movie, however the narrative moves deeper with high ambitions, and a very little payoff.
My Rating : 3.5/10
Was this review helpful to you?
Mindbending - A Brave New World
I enjoyed The Great Flood very much. The concept is such a bold idea, and although reminiscent of many other stories, translated well with its own spin, advancing the genre. In otherwords, you will have to watch it to find out exactly what I mean.There are many touch points along the way in this movie. They range from the love of single mothers, through to the challenges of being a parent, the exploration of human nature in a crisis and the future of humankind.
The acting is very good. Our super mum is very human, very believable. Her counterpart, at first appears heartless. However, as events unfold, he helps our super mum become more resilient.
I thought the CGI was of a good standard. However, from my experience, some of the flood sequences portrayed were not quite right. However, we know through studies into sea levels, they can rise very quickly, regardless of the cause.
The movie is mind bending because not all is as it seems. The Great Flood sits well within the sci-fi pantheon, proof yet again that the Koreans are evolving science fiction at a good level.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Interesting movie
Interesting movie that remind me source code by Duncan Jones.It starts like a disaster movie, but at a certain point it turns into something deeper: a science-fiction film about human emotions and what makes us human.
Excellent performance by actress Kim Da-mi, who manages to define and portray her character very effectively.
The t-shirt is the key
Was this review helpful to you?
The Great Film
I’ve been eyeing The Great Flood since the trailer dropped, and thankfully, it did not disappoint. The cast delivered solid performances and the plot felt fresh and intriguing. It can be a bit confusing at first, like you’re missing a piece of the puzzle, but once it clicks, everything suddenly makes sense and that realization is so satisfying.What I really appreciated is how every detail actually matters. This is the kind of movie that rewards paying attention because you can clearly see how everything fits together in the end. Add to that the outstanding CGI and strong sci-fi execution, and you get a K-film that truly delivers. Highly recommended, especially if you enjoy stories that make your brain work a little before giving you that “ahhh, okay” moment.
Was this review helpful to you?
The ‘Flood’ isn’t “Flooding”
From my opinion, the “Flood” is not just about the rising tide. In this film, the water serves as a metaphor for a vast sea of memories and emotions. It’s a literal and figurative drowning in one’s past. Kim Da-mi nailed her role very well. Hats off!Spoiler ⬇️
The story functions like a system failure—an endless loop that restarts every time the objective isn't met. It’s fascinating to see how the narrative explores the concept of emotional induction. The experiment’s core theme, ‘a mother searching for her lost child,’ is both heartbreaking and chilling. Once the emotional goal is achieved and "Jain" is found, a new "object" is launched, showing the cold, clinical nature of the experimenters behind the scenes. Anna’s intense emotional reaction suggests a deep, genuine bond, but in a world where memories are manipulated, it’s hard to tell where the truth ends and the simulation begins.
At the end, The Great Flood is a haunting sci-fi that forces us to question what makes us human. Is it our biological heart, or is it the inescapable flood of emotions we feel for those we love?
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I wished this movie was actually about a great flood....
I don't really know what this movie was trying to do. It just feels like a movie trying to promote AI or something, and they were developing AI by putting them in the most unrealistic situations? Idk man I just found it all stupid. I know they were also trying to be touching with the "mother and child" thing but all I felt was that I'm annoyed and confused, I don't know what they were trying to do with that. I went into this movie without actually watching trailers or reading the synopsis so I expected that it will be about a natural disaster but nah, they suddenly threw in this AI crap or whatnot.Conclusion: I hate AI and kids.
Was this review helpful to you?
Redefines the sci-fi disaster genre
Mindblowing, presented in its most literal way, still isn't enough to describe this almost 30th floor tall of emotions flooding onto humanity's peak evolution, the scale of this movie is literally earth shattering cinematically on steroids. The visuals are extremely realistic and you could really feel the apocalypse in the first half and the determination in the second half, though a little bloated at its plot development but understandable as it is necessary for that enormous buildup to work out, at least the ending did pay off for it. The whole premise is one very ambitious act done in an unthinkable way that redefines the sci-fi disaster genre, truly unprecedented like never before.Was this review helpful to you?
Anyone else found the son annoying.
The child was very annoying It's like he did not understand the world around him. You have water on the ground in your apartment and you want to swim in it. The first thing you do when you wake up in the morning is wanting the swim? The folks in the apartment block or trying to survive and... he wants his mother to carry him? No! and the Mother, is a super "Mary Sue". plot armory protected her until the end. No healthy man can watch this nonsense. Do not waste your time with this feminist dribble. Netflix Execs had their hands all over this production. Please Korean for the love that all is Holy, do not take cues from America regarding modern day entertainment. There is a reason why Hollywood is broken today in 2025 and is in freefall.Was this review helpful to you?
Not what I expected, still good.
For anyone who didn’t read the synopsis and only saw the still cuts, this movie might surprise you.It did for me, but it still good.
The Great Flood starts off like a disaster movie, then kind of shifts into sci-fi. The flood is really just the beginning, and after that the story goes somewhere else. If you’re not paying attention, it’s easy to get a bit lost.
The genre switch won’t work for everyone. It’s confusing at first, but once it settles, the emotional moments hit more in the middle and toward the end.
Was this review helpful to you?
the concept of replacing humanity with IA
at first i did think it was gonna be a natural disaster type movie but man i thought the plot twist was gonna be good, instead all i got was an underwhelming feeling seeing it as propaganda for the low birth rate, not only in South Korea but also the rest of the world; the irony of it being a child made with artificial intelligence, i'm afraid this didn't awake some maternal instinct but that's just me i guess.With the use of IA on the rise i'm afraid there won't be enough water to flood us all to extinction. I can see the irony of using IA to replace humanity but the water flooding being the main plot feels like a joke that didn't land.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Tsunami (The Great Flood) is not the Main Role in a Disaster movie, huh !? :O
**** SPOILER : THIS IS A RANTING REVIEW ****I love Disaster/Survival movies.
So I was all excited n waited for this movie, seeing in Netflix "Coming Soon" but I'm highly disappointed now!!
Promoted as a Disaster movie n so expected a Full Length Disaster Survival movie but NO!
The Title, Cover pic n Summary cheated me :(
(So the Tsunami is not the main role but it's just a support role / a minor side role, Instead AI project is the main lead here, haha).
***
After watching first 20 mins, where there are Good CGI scenes of Flood and the struggle and when there is mention of some AI baby project, AI emotions builder project etc and there's a Time Loop -- I'm all excited thinking that I'm getting a combo of Disaster + Sci-Fi.
But NO!
IT IS EXCLUSIVELY A SCI-FI / TIME LOOP PLOT, WHICH IS NOT THAT CAPTIVATING.
Even Hae Soo Oppa's character didn't capture my interest (I like to watch his dramas).
***
A Full Length Sci-Fi movie with Disaster theme as subplot but promoted as an exclusive Disaster movie, actually gave a great disappointment to disaster movie fans (like me, who love disaster/survival more than Sci-Fi) and ruined the interest to watch the Sci-Fi plot.
(Just a thought -- Since AI is the new trending talk of the town, now-a-days, maybe the movie team wanted to be one of the first ones to grab a place in that buzz, with their movie on that theme but left with many disappointed audience and bad reviews).
*** THE PLOT :
The Sci-Fi Plot is Good
but somehow Everything (Acting, Direction, Execution) gone Messy.
This Plot can be executed better n with more clarity.
The Time loop or iterations, which are actually inputs to the AI project mentioned in the story -- These sound interesting but NO, it got confusing n uninteresting at one point.
Just the CGI scenes are Good -- loved them.
*** SOME MORE RANTING:
The Title should be
"The Baby project" or
"Finding the Kid" or
"The Emotions project" or
"The Time loop"
Only then, Disaster movie fans, like me, will not be misled!
Aigoo, me! :(
The disappointment is so great that I wrote this lengthy RANTING REVIEW, which I never did even to a very bad movie/drama :o
*** RATING:
My Rating is 6.5 / 10
My Final take on this movie:
If U are an exclusive disaster/survival movie fan n strictly not Sci-Fi, then this is not for U.
But if U are a fan of Sci-Fi/Time loop movies too, then U can give a try!
But watch with zero expectations!!
Was this review helpful to you?
