This review may contain spoilers
Squid Game once again ends by showing greed and gluttony as a neverending circle.
I've been reading some reviews, and I can see that a lot of people really do not like this season. And I get it, I really do. But one thing I think a lot of reviewers are forgetting is that Squid Game was originally always penned as a one and done. It's Netflix who decided they wanted to run on the shows popularity and develop two more seasons, and while these seasons definitely aren't as strong as the first, they still showcase the running message and theme prominent throughout: that greed runs hidden deep in society and is like a poison lurking in its very veins. As much as Gi Hun hoped to challenge and break its cycle, it was always a losing game - especially for one man and a small group to achieve on their own.
Now don't get me wrong; there are parts of season 3 I didn't like. The VIP's are somehow more cringey than they were in the first season. Characters made decisions that didn't exactly work to the storylines benefit. Season 3 is not as strong as season 2 was, and in a way disappoints to deliver on the cliffhanger we were left with. 6 episodes both felt like too much and not enough to wrap up the threads we had. But as a whole, I personally didn't find season 3 as terrible as others have.
I think the ending with In Ho seeing the games continuing to recruit in America were to symbolise that it really didn't matter that the games we've been following came so close to being exposed, as there's likely many others hidden across the world that they would have likely retreated to. The suggestion on that has been planted on that since season 1, with both the VIP's coming from different countries and the discovery that these games have been ongoing and preying on people for years. While the introduction of Cate Blanchett certainly suggests the direction of an Americanised season of these games - and if I'm being honest, I'm really unsure how I feel about that - I think even without the obvious inclusion of promotion we wouldn't have found a 'happy' ending here, as such.
One of the things I did like is how despite not bringing down the games like he hoped to, Gi Hun's actions still seemed to spark some sense of thought in at least In Ho. While we see that In Ho sees a lot of himself in Gi Hun - especially in the flashback we get of his own experience in his own final game, and how he offers Gi Hun the same method he himself had to win - I think it's interesting how we see how the changes between them influence his decisions - such as leaving Jun Hui's baby with his brother, and giving Gi Hun's own winnings over to his own daughter. These are things that I don't think he would have done prior to season 2, but his time in the game and witnessing his opposites choices influenced him to do so. It doesn't change anything, In Ho is still as entangled in the games as he ever was, but it was another interesting show of his character arc from being a contestant to being the game host.
A lot of people won't be happy with this ending. It doesn't answer all the questions that many had over the years between seasons 1 and 2, and many will likely feel that it's a rehash of the same plot. But I think that's kind of the point of what was being told. As long as the rich and influential can continue to abuse those who are down on their luck or poor and they can escape punishment, they will do so. Squid Game is a commentary on how the one percent will continue to prey on others for their own fun and entertainment.
Now don't get me wrong; there are parts of season 3 I didn't like. The VIP's are somehow more cringey than they were in the first season. Characters made decisions that didn't exactly work to the storylines benefit. Season 3 is not as strong as season 2 was, and in a way disappoints to deliver on the cliffhanger we were left with. 6 episodes both felt like too much and not enough to wrap up the threads we had. But as a whole, I personally didn't find season 3 as terrible as others have.
I think the ending with In Ho seeing the games continuing to recruit in America were to symbolise that it really didn't matter that the games we've been following came so close to being exposed, as there's likely many others hidden across the world that they would have likely retreated to. The suggestion on that has been planted on that since season 1, with both the VIP's coming from different countries and the discovery that these games have been ongoing and preying on people for years. While the introduction of Cate Blanchett certainly suggests the direction of an Americanised season of these games - and if I'm being honest, I'm really unsure how I feel about that - I think even without the obvious inclusion of promotion we wouldn't have found a 'happy' ending here, as such.
One of the things I did like is how despite not bringing down the games like he hoped to, Gi Hun's actions still seemed to spark some sense of thought in at least In Ho. While we see that In Ho sees a lot of himself in Gi Hun - especially in the flashback we get of his own experience in his own final game, and how he offers Gi Hun the same method he himself had to win - I think it's interesting how we see how the changes between them influence his decisions - such as leaving Jun Hui's baby with his brother, and giving Gi Hun's own winnings over to his own daughter. These are things that I don't think he would have done prior to season 2, but his time in the game and witnessing his opposites choices influenced him to do so. It doesn't change anything, In Ho is still as entangled in the games as he ever was, but it was another interesting show of his character arc from being a contestant to being the game host.
A lot of people won't be happy with this ending. It doesn't answer all the questions that many had over the years between seasons 1 and 2, and many will likely feel that it's a rehash of the same plot. But I think that's kind of the point of what was being told. As long as the rich and influential can continue to abuse those who are down on their luck or poor and they can escape punishment, they will do so. Squid Game is a commentary on how the one percent will continue to prey on others for their own fun and entertainment.
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