Four years after its initial release, Squid Game finally concluded with one final punch to the gut. The Netflix series' penultimate season left Seong Gi-hun's (Lee Jung-jae) revolt in hot water after his plans to fight back against the game's brutal regime were quashed by Front Man and former player, Hwang In-ho (Lee Byeong-hun). The final season picks up exactly where Squid Game season 2 ended and deals with the raw consequences of Gi-hun's fight to save his fellow contestants from a cruel fate.
If season 1 of Squid Game was exhilarating and season 2 was lacklustre, then season 3 falls firmly between. Squid Game's well-known formula works to its detriment as some of its twists veer towards the predictable. Despite this, the K-drama still has a strong emotional impact on viewers. The extended time with the season 2 ensemble works as both a blessing and a curse, as seeing fan-favourite characters such as Park Sung-hoon's Cho Hyun-ju return to the screen brings a sense of familiarity that Squid Game rarely possesses. However, as the finale grows closer and the number of contestants dwindles, Squid Game's violent patterns return, making for some devastating goodbyes that don't always feel justified, even if it is the nature of the game.
Much like in prior seasons, Squid Game's ensemble remains one of the series' highlights. The actors work as a glue for writer and director Hwang Dong-hyuk's clear social commentary on Korean societal issues, livening the story with an array of electric personalities that bring a tense thrill to the series. In particular, Im Si-wan's Lee Myung-gi deserves a stand-out mention. His character's conniving yet dual nature plays a key part in Squid Game's conclusion. The duality Im presents with the soft yet dark sides of this complex figure brings the series' tension to heights it certainly needed. Other actors, such as Kang Ha-neul, Jo Yu-ri and Kang Ae-sim bring an infectious level of humanity to a horrific situation that is beautiful, ugly and heartbreaking all at the same time. Yet it's a shame that not all characters get the appropriate attention they deserve.
Another positive comes from the games themselves. Squid Game season 3 successfully continues to make one of its key elements one of the most memorable moments of the show. These simple but sadistic takes on classic games make for some great television that brings out both the best and the worst of the show's characters. Even though some situations feel like déjà vu, they are entertaining despite the obvious predictability.
Though there are positives around season 3, there are still plenty of moments that left the audience wanting more. The return of Squid Game's VIPs bring a necessary layer to Hwang's intended commentary but their addition feels jarring and dull in comparison to the excellent performances of the Korean ensemble. The use of CGI in some circumstances also seems odd, making fully immersing into this brutal tale harder than needed. However, the biggest let-down comes from the series finale which has a good climax, but doesn't quite know how to sustain itself following its premature end as it capitalises on storylines that just didn't feel necessary.
While the final season of Squid Game is full of its ups and downs, it's ultimately a worthwhile ending for an iconic Netflix series. Echoes from the past and looks to the future help the series to remain true to its core values, which successfully continue to cement the show's message all these years later. However, whether Squid Game should have continued past it's revered first season remains to be seen.
Squid Game season 3 is now streaming on Netflix.
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