Society of the Snow review: Alive gets a dreary Netflix makeover

"Society of the Snow", a Netflix survival drama, brings the true story of life, death, and cannibalism following a plane crash into focus. The movie features the unfortunate incident that occurred in October 1972 when a plane chartered by an amateur Uruguayan rugby team crashed in the mountains of Chile. The survivors were forced to resort to cannibalism to stay alive until rescue teams arrived months later.

"Society of the Snow" is the second film portraying the Andes flight calamity. The first, "Alive", was released in 1993. The new film, directed by J.A. Bayona and based on a nonfiction book by Pablo Vierci, presents a more authentic depiction of the story, with dialogue in Spanish and a reportedly factual script.

The movie realistically portrays the survivors' ordeal of waiting and struggling for survival with a series of harrowing scenes. The protagonists are shown dealing with their gruesome predicament and the tough decisions they had to make to survive. Despite focusing on the horrifying aspects of the story, the characters are somewhat indistinguishable.

Bayona, known for his work in the supernatural thriller "The Orphanage", brings his taste for horror into this film. While the movie captures the terror of survival in the wilderness, it also shows the gruesome specter of consuming human flesh.

"Society of the Snow" follows in the footsteps of previous Netflix productions—the film's dark and grave presentation has become a signature style for the streaming giant. Despite its authenticity, the movie can appear similar to the Hollywood version due to its lack of character depth.

Although the film presents a dramatic and horrifying survival journey, the lack of conflict among the characters after the decision to resort to cannibalism leaves audiences wanting more. "Society of the Snow" is currently available for viewing in selected theatres and on Netflix.