Virtually any Netflix original that boasts plenty of stylish action and CGI-driven spectacle is destined to make a splash on the platform’s viewership charts, so it’s not exactly a shock to discover that Yeon Sang-ho’s JUNG_E has instantly become the number one most-watched movie on the platform.
Per FlixPatrol, the South Korean sci-fi blockbuster has taken a mere 24 hours to reach the very summit of the streaming service’s worldwide rankings, having debuted on the Top 10 in 84 countries. In addition, the apocalyptic extravaganza wasted no time in seizing the number one spot in 31 of those nations, and that’s a number sure to rise higher by the end of today.
Fans of international cinema were eagerly anticipating JUNG_E, given that it marked the first feature from Train to Busan writer and director Sang-Ho since he helmed Peninsula, the worthy standalone sequel to the modern horror classic. In the meantime, though, the filmmaker delved into supernatural territory with acclaimed Netflix series Hellbound, which has a second season on the way.
Combining the hotly-anticipated new project from one of the industry’s top talents – which also happened to be a big budget science fiction story – was never going to deliver anything other than success for Netflix, even if reviews have been more solid than spectacular across the board.
JUNG_E unfolds in the 22nd Century on an Earth ravaged by climate change, but turning the tide of all-out war could potentially hinge on a researcher cloning the brain of her mother to turn the tide. Don’t ask why, just go along for the ride, and get swept up in the ambition on display throughout.