Alice in Borderland S3 | | Unnecessary but Thrilling

Usually, I try my best to keep my expectations low whenever a movie or series that I love gets a third season. It's not that I don't want it to be great, but because most of the times, after two solid seasons, things starts getting shaky. And once I see that they ended season two with a cliffhanger, my hopes instantly drops. There are some movies that have actually surprised me though and gave a very good third season, maybe even more. Alice in Borderland Season 3 didn't really make it to that list.

From the start, I loved Alice in Borderland. The first season blew my mind. The second kept the tension high and gave us an emotional depth that made it even better. But season three?...

---

---

Alice in Borderland Season 3 continues from the season 2 intense ending, where Arisu and Usagi woke up after surviving all the deadly games. Witu their memories of the Borderland gone, or so they thought. Arisu and Usagi kept living their life normally, even though Arisu was having flashes and Usagi kept dreaming about her father.

Things begin taking a strange turn when Usagi disappears but is later found unconscious. Arisu discovers that this was somehow connected to a man named Ryuji, a researcher obsessed with the mysteries of the afterlife. Arisu then had to return back to the Borderland just to save Usagi, and once again face the deadly game, this time connected to the mysterious Joker card we saw at the end of season 2.

---

---

My Thoughts and Rating

Let me start with the good: the games were perfect. I could lose myself entirely, whenever a new game started. The visuals was very sharp, and the soundtrack was great. It matched the tension beautifully.

The games were amazing. They were clever, thrilling and visually stunning. The games in this season had that same combination of strategy, fear and unpredictability that made the first 2 seasons very addicting to me. It was peak entertainment.

---

---

Now, onto the part that made me roll my eyes more than once - the love triangle. Whoever decided to throw in that awkward "Arisu-Usagi-Ryuji" situation needs to answer for it. It felt so unnecessary and forced. The chemistry between Usagi and Arisu had already been built over two seasons, they didn't need another random guy thrown in to "test" their relationship. Instead of adding emotions, it honestly made things feel awkward and dragged down the story's focus.

And that ending... where do I even start from? sighs . It wasn’t satisfying at all. It felt like the writers wanted to be profound and instead, it really bumbled and confused me. Some parts just felt unnecessary.

---

---

Alice in Borderland season 3 didn't really deliver as I thought it would. "wait, that's it?", that's the feeling it left me with. Ending it with the idea that they might be a Season 4 (which, I don't think anyone was asking for) by showing the body of another character named Alice? That just spoiled it more for me. I think it would have been better if it had simply ended properly. But they just had to drag it out, again.

---

---

I will, however, give credit where credit is due. The cinematography was well done and the acting was solid. But aside the ganes, I think it lacked that emotional pull that I felt in the first 2 seasons had.

Alice in Borderland season 3 is simply a 7/10 for me. Which is mainly because of the games. They were actually the highlight of the entire season. The unnecessary romance plot and that disappointing ending pulled it down. I'm glad I watched it though.

---

Images source