The Great Flood: Should you watch or skip the latest Netflix sci-fi thriller? A viewer's guide

The Great Flood is a South Korean film that was released on Netflix on December 19, 2025.

The sci-fi disaster film is directed by Kim Byung-woo, who is also the co-writer with Han Ji-su. It's produced by Chun Roy-kyoung under the banner of Hwansang. The film had its premiere at the 30th Busan International Film Festival. Here's the official synopsis as per IMDb:

"A disastrous great flood sweeps the planet. On what may be the last day on Earth, a desperate fight ensues to save a child from a flooding apartment."

So let's find out if the film should be watched or skipped.

The Great Flood viewers' guide

The Great Flood was released on Netflix on December 19, 2025. The film has mostly received mixed critical responses upon release. It has a 60% rating on Rotten Tomatoes in the Tomatometer with the initial reviews. This hints that most reviews are divided on this South Korean film.

If you have enjoyed genre pieces like The Impossible and Titanic, then the world of The Great Flood might be of interest to you. It's because, like the previous examples, this one also features a massive flood. If you are interested in its plot, trailer of cast members, you can give it a watch. However, looking at the critical feedback, one should skip this film.

The film features a cast including:

Kim Da-mi as Gu An-na
Lee Hak-joo as Shin Ga-won
Park Hae-soo as Son Hee-jo
Kwon Eun-seong as Ja-in
Park Byung-eun as Lee Hwi-so
Jeon Hye-jin as Lim Hyeon-mo
Kang Bin as Mi-jung
Jeon Yu-na as Lee Ji-soo
Eun Su as a Pregnant woman

In a press conference, actor Park Hae-soo spoke about his role in the film. He said,

"It didn't read like a normal screenplay. Scene numbers, cryptic notations -- I thought I was decoding something. There was this lingering unease, this weight that stayed with me. I couldn't shake it. When a script does that, you pay attention."

In that same conference, the film's director spoke about its climax and change of tone. He explained that it was an intentional decision on his part.

"I expect people will hit a point where they're asking, 'What the hell is going on?' That confusion is intentional. It mirrors what An-na's experiencing. Her questions don't get answered quickly, and neither do yours."

He added,

"If you hold onto that uncertainty, the back half becomes more rewarding. This film encapsulates something I've been grappling with for years -- What is love, and where does it come from? If you keep that in mind while watching, I think you'll feel what we were trying to say."

The film is shot by Kim Tae-soo while Chun-Kyoung Kim is the executive producer. It features several VFX-heavy shots that have been handled by Minho Choi, Chulmin Jung, Eileen Zheng, and Junshik-Raul Yun.

The Great Flood is streaming on Netflix.