No Flood Can Exceed a Mom’s Love – Netflix The Great Flood Review (BIFF 2025)
Netflix’s upcoming movie The Great Flood (대홍수) had a special premiere at the 30th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF 2025), and I was lucky enough to be one of the first few people to watch it. Ever since I saw the trailer and read the synopsis, I was already hooked. The moment BIFF announced the screening schedule, I knew I had to watch it no matter what.
Sadly, due to my poor scheduling choices, I wasn’t able to catch the Guest Visits for this film. But still, I was thankful that I managed to see Kim Da-mi during the Outside Greeting of The Great Flood. That alone made my BIFF experience memorable.
About The Great Flood
Title: The Great Flood (대홍수)
Running Time: 108 minutes
Main Casts:
Kim Da-mi as Anna
Park Hae-soo as Hee-jo
Kwon Eunsong as Ja-in
Plot: On the last day of Earth, a catastrophic flood engulfs the planet. Trapped inside a sinking apartment, AI researcher Anna (Kim Da-mi) fights to protect her child, Jain (Kwon Eun-sung). As the waters rise and hope runs out, security officer Hee-jo (Park Hae-soo) risks everything to rescue them. Together, they face the desperate choices and raw emotions of humanity’s final hours.
What I Love about The Great Flood
Just like Boss, this film became one of my absolute favorites from BIFF 2025. It checked all the boxes of what I personally look for in a movie: an engaging plot, solid acting, emotional depth, and of course, a strong mother-and-child theme that totally hit me in the heart.
(Note: I’ll try my best to avoid spoilers here, but if you’re super sensitive to even small hints, you might want to stop reading this part.)
Unexpected Storyline
Let me be honest. At first, I thought everything was happening too fast. The opening already gave me tension and mystery, but I wondered if the story would have more to offer. Little did I know, that was just the beginning!
When the real twists started unfolding, I literally mouthed, “Oh my gosh!” inside the cinema. What I thought was the whole story turned out to be just a small piece of a much bigger plot. The more it went on, the more excited I got. I appreciated how clear and easy to follow the storyline was. It didn’t feel like a complicated sci-fi film. You just get pulled right into it.
Solid Acting
The cast may be small, but wow, their performances were powerful.
At first, I judged Anna (Kim Da-mi) as a mother. She seemed cold and distant, and I wondered, “Is she really caring enough for her child?” But as the story unfolded, I realized why she was acting that way. By the end, everything made sense, and my heart softened so much for her character.
Hee-jo (Park Hae-soo) also gave a strong performance. Honestly, there were moments when I wanted to punch him! In Filipino, “Kuhang kuha ang inis ko” (It perfectly captured my annoyance). That’s how good his acting was. He really made me feel strong emotions.
Also, I can’t forget the challenges the cast went through for the underwater scenes. Kim Da-mi shared in an interview that she trained a lot for the swimming parts. Some scenes were so long underwater that they had oxygen tanks ready on standby. She even admitted she wasn’t sure how her facial expressions would look while swimming, but she trusted the director and staff completely. Knowing these behind-the-scenes details made me admire their hard work even more.
The Ending
This is where the header of my review comes in: No flood can exceed a mom’s love.
Anna’s character growth was one of the most touching parts of the film. From the beginning until the end, you can see her transformation. Not just as a survivor, but as a mother who finally understands what her child needs from her. I felt so emotional seeing her journey, and the ending gave me exactly the closure I wanted.
Thoughts about the Visual Effects
I’ll be honest. The visual effects didn’t blow me away. Since this is a disaster movie, a lot of CGI was expected, but sometimes it looked too noticeable and not very realistic. I don’t know the budget, but I felt like they could’ve done a bit more in that department.
Still, the story, acting, and emotions outweighed the technical flaws. At the end of the day, the heart of the movie stayed with me longer than the CGI did.
Overall Thoughts on The Great Flood
⭐ Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐
I loved it and I’ll definitely rewatch it when it drops on Netflix. Out of all the films I watched at the Busan International Film Festival 2025, this one stayed in my mind the most. The mix of disaster, sci-fi, and heartfelt mother-child drama really hit the spot for me.
If you’re a fan of Kim Da-mi or Park Hae-soo, or if you just love survival films with deep emotions, this is a must-watch.
📅 Release Date: The Great Flood will be released worldwide on December 19, 2025, exclusively on Netflix. Mark your calendars, turn on your notifications, and get ready to cry, gasp, and cheer for Anna and Jain’s survival story.
