The latest streaming platform, Quibi, is an ambitious endeavor centered around short-form content. Its name, an amalgam of “quick bites,” succinctly sums up all you need to know; big stories featuring high profile talent are broken down into easily digestible episodes less than ten-minutes long each. Among the first round of series premiering in conjunction with the platform’s launch is Survive, a thriller based on Alex Morel’s novel of the same name. Based on the first five episodes screened, Survive lives up to Quibi’s goal to deliver high-quality, large-scale stories in short bursts, while also raising intriguing questions on how we consume entertainment.
Directed by Mark Pellington (The Mothman Prophecies) and written by Richard Abate & Jeremy Ungar, Survive kicks off with a gloomy intro to leading lady, Jane (Sophie Turner). Waking from a pessimistic and harrowing nightmare, Jane’s comforted by her bipolar roommate in a halfway home for troubled youths. As a severe suicide risk, she’s unable to shower with a razor without supervision. Group therapy serves as a reminder that mental illness is a constant struggle, not just for Jane but for all patients of the home. Still, she’s made enough progress that she’s being released, her flight booked to head back home to her parents. Jane has no intention of making it home, though; she intends to overdose on prescription pills mid-flight. Right as she’s about to enact her plan, the plane crashes into a remote, snowy mountain. Only she and fellow passenger Paul (Corey Hawkins) survive the crash, presenting a terrifying journey ahead for the pair in enduring the harsh wilderness.
As the title indicates, Survive is a survival thriller that sees two young people attempting to overcome impossible odds and terrifying wintry conditions. First and foremost, though, the series is an existential meditation on life and meaning. Jane’s outlook is dismal, though she holds profound affection for those around her. Of the initial episodes screened, it’s clear that something in her past prompted her PTSD spiral, though the narrative seems content to unlock that mystery slowly. Turner does an excellent job keeping Jane empathetic while spiraling downward at a constant pace. Her emotions are in continuous and extreme flux.
At the opposite end is Hawkins’ Paul, a genuine and thoughtful stranger that recognizes Jane’s inner struggle and offers support. That’s before the crash. Once things kick gear, Paul’s kindness makes way for practicality and tough love. The lead performances here work well to carry the narrative forward in short doses.
The episode structure does keep things moving along at a brisk pace, but the character work is given the utmost priority. Pellington takes his time establishing Jane, her background, and her connection to Paul before ripping the rug out from both of them in the most vicious way possible. Visually, Survive is breathtaking. Perhaps what’s most surprising of all, considering that it’s meant to be viewed on your phone, is how much care and attention is given to how you consume this series. Whether your preference is to watch in portrait or landscape mode, Pellington has accommodated accordingly.
Ultimately, that’s what makes Survive, and Quibi, such an exciting experiment in streaming. The production value is breathtaking, and the challenges that this quick bite format presents are wholly unique. Meaning, that it’s the technical aspect of Survive that impresses the most. But while Turner and Hawkins are engaging performers, and the production design presents some horrific scenarios for their characters, there’s something a little shallow about the entire premise. Only five episodes in, it’s clear that Jane’s ordeal will give her a new lease on life. Granted, that’s pure speculation, but it doesn’t feel as though Survive has any genuine surprises in store that we haven’t seen before. While each episode takes special care to offer suicide prevention warnings and hotline numbers, the short burst format means it’s extra tricky handling heavy topics of mental illness with the thorough attention they deserve.
Survive does, however, offer up an intriguing tease of Quibi’s potential.
