Netflix’s recent lineup of originals hasn’t really grabbed me, and I’ve been craving a show I could binge-watch while actually feeling invested. A while back, I spotted “The Resurrected” on the streamer’s coming soon page, and after seeing the first trailer in August, I knew it was going straight onto my Halloween must-watch list.
Safe to say, “The Resurrected” is one of Netflix’s stronger releases in recent months. Its unique premise and strong performances make it a genuinely compelling watch, one that will frustrate you (because you want the mothers to take revenge) while also stirring up some strong emotions when it delves into heavier moments.
“The Resurrected” is a Taiwanese dark thriller centered on two grieving mothers who use a forbidden ritual to bring back the dead leader of a phone scam syndicate. Given seven days with the man responsible for their daughters’ suffering, they set out to make him face what he’s done and ensure he never escapes the consequences again. If you need a new show to binge-watch this week, here’s why you should add “The Resurrected” to your Netflix watchlist.
I live and breathe film and TV, and nothing gets me more hooked than a dark thriller that keeps me truly invested. I’m constantly on the hunt for my next binge-watch too, especially as Halloween rolls around, when the creepier, twistier stories are basically calling my name. See what's on Alix's Halloween watchlist here!
What is ‘The Resurrected’ about?
“The Resurrected” follows two mothers in the fictional city of Benkha whose daughters were victimized by a ruthless scam ringleader, Chang Shih-kai (Meng-Po Fu). One daughter lies in a coma, while the other was murdered.
After Chang is sentenced to death, the women — Wang Hui-chun (Shu Qi) and Chao Ching (Angelica Lee) — feel the punishment is insufficient. They turn to a forbidden ritual, aided by a mysterious deity, to bring Chang back to life, but only for seven days. During that limited time, they go on a relentless quest to confront, interrogate, and torment him in order to force him to pay for his crimes.
Meanwhile, as they dig deeper, new revelations surface about Chang’s connections, the true extent of his wrongdoing, and hidden ties to a religious sect. Another mother, a lawyer whose child also suffered, joins their pursuit, and together they execute a harrowing countdown to justice.
‘The Resurrected’ should be on your Netflix watchlist
“The Resurrected” doesn’t waste any time diving into its central premise: the act of bringing someone back to life (in this scene, a monkey) through a specific ritual performed by a powerful goddess inhabiting a child’s body. It sounds bonkers on paper, and it’s just as wild on screen, but it’s essential in establishing the rule that resurrection is only possible if the deceased’s body remains intact. Among the onlookers at this ritual are two mothers, Wang Hui-chun and Chao Ching, both desperate to bring back their daughters.
When the ritual succeeds and the monkey being revived springs back to life, the women approach the ritual’s members. Wang Hui-chun wants to awaken her daughter from a coma, while Chao Ching hopes to resurrect her cremated child, but both are denied, since one is still living and the other no longer has a body.
We then see the heartbreaking reason behind their pleas. The two mothers watch the death penalty for their daughters’ tormentor, Chang Shih-kai, and believe it to be far from enough. And as you can probably guess, that’s when they decide to take matters into their own hands, resurrecting him so they can make him pay for what he did to their daughters and so many others.
From there, their mission shifts to secretly resurrecting him while seeking justice, as it’s no longer about answers. Along the way, moral conflicts arise, raising the question of whether their actions are slowly stripping away their humanity. Things get brutal and dark, especially in the flashbacks showing the horrific acts this man committed, but these moments also make it clear why the mothers’ rage is so intense and understandable.
The supernatural elements act as a launchpad for a revenge story that goes way beyond ordinary limits. By leaning into the otherworldly, the series pushes the stakes to their darkest, most extreme possibilities. It’s an idea that keeps expanding as the story unfolds, not in the usual “twist around every corner” way, but in the sense of diving deeper and deeper into a rabbit hole that feels endless and completely consuming.
What the critics are saying about ‘The Resurrected’
Even though “The Resurrected” doesn’t have a Rotten Tomatoes score yet, all the reviews on the site so far are positive. While that’s not the only measure of quality, it’s a pretty good sign that those who’ve seen it have enjoyed it too.
Karina Adelgaard from Heaven of Horror said: “This is a true genre hybrid of a series with crime, thriller, mystery, and drama as the main genres. With nine episodes, it has plenty of time to cover the character-driven storylines.”
Meanwhile, Ready Steady Cut’s Jonathon Wilson stated “Netflix’s diverse international catalogue has its fair share of revenge dramas, but none quite like this one, which in our current climate has to be commended, imperfections and all.”
On the other hand, Sarah Musnicky from But Why Tho? A Geek Community had more of a mixed take: “Despite its issues, The Resurrected never relents in its mystery, with each new peeled layer adding more ambiguity and intrigue. If the screenwriters had just done away with the gimmicky supernatural component...it would have been fantastic.”
“The Resurrected” has been out for a few days now, so it’s probably missed its shot at cracking the top 10. Still, I’m hoping it finds its audience, as sometimes the quieter releases end up being the ones that really stick with people once word of mouth kicks in.
Stream ‘The Resurrected’ on Netflix now
Overall, “The Resurrected” pulls off a solid balance, delivering a fresh and engaging spin on the familiar revenge story. The performances feel authentic and grounded, anchoring the show in reality even as the supernatural side starts to push past what seems possible.
Netflix’s international catalogue has plenty of revenge dramas, but none quite like this. Arriving just in time for Halloween, “The Resurrected” is perfect for anyone hunting a thriller worth binge-watching. With nine episodes, each just under an hour, it delivers a dark, intense ride that pulls you deeper into its spiral of vengeance.
Stream “The Resurrected” on Netflix now.
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