Society of the Snow has been one of the top hits for Netflix this year, with the offering from J.A. Bayona racking up an astonishing 51 million views within the first two weeks of its release.
The harrowing true story gives viewers an immersive look at the famous Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 crash of 1972. There are various reasons why this was massively successful for the streaming service, with one being that there’s a widespread interest in airplane themes in the mainstream.
Airplane Themes are Popular in the Mainstream
One of the reasons why Society of the Snow was a smash hit could be due to the abundance of airplane themes across the mainstream entertainment industry. Online casinos make up one of the internet’s most booming sectors, and these sites have innovative airplane-themed games.
Among the latest of these is the Aviator game, which offers players a new way to stake on a random event. It features a plane flying across the screen, and as it moves the multiplier increases. Players need to cash out before it flies away. This offering belongs to a new genre called crash games, which are a test of players’ nerves. The outcome is different every time, so players need to be disciplined to prevail.
Elsewhere across popular culture, there have often been titles that focus on aviation. Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator is up there with one of the best of all time in the genre, while offerings like Sully, Flightplan, and Flight have also been hugely popular. It’s clear that audiences enjoy watching what could go wrong with planes from the safety of their homes and cinema seats.
Based on an Incredible True Story
Another factor that worked in Society of the Snow’s favor was that it was based on a real event. The Uruguayan rugby team’s doomed flight in the Andes mountains is up there with the most famous plane crashes of all time, and the amazing story of survival and resilience has been well documented.
There have been adaptations of this event before as well, with Alive in 1993 representing Hollywood’s version. Despite having an all-star cast that included narration from John Malkovich, it could be argued that Society of the Snow was superior in terms of realism. The more recent picture features South American actors, more advanced cinematography, and a more believable depiction of starvation.
Massive Hit for Netflix
Society of the Snow attracted huge viewing figures and swiftly entered the top ten non-English films on Netflix. Along with being a commercial success, it was also well-received by critics.
The picture has an average critic score of 7.8/10 on Rotten Tomatoes, with many reviews agreeing that it was highly immersive with exceptional performances. It also picked up a range of awards, including the Best Non-English Language Film award at the Golden Globes.
Society of the Snow had various elements that helped it become a huge hit for Netflix. Along with a vast number of viewers in search of aviation themes, people are also interested in seeing true stories depicted on screen.
