Summary

• Alone, a psychological thriller, gained Netflix fame years after its release, reaching no. 3 with 3.6 million views.
• Despite a limited theater release and mixed audience reviews, Alone earned critical praise with a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
• Alone was originally released during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The film Alone becomes a hit on Netflix several years after its release. The psychological horror thriller is about a recently-widowed woman who is kidnapped by a cold-blooded killer, escaping into the wilderness where she must battle the elements as the killer draws near. Alone’s cast includes Jules Wilcox, Marc Menchaca, Anthony Heald, and Jonathan Rosenthal. The movie is based on the 2011 Swedish film Försvunnen.

Now, Alone has made it onto the Netflix global top 10. Alone came in at no. 3 on the charts for the week of March 11–March 17, with 3.6 million views. Topping the charts this week were Damsel at no. 1 (50.8 million views), and Irish Wish at no. 2 (19.5 million views).

How Was Alone Received Upon Its Release?

Alone has a great Rotten Tomatoes score

Audiences first got a chance to see the film at the Mammoth Film Festival in the beginning of March 2020. Menchaca and Wilcox won awards for Best Actor and Actress, respectively, at Mammoth, while Alone also won Best Picture. In addition to its performance there, Alone won an award for Best Director at Grimmfest, but the film failed to make much of a splash awards-wise beyond its festival recognition.

Alone was released in theaters (simultaneously with its VOD release) on September 18, 2020, while the COVID-19 pandemic was still in full swing. Alone’s release was limited, and the film ended up making only $642,000 worldwide. This was lower than the estimated budget, which was reportedly $750,000. In terms of critical reviews, however, Alone was fairly well-received, scoring a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Critics at the time praised several elements of Alone, including the performances of the two lead actors, Menchaca and Wilcox. Austin Chronicle’s Richard Whittaker, for example, characterized Menchaca’s villain as “shift[ing] from a damaged bird to a hulking beast.” Others praised the film's director for his decisive stylistic choices and ability to build tension. For a low-budget film, many people were impressed with the style present in Alone.

Some were less positive about Alone, including RogertEbert.com’s Odie Henderson, who wrote that “Alone gives us little reason to care about whether our hero makes it out alive.” Others also commented on the lack of emotional weight in the film, saying that it prioritizes thrills over any strong sense of characterization. Still, with a 91% score, the majority of people were very positive about Alone.

Behind The Lead Cast Of Alone

Alone made good use of two lesser-known talents

As mentioned, Alone found its two leads in Menchaca and Wilcox. Though she has not made her way into the mainstream fully, Wilcox was no stranger to acting in microbudget horror; almost a decade prior, she starred in the 2011 film Deadline. She has also made a career acting in short films of various genres. After her well-reviewed performance in Alone, Wilcox booked some TV show episodes. Perhaps Alone’s Netflix renaissance will help Wilcox to find her next big role.

Husband to actress Lena Headey, Menchaca is a much more established talent within the industry as compared to Wilcox. In 2023, he acted opposite his wife in three episodes of Beacon 23. He is also known for playing Russ Langmore in the hit Netflix show Ozark.

How Did Alone Get To The Netflix Global Top 10?

Alone is by a relatively unknown director

Perhaps 2024 audiences will resonate with the feelings of entrapment the film evokes, which may have been less appetizing during pandemic lockdowns.

To make it into the Netflix top 10 at all, let alone at no. 3, is an accomplishment. Alone was directed by John Hyams. While Hyams has been in the industry for a while, he is a lesser-known talent. His other directorial works include the sports documentary The Smashing Machine and three episodes of the TV series adaptation of Chucky.

Thus, it makes sense why Alone went virtually unnoticed at the time of its release. Unlike the high critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, Alone split audiences, getting a 53% approval among audiences. This low audience approval has not deterred recent Netflix viewers, however, who are watching the film in droves. Perhaps 2024 audiences will resonate with the feelings of entrapment the film evokes, which may have been less appetizing during pandemic lockdowns. Hopefully, Alone’s Netflix success will give the microbudget horror movie a chance to be reconsidered in the fresh eyes of a new audience.

Alone is available to stream on Netflix.

Source: Netflix