Kissing Game: Season 1 – Netflix Review

KISSING GAME is a new Netflix series from Brazil. The original title is Boca a Boca which translates into “Mouth to Mouth”. A very appropriate title since this Netflix series is about a virus that transmits through kissing. Read our Kissing Game season 1 review here!

KISSING GAME is a Netflix series from Brazil that should intrigue genre fans worldwide. The genre is horror, mystery, and thriller with plenty of drama between characters.

The Brazilian title is Boca a Boca which translates into “Mouth to Mouth” since the plot revolves around a virus that transmits through a kiss. This obviously means the international English title works pretty damn well too.

Continue reading our Kissing Game season 1 review here. The season has just six episodes, so it’s quick to watch.

Begins with a bang

Kissing Game is one of those Netflix series that begins rather abruptly. We’re thrown into the midst of everything and introduced to many characters. Often with some humor and quirkiness to make it all a bit easier to digest.

Each episode has a runtime around 45 minutes (some less and some a bit more), so with just six episodes, you can get through the season fairly quickly. Episode 1 is relatively short and sets the stage. By episode 2, we get more background on several characters and they begin investigating the strange virus.

The main characters use a “kissing map”, which is not unlike the family tree of the German sci-fi Netflix series Dark where everyone ends up being connected somehow. It’s a rather ingenious way to figure out what’s happening. Actually, it seems to also have similarities with the plot of Final Destination in being able to predict who will get sick with the virus next.

Also, the virus is pretty hard to miss once it gets hold. You’ll get a strange dark spot on your lips and some of your blood vessels will somehow appear to get a glow-in-the-dark ability. It’s rather gruesome to watch in all its simplicity.

Brazilian genre productions on Netflix

This is far from the first Netflix series to come out of Brazil and the production quality is always impressive. The same goes for the plot and acting. Whether the style is to your liking is obviously a very personal thing, but this plot really should appeal to many.

However, with the release of Kissing Game so soon after Reality Z, it does seem like Brazil has found a cool genre niche. I will never complain about this. Also, the drama and intensity of these Brazilian productions just fit so well with genre film and series. You can never be “too much” if you just have a story that matches the craziness.

Recommended reading: Our review of the Netflix zombie series Reality Z here >

Also, Brazil has also been making wonderful genre films for years. Movies such as The Cannibal Club (2019) and Good Manners (2017) come to mind as Brazilian genre movies, we would absolutely recommend. In other words, if you enjoy Kissing Game, then there is much more for you to check out.

Just on Netflix alone, you will find several Brazilian series that are very much worth watching.

Watch Kissing Game season 1 on Netflix now!

Kissing Game was created by Esmir Filho, who previously wrote for both TV series and movies. Many of them are award-winning productions. Esmir Filho has both written and directed on Kissing Game which seems to be his trademark. He is a writer-director, who knows exactly where he wants to take his productions.

For this new series on Netflix, I can say that the plot works in the sense that it’s very easy to digest and therefore awesome as mindless entertainment. And yes, I do mean this to be a compliment.

Having a virus that contaminates through kissing almost feels too on-the-nose in our pandemic world. It’s a reminder that while it could be worse, we’re already living in a horror drama of our own! With Kissing Game, we’re dealing both with drama and campy craziness which (fortunately!) takes the edge of the “real life”-vibe of the plot.

Season 1 of Kissing Game is out on Netflix worldwide from July 17, 2020.

Details

Creator: Esmir Filho
Starring: Bianca Byington, Bruno Garcia, Caio Horowicz, Carolina del Carmen Peleritti, Denise Fraga, Esther Tinman, Flávio Tolezani, Grace Passô, Iza Moreira, Kevin Vechiatto, Luana Nastas, Michel Joelsas, Thomás Aquino