An idyllic wood cabin, surrounded by snow in the Norwegian mountains ? sounds like the perfect postcard.
Add to that a group of ravaging, recently resurrected Nazi zombies, tearing students? limbs off, painting the vast landscape a gloriously unsettling red and you've got Dead Snow.
This ambitious Norwegian film from newcomer Tommy Wirkola takes a group of medical students and gives them their Easter vacation from hell. Secluded, cold and surrounded by bloodthirsty Nazi zombies, it’s fight or bite! Not shying away from anything, it instead throws everything at the screen (jokes, references, horror, heads etc) and makes for one of the most surprisingly enjoyable horror movies for quite some time.
Director Wirkola is a child of the 70s and 80s, set on making a horror film cut from the same cloth as Evil Dead and Braindead and even openly referencing these classics within Dead Snow. What Wirkola (and writer/actor Stig Frode Henriksen) does that makes this stand out is the inclusion of Nazi Zombies.
Not an original concept, computer games recently have made use of the double bastard glory of the premise and even schlock cinema of the 70s and 80s featured them. This film manages to thrust them into a film that actually revels in the pure lunacy that should surround such a great villain – and celebrate that lunacy they do. The amount of inventive violence, gore and laughs generated from this breed of fast-moving moaners is enough to have any horror fan feel welcome.
When the characters finally have the climatic showdown with the undead patrol, it becomes grinning, unadulterated, gory glory and couldn't be more enjoyable.
While the film does prove plenty of humour and action it is at the detriment of character development. Obviously we need a fair amount of disposable bodies but the film has a few too many, making for some very one-dimensional characterisation. While Raimi knew to put Ash centre stage in Evil Dead from the oft, it's never clear who we should be following in this until the third act when Martin (Vegar Hoer) steps up.
While the insanity of hacking the zombies to pieces is pure joy, the film at times drops the tone and takes time to reflect on some character demises. It makes for uncomfortable viewing, as if someone sat you down after a particular demonic rampage on Grand Theft Auto and explained the real life implications of your actions.
These are minor niggles; Wirkola has set out to create a horror movie which is fun, something being slayed from the genre for a while. He succeeds for the most part, sometimes even injecting the movie with flair and originality making him a director to watch. Dead Snow is a nod to some of the most inventive horror movies and a film that can proudly say that for all its faults is an entertaining and indulgent film school in how horror movies should be made.
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Mithaearon says
Is the Region 2 Dubbed or Subbed?
David Scarborough says
It is subtitled with the odd bit off English dialogue for good measure!
Mithaearon says
Cheers been wanting to watch this but my wife hates movies with subtitles so will just watch it when I am on my own :D
Swineshead says
It’s ruddy bloody good.
dave allport says
brilliant film my wife bought it for me today.
you have to see it hope there making dead snow 2!!!
David Scarborough says
I have it on good authority from the man himself that there will indeed be a sequel! Check back on Monday for my interview with him.