Norway isn’t necessarily known as a hotbed of horror goodness, but this awesome zombie flick is a step in the right direction. Hailing from the Arcitc Circle, this Norwegian film combines the spirit of Peter Jackson with the solid production values found in the best indie horror flicks. The only problem… they’re Nazi zombies. In a move that dredges up horrible memories of movies like Zombie Lake and Shock Waves, Dead Snow attempts to mine ground that has already been mined before… unsuccessfully. Perhaps it’s an homage to shitty movies of zombies-past, but at least the zombies have cool outfits.
Dead Snow starts out wonderfully, with a kill right off the bat. If only all horror flicks started this way, I wouldn’t be pissed off five minutes into them. From there, the film starts and we are introduced to a group of medical students who have decided to spend their Easter weekend playing in the snow in a remote region of the mountains. Their fun is quickly dampened as a mysterious stranger shows up, busts their balls for making poor coffee, and relates the story of the murdered Nazis. It isn’t long after the man leaves that they get their first taste of zombie action, and the crew of people must figure out a way to survive… a way involving chainsaws, sledgehammers, and snow mobiles. It’s a gloriously innovative film that is filled with a wry and subdued humor that will probably fly over the heads of most American viewers.
Director Tommy Wirkola’s film is a stunning indie achievement, and though the film clearly suffers from a lack of budget, the shit Wirkola actually managed to get a hold of is used perfectly. Wirkola takes advantage of the snow-covered surroundings, the confines of his cabin (the only real set), and large fields of pristine white snow. The end result is a haunting and disturbing film that leaves the viewer feeling unsettled by all the frozen imagery and the isolation of the characters. Of course, the film never gets too depressing as it has large moments of Dead-Alive type humorous brutality, showers of blood, and a whole legion of Nazi zombies.
The special effects in the film are impressive, as are the zombie makeups of the undead. There are nice moments of brutality throughout the film, and though they take a while to show up on the screen, once the shit hits the fan, it’s pretty much nonstop. People are bitten, ripped open, and generally abused as the silent, but deadly, zombies attempt to take out anything with two legs… or legs at all, as there doesn’t seem to be anyone or anything else about. The films outrageous finale is a zombie-shredding good time filled with more blood spray than putting an entire hospital nursery full of babies in a wood chipper… which is one of my fantasies.
Dead Snow is an indie masterpiece. As an indie flick, it has its flaws, but most of these can be overcome by looking at the sheer brutality of the film. For zombie fans, this will be a breath of fresh air, as it’s more of a traditional zombie flick than some of that new school bullshit. Still, they’re Nazi zombies… which is always stupid.
Final Synopsis: Dead Snow is a good zombie flick… it’s not great, but it’s definitely a good time.
Points Lost: -1 for some dumb decisions by the characters, -1 for Nazi zombies, -1 for some shots that don’t look as crisp as they need to
Lesson Learned: Never fuck in an outhouse after taking a dump.
Burning Question: Anyone ever get laid in an outhouse after taking a dump?
