Dead Snow aka Død snø (2009) Review

Written by: BlackTequilaKiss   

Let me quote Total Film, 'Undead Nazi Bastards on the March... blood, guts and Black comedy? Count us in', how succinct and true those words are. It delivers where it needs to and gives laughs when required. It was a movie that never failed to get my attention and on many occasions I have tried to watch it without real success, now I have it officially on DVD I could not wait to watch it.

To anyone yet to see this, trust me when I say it is worth the wait.

Tongue in cheek humour, fantastically evil zombies and some genius moments really made this movie about the undead come alive.

PLOTLINE

Seven medical students and equally friends go for a ski vacation to relax and unwind. It all begins innocently until a mysterious hiker arrives at their cabin and reveals the dark history behind the region soon after which they find a small box full of gold. Thinking their luck is in, things soon take a chilling twist when through the snow come undead nazi zombies come to life to reclaim what has been taken from them, the gold. With only a slew of weapons and limited chances, it comes down to them versus the zombies. Who will be the winner in this bloodiest of wars?

What makes Dead Snow so fun? It knows it's tongue in cheek and it never pretends to be otherwise. The characters are interesting enough to warrant watching, the zombies look decent enough and the gore flies around like ketchup on a fanblade. The movie kept me entertained and in the end that is all I wanted. Throw in some moments that actually had me laughing out loud and it was a wonderfully delicious romp that never lost energy.

All of the cast were adequate. Never amazing but good enough but accolade does go to one particular actor-

Lasse Valdal as Vegard, the boyfriend of Sara. He had a mixed look of Wes Bentley and Desmond Harrington, his acting was pretty damn good and he seemed the more serious of all the actors. There was a nice cynism to his character that elevated him above the normal standards and in scenes where he was essentially acting on his own merits, he did a good job. I never took focus away from him and as an whole his character really impressed me.

The music? Seriously impressive! For an original score, look else where but what I loved was they used scores I know, have heard over the years and they in turn have used them in zombie scenes. That glorious over-the-top gore with scores we know and love (trust me when you hear them you'll know) was just a beautiful little touch. For the other moments, it was a blend of rock and metal music that although rather unconventional fitted this odd quirk of a film.

Snow, crisp white beauty that can steal the most simple of a scene. Blood bleeding into that empty vessel of colour. It's those little moments that stand out. Even when some movies cannot do well under pressure, the little notes can stand out and add some flesh to a movie. Whilst Dead Snow has more than enough to recommend it, those shots help as well. From the sinister way the trees shadows lurch in the snow to the quick motion of the zombies, it all adds weight and of course carnage to the ensuing picture.

The special effects were brilliant OTT and justly so. Brains spilling to the ground, limbs being torn from ear to ear, blood flowing like a river. Over-the-top cheesy goodness that is ripe for the picking and not ridiculous in approach, only kind words here: superb!

Think; The Evil Dead meets Cold Prey meets Shaun of the Dead, strange? Hell yes. Worth it? Without question. The fact it is a norwegian flick does nothing to dampen the spirits, the subtitles are not an hindrance as the movie is rather self explanatory. This is simply good old fashion zombie rough housing, with witty one liners, a nice chuckle to spice it up and gore a plenty. One thing it cannot be accused of is being boring as once the zombies come out to play, the fun begins.

You want to know if Dead Snow is worth it? In my opinion yes. You will not get originality too much with the movie but entertainment stakes alone make it worth buying. For the die-hard and even non die-hard zombie fans, get this movie in any way you can.

You cannot afford to miss the rise of Dead Snow. That would be a bloody shame. Enjoy, bring guests and popcorn and simply have a blast, you'll not regret the decision!

Razor edge Kisses,

BTK.