News
TADFF Review: ‘Overlord’ is a WWII Action-Horror with a Brass-Knuckle Punch
As Overlord opens, we are shoved into a plane stuffed with anxious paratroopers, waiting to be dropped outside enemy lines the night before D-Day. The men have a crucial mission to destroy a German radio tower in an old church (the success of the seaborne invasion depends on it), and tensions are high as they nervously prepare. We spend brief moments with the men – some barely hiding their anxious terror, others posturing with cocky bravado.
It is here that we are introduced to the first horrors of Overlord. As planes are shot down around them, the men prepare to jump – their chances of survival plummeting with each passing second. Their fear is palpable, and the reality of this scenario is sobering and devastating.
This is a bold opening that prepares us for the following intensity and sets the tone for each character we’re introduced to on that flight. We’re shown that explosives expert Cpl. Ford (Wyatt Russell – Black Mirror, Lodge 49) is an edgy man-on-a-mission, a lone wolf with nothing to lose; Pvt. Boyce (Jovan Adepo – The Leftovers, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan) is our relatable everyman with a good heart and strong conscience; Tibbet (John Magaro – The Big Short, Carol) is the loudmouth, watch-your-own-ass soldier archetype we so often see in film; and Chase (Iain De Caestecker – Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) is way out of his depth in this violent world of war.
As the men prepare to complete their mission and take out the radio tower, Boyce uncovers a horrible secret about the German base; the Nazis have been conducting monstrous experiments on their prisoners.
Now, it’s worth a reminder that – while not quite as fantasy-level nightmarish – this highly unethical scientific experimentation did actually occur during WWII. Overlord stomps on the throttle of this horrific truth to create tragic abominations that will haunt your dreams.
The cast finds balance in the strong-willed Chloe (Mathilde Ollivier – The Misfortunes of François Jane), a civilian who has witnessed and been subjected to the Nazis’ cruelty during their invasion of her town. Chloe is resourceful, fierce, and capable. She’s not placed in the story as a damsel to be saved or wooed; she’s a key player in the development of the plot with her own skills and motivations.
Pilor Asbæk (Ghost in the Shell, Game of Thrones) plays Dr. Wafner, a villain so perfectly evil it’s almost cartoonish. Writers Billy Ray (Captain Phillips, The Hunger Games) and Mark L. Smith (The Revenant, Vacancy) went all out, checking every single box on the “awful villain” list to ensure that we really hate this guy. When paired with a forceful performance from Asbæk, it works deliciously well. He’s a vile character and the perfect super evil Nazi villain for such an ambitiously violent film.
And yes, there is a ton of violence. Overlord has earned its R rating with vicious brutality and genuinely shocking moments of body horror. Director Julius Avery lovingly delivers the most intense transformation scene that horror audiences have witnessed in a long time. It’s gnarly as hell and incredible to watch.
Overlord circles a concept that was phrased so eloquently by Winston Churchill; fear is a reaction, courage is a decision. Even when faced with a seemingly unstoppable threat (that truly, effectively feels insurmountable), our soldiers know that failure is not an option. They’re not an elite squad of highly trained professionals – they’re just men who have been thrust into this mission where the stakes are impossibly high.
As an audience, you can get swept away by the big-budget action sequences and visceral gore. Really, really easily, actually. They’re very well done. But Overlord’s base instincts are very human; you feel invested and concerned for our heroes and their mission.
That said, the J.J. Abrams-produced Overlord certainly has a target audience. Fans of the horror (and action/horror) genre and anyone that has enjoyed the Nazi Zombie maps in Call of Duty will surely have an absolute blast. Those in search of a period piece with a bit more flavor will likely not find this to their taste.
In the ring of action/war movies, Overlord is brass-knuckle boxing. Though the form is surprisingly polished, its hits reverberate with a brutal force that will knock the wind right out of you.
Overlord (recently praised by Stephen King) had its premiere at Fantastic Fest before moving to Toronto After Dark in October.
You can find it in theatres on November 9th, and find the trailer and poster below.
'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?
Follow our new YouTube channel "Mysteries and Movies" here.
News
Watch ‘The Burning’ At The Location Where It Was Filmed
Fangoria is reporting that fans of the 1981 slasher The Burning will be able to have a screening of the film at the location where it was filmed. The movie is set at Camp Blackfoot which is actually the Stonehaven Nature Preserve in Ransomville, New York.
This ticketed event will take place on August 3. Guests will be able to take a tour of the grounds as well as enjoy some campfire snacks along with the screening of The Burning.
The film came out in the early ’80s when teen slashers were being churned out in magnum force. Thanks to Sean S. Cunningham’s Friday the 13th, filmmakers wanted to get in on the low-budget, high-profit movie market and a casket load of these types of films were produced, some better than others.
The Burning is one of the good ones, mostly because of the special effects from Tom Savini who had just come off of his groundbreaking work on Dawn of the Dead and Friday the 13th. He declined to do the sequel because of its illogical premise and instead signed on to do this movie. Also, a young Jason Alexander who would later go on to play George in Seinfeld is a featured player.
Because of its practical gore, The Burning had to be heavily edited before it received an R-rating. The MPAA was under the thumb of protest groups and political bigwigs to censor violent films at the time because slashers were just so graphic and detailed in their gore.
Tickets are $50, and if you want a special t-shirt, that will cost you another $25, You can get all the information by visiting the On Set Cinema webpage.
'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?
Follow our new YouTube channel "Mysteries and Movies" here.
Movies
‘Longlegs’ Creepy “Part 2” Teaser Appears on Instagram
Neon Films released an Insta-teaser for their horror film Longlegs today. Titled Dirty: Part 2, the clip only furthers the mystery of what we are in for when this movie is finally released on July 12.
The official logline is: FBI Agent Lee Harker is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case that takes unexpected turns, revealing evidence of the occult. Harker discovers a personal connection to the killer and must stop him before he strikes again.
Directed by former actor Oz Perkins who also gave us The Blackcoat’s Daughter and Gretel & Hansel, Longlegs is already creating buzz with its moody images and cryptic hints. The film is rated R for bloody violence, and disturbing images.
Longlegs stars Nicolas Cage, Maika Monroe, and Alicia Witt.
'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?
Follow our new YouTube channel "Mysteries and Movies" here.
News
Exclusive Sneak Peek: Eli Roth and Crypt TV’s VR Series ‘The Faceless Lady’ Episode Five
Eli Roth (Cabin Fever) and Crypt TV are knocking it out of the park with their new VR show, The Faceless Lady. For those unaware, this is the first fully scripted VR horror show on the market.
Even for masters of horror like Eli Roth and Crypt TV, this is a monumental undertaking. However, if I trust anyone to change the way that we experience horror, it would be these two legends.
Ripped from the pages of Irish folklore, The Faceless Lady tells the story of a tragic spirit cursed to wander the halls of her castle for all of eternity. However, when three young couples are invited to the castle for a series of games, their fates may soon change.
So far, the story has provided horror fans with a gripping game of life or death that doesn’t look as if it will slow down in episode five. Luckily, we have an exclusive clip that may be able to satiate your appetites until the new premiere.
Airing on 4/25 at 5pmPT/8pmET, episode five follows our final three contestants in this wicked game. As the stakes are raised ever higher, will Ella be able to fully awaken her connection with Lady Margaret?
The newest episode can be found on Meta Quest TV. If you haven’t already, follow this link to subscribe to the series. Make sure to check out the new clip below.
Eli Roth Present’s THE FACELESS LADY S1E5 Clip: THE DUEL – YouTube
'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?
Follow our new YouTube channel "Mysteries and Movies" here.
-
News7 days ago
Woman Brings Corpse Into Bank To Sign Loan Papers
-
News6 days ago
Brad Dourif Says He’s Retiring Except For One Important Role
-
Strange and Unusual6 days ago
Man Arrested for Allegedly Taking a Severed Leg From Crash Site And Eating It
-
Movies7 days ago
Part Concert, Part Horror Movie M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Trap’ Trailer Released
-
Movies7 days ago
Another Creepy Spider Movie Hits Shudder This Month
-
Editorial6 days ago
7 Great ‘Scream’ Fan Films & Shorts Worth a Watch
-
Movies5 days ago
Spider-Man With a Cronenberg Twist in This Fan-Made Short
-
News4 days ago
Original Blair Witch Cast Ask Lionsgate for Retroactive Residuals in Light of New Film
You must be logged in to post a comment Login