The Horror Show
Overlord
by Julius Avery
Back in 2017, when I’d first heard of J.J. Abrams’ Overlord project, it was rumored to be another film in the Cloverfield franchise. This of course excited me, but earlier this year those rumors were dispelled, and it was revealed that this was a stand-alone film and would be completely unrelated. Naturally, my first response was disappointment, but as small details began to leak and then eventually the trailer was delivered, I went from disappointed to intrigued and excited. Even with watching the trailer, however, one wouldn’t expect to embark on the thrilling adventure that is Overlord.
This film is an action-packed World War II movie with horror laced throughout. Not only do you have the horrors of being dropped into a foreign land the night before D-Day, but you also have a secret Nazi laboratory with sinister mad-scientist shit going on that ultimately spells bad news for not only the French villagers living nearby, but our beloved troop of American heroes. And don’t let anyone fool you, this isn’t some bullshit Nazi-zombie flick, this is way more fun that that.
From the perfect opening sequence right up until the wrapped up cliché ending with a bow on top, my teeth were deeply sunk into this film. The story was well told, and the effects and cinematography did not disappoint. Of course, the stereotypical war-time characters were there: the unlikely hero with the heart of gold, the jaded leader, the short Italian guy from New York, the scared shitless “I’m just here to take pictures” guy, the damsel, and of course, the downright dirty scum that are the Nazis. But all these characters had their place, the actors played their parts and played them well, and the overall goal, the reason the soldiers were there in the first place, was never out of sight. The guys had a mission, and no stinkin’ Nazi experiments, no matter how horrifying or disturbing, were going to get in the way of that mission!
It was a fun film that felt almost like a tribute to B-movies. There were serious undertones, naturally, but I really felt the campy throwback vibe, whether it was intentional or not. This film was cast well with Jovan Adepo and Wyatt Russell shining in the leads and Pilou Asbaek was almost unrecognizable in his role as the despicable antagonist.
Would I have enjoyed another installment in the Cloverfield series? Duh. That’s a hard yes. However, I’m pleased beyond words with what Overlord was and thrilled that it wasn’t just another installment in an already established series. I can’t recommend it enough to people. If you’re a fan of WWII films and you enjoy horror, this will not disappoint you in the slightest.
Stevie Kopas, HMS
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