MOVIE REVIEWS: DEAD SNOW

Brought to you by OBS staff member Rose

Name: Dead Snow (Død snø)
Rated: R
Running Time: 90 minutes

Director: Tommy Wirkola

Synopsis
When eight students head into the mountains for Easter break at an isolated cabin in the woods, a strange man proceeds to tell them the horrible tale of a Nazi group, who during World War II, were notorious for causing murder, mayhem and dabbling in stealing treasures not too far from their current location. They laugh at the man and brush off his crazy story as folklore fiction, until one of them disappears and zombies infiltrate the cabin.

Review
Dead Snow, a Norwegian export, starts out like any other ordinary horror movie. Scenes of joyous friends laughing at one another and bickering, playful shots of them frolicking together in outdoor activities, the gratuitous sex scene, let’s all sit around telling stories and oooh-I-found-something-secretly-hidden-inside-the-house-let’s-see-what-it-is moment.

Then of course the mayhem starts when the zombies find the lot at the cabin. What made these characters different than most in horror films, they at least tried to kick ass. Some went to great lengths to assure their endurance; like sewing their own neck shut or killing crows that wouldn’t shut up.

The zombie make-up is pretty effective and authentic. The zombies don’t jerk and jiggle too much; they know how to walk and are intelligently organized. One doesn’t even know if they are contagious because people do get bitten but it’s never explored. It is not necessary to the storyline, it’s all about ‘the hunt’ and intestines. Intestines play a recurring role in Dead Snow. I am not sure if it was intentional with some greater hidden meaning or the special effects department simply had an affinity for entrails. One will never know.

The ending is par for the course with movies in this genre. It can only go one way or another, so no there is no dramatic twist of a finale, sorry. Blood spattering gore, unique survival techniques and a believable cast make this movie very entertaining.

Rating: 8/10 stars