DVD Review: HORRORS OF WAR 9:17am, October 28, 2009
Paintball nerds have a horror movie to hold close to their hearts...
During World War II American soldiers experience horrors and phenomena in a battle that cannot be explained. Hitler s desperation to win the war at all costs combined with his obsession with science and the paranormal give rise to a deadly type of warfare. Hitler unleashes his secret weapons -unstoppable Nazi super-soldiers- onto the advancing Allied army. After the D-Day landing Lieutenant John Schmidt and his squad suffer losses when they encounter the monstrous German soldiers. When the military acknowledges the supernatural incidents Lt. Schmidt is reassigned to a new unit with a mission to destroy Hitler s weapons lab. After they are shot down in occupied France the soldiers find themselves caught between the German army and a creature that can only be described as a werewolf.
This straight to DVD film shot in and around the Youngstown/Columbus Ohio area takes place at the turning point of the second World War. You know, 1944-1945? Right about the time Hitler was feeling the pressure from the US and other European nations. When he had a lone remote scientist in the woods develop the super-soldier - a zombie like humanoid creature with extraordinary stamina and strength. Send in some Allied troops behind enemy lines led by a sergeant with teeth so bleached a blind person could see him and - what the hell - throw in a werewolf while we're at it - and you've got 2006's two dimensional wonder, Horrors of War..
Horrors of War starts in 1945, with troops advancing on German strongholds behind enemy lines. Soon from the German positions, a super soldier emerges, taking two bullets in the eyes and several others in the torso before it finally falls. Upon closer investigation it begins to get up... Sound interesting? Well that part is over my friends, five minutes into the film. Its time for the title sequence, "Dawn of the Dead 2004 style", with lots of digital effects and editing. Looks like 99 percent of the film's professionalism lies here - from an outside company hired to develop the material.
Back to the film, which screeches to a near halt and goes back a year in time to explain the super soldier. You will now watch endless arrays of indescernable troops running to and fro, in the bushes and behind trees (was that somebody's home there on the horizon?), shooting bullets and taking cover. Loop this several times until the end, when the German madman scientist is located - along with his "re-animating agent" - a glowing green formula administered via syringe. Sound familiar? Top this magnificence with a climactic battle between bad over-acting characters, zombie super-soldiers, and a barely mentioned French private that just happens to be a lycanthrope, and there's your film. Leave ending open for sequel and serve.
Is it a war movie? Yes. Zombie flick? If you want to call them that - I suppose, but hardly at all. Monster movie? No. Then why is a werewolf kung-fu-ing it out with an undead super-soldier at the end? Your guess is as good as mine. Horrors of War doesnt really offer anything to the seasoned horror community. War buffs, perhaps. Or maybe unconditional zombie film fans that fancy paintball on the weekends. Expect lots of people that look the same, running in circles, going back in time, shredding stories for all theyre worth. Realism wise, anyone in the military or from such families will just laugh outright at the tactics used as these actors manouver their way through the forest against the enemy. Horrors of War is weird and monotonous, all the while being fragmented as hell.
FINAL ANALYSIS: This is another unmemorable super-low budget horror indiefest that does very little to stimulate anyone but the paintball nerd down the street from you. Its amateurish in production and acting quality, straining for the couple of moments that keep it from hitting rock bottom. If your tastes lie in highly produced, big-name schticks, this isn't for you. Admittedly, it took about three attempts to generate any spark of attention. The high body count is mostly bodies dropping from bullets during the war, the creatures almost look like theyre wearing rubber Halloween masks, and only one or two moments are truly "bloody". Horrors of War is a wasted effort war flick trying to be something of supernatural interest, going so far as to mix in a bit of campy old-day "monsters" and German "mad scientists". If that sounds like your thing, and you frequent the dollar store - hang in there, you may find it in the DVD rack soon.
Yeah, I was pumped with the synopsis....got a bootleg of this movie. Turned it off after 90 seconds...no bullshit. Surprised you made it all the way through.
I can't believe it took you that much writing to review this movie... I would've just said. Nazi Zombies. Sounds cool. No budget. Actually awful.
I do have to agree with you on the opening credit sequence. That was very well done. Everything before and after however, was awful, even for no-budget, direct to DVD standards.
Yeah this fucker is major misleading. I could have also wrote Horrors of War blew stinkass chunks and also been on the money. Some films are just absolute labors to watch. This is about the worst Ive had to sit thru, barring Slaughtered Vomit Dolls and The Morgue. I went into it planning to do a review and felt I had to write something up and warn people of this crap. WTF is up with the DVD cover? Remember seeing anything like that in the movie? NO...
The synopsis sounds good. What a shame it's rubbish.
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