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Dead Snow: Nazi zombies kill Norwegian hippies
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Zombie movies do seem to be rather popular now-a-days; and not just in the US. Now playing, under a limited released, is the Norwegian film Dead Snow (Død snø). Directed by Tommy Wirkola, and written by Wirkola and Stig Frode Henriksen, Dead Snow centers on a group of Med School students who take a skiing holiday in the mountains of Norway. Unfortunately for them, these particular mountains just so happen to be teaming with zombies. However, these aren't your run of the mill, lumbering, walking-dead kind of zombies; these are especially vicious, Nazi zombies. The friends are slowly separated only to meet various brutal and painful looking ends. Don't worry, though, they do manage to take out their fair share of Nazis in the process.
Other than the opening sequence where shadowy figures attack a young girl hiking through the mountains at night, Dead Snow takes quite a while to really get started. Instead, the film relies heavily on clips of the friends drinking beer and engaging in various extreme Norwegian snow sports. Then the zombie Nazi's show up, and the movie quickly picks up its pace. Dead Snow is about the gore, and believe me there is more than enough to go around, when it actually happens.
The story for Dead Snow is "cabin in the woods" and "Nazi zombies" and Wirkola doesn’t stray far from that path. In keeping with the traditional cabin in the woods motif there are, of course, more than enough Evil Dead references to spare. Though I would never classify Dead Snow's use of homage in the Shaun of the Dead caliber of post modern brilliance, it’s not exactly poorly done either. There is no "wink, wink" tone with this film, it's about assaulting you with everything, and the kitchen sink.
To give Dead Snow credit, the film does mock the traditional concept of the zombie. The Dead Snow zombie Nazi’s don’t lumber, or moan. They move quickly, with German efficiency, and utilize a complex series of underground tunnels to hunt down their victims. Though the characters in Dead Snow use the term “zombie” liberally, the myth that a victim can become a zombie through a bite is only addressed but never actually verified. One character even goes so far as to cut off his own arm rather than take the chance to disprove this popular genre element.
Dead Snow is a fun movie to watch and that’s really about it. If you are in the mood for something to laugh at with your friends or want to torment your squeamish girlfriend, definitely check it out. However, if you prefer your zombies with a bit more social awareness or political agenda, then I suggest renting a copy of 1978’s Dawn of the Dead. Dead Snow is a limited release, so it may not make it to your town. But you can check it out on-demand via the IFC Channel.
Check out the trailer for Dead Snow below.
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