Fiery Pen

(The gist: Dead Snow lives up to its reputation as one of the best zombie horror movies ever made. Nazi zombies evolve the evil in the zombie genre to a new level. The gore is extremely well done and unique; it, in itself, is worth watching for.)

A movie about zombie Nazis, how could that not be good?

Dead Snow combines the supernatural evil of zombies with the historical evil of Nazis to create an entirely new and mutant form of horrific killer. For the horror genre, this evolves the representation of evil. For the zombie genre, it breaks boundaries and puts a new and more disturbing twist on our favorite shambling biters.

For years, I had been told that I must watch Dead Snow; it was my duty as a zombie and horror lover. However, in my laziness to focus on subtitles, it sat idly in my Netflix queue. After shelving my multitasking tendency and taking the time to watch it, I can say that was a complete waste; I loved the movie and should have indulged in it multiple times, much sooner.

The pace of the movie, which is important to me in a quality horror movie, is perfect. The creep factor enters early before I could get bored, yet the zombies remain suggested and aloof long enough to get me invested. They transition from menacing noises and shadows in the dark to an entire field of bloody, running zombie Nazis at just the right time. The horror sucked me in then held me close.

Gore is always a crucial aspect that can make or break any zombie movie. The gore in Dead Snow is on point. Both the zombies themselves and the injuries they inflict are gruesome and convincing. I consider the gore a success if I physically cringe; I physically cringed. Dead Snow also diverges from its genre by staging the majority of the zombie themes in broad daylight. Glaring sunlight on snow leaves no room for subpar special FX.

The zombies also break out of the mold in more than just being Nazis. Their Nazi origins give them that extra layer of evil, but they are also more evolved than their shambling counterparts in other zombie flicks. They have a motive beyond BRRAAIINSS (I will skip the spoilers and let the watchers discover that motive for themselves). They seem cognizant, possessed by more evil than simply the undead need to feast on flesh.

Dead Snow has definitely secured a high position on my lists of favorite horror movies and favorite zombie movies. I loved the premise, the gore, and the execution. It kept me entertained and creeped out, all while expanding my zombic horizons.

Watch it! Do not let it wait in your Netflix queue like I did.