War Creatures #1: Overlord (2018)
Zombies, racism, and how one big budget B movie stole my heart
Wait what?
Who am I, what is this, why am I even writing a blog on Nazi zombie movies? Let's be real, no one is reading this. I'm writing this for my own amusement, but if someone is reading, hey there.
I'm not a movie critic nor am I a writer, so please give me some grace. I'm just a girl with a love for bad movies and no one to talk to them about. My plan for this blog is to essentially review and discuss as many movies like Overlord as I can. I'm tentatively describing them as “supernatural war movies” because they won't all be Nazi zombie films, that's just my jumping off point.
P.S. I don't know how to use Substack very well at all, forgive me.
It's 2018, I'm in my senior year of high-school, and it's not going well. I have no idea where I'm going to college (nevermind how), or what I'll study. In what I can only describe as fate, I decide last minute to walk down to my local theater. I have to practically run since the next showing is in a few minutes, and I'm huffing and puffing once I get into my seat. It's mostly empty, but I vividly remember a lady in front of me loudly FaceTiming her friend. I've neglected to buy snacks.
I'm a zombie movie fan so I expect to enjoy the film, but as soon as Overlord starts I know it's something special. I leave the theater not only cured of my teenage worries, but also deeply in love.
Review
“Ok, but why do you love Overlord, oh mysterious movie gal?” For starters, that opening scene. We begin in a plane just packed full of terrified soldiers. We are introduced to our main lineup, notably Private Boyce and Corporal Ford (side note: what an attractive cast). Some general character dynamics are established, good good, and then BOOM. Action time. I won't spoil anything, but my heart was pumping. From this point on, Overlord takes off running. It's one of the most effective opening sequences I've ever watched.
The action throughout is spaced in such a way that I was always pleasantly surprised. The gore was not overdone, but there is plenty of goop. I enjoyed the characters. There is a smidge of romantic tension between Boyce and Chloe, but nothing felt forced or out of place. Don't expect a tsunami of zombies like 28 Days Later or Train to Busan, but the zombies that were present were a delight. Do expect a lot of Nazis getting their asses beat.
In terms of production value, this is still the biggest budget movie in this genre that I've seen. It looks great (don't take that for granted, trust me most of these movies look like shit) and the effects are very well done. It's B movie fun on an A movie skeleton. It's a horror movie but not too scary, it's a war movie that isn't too serious, it's a action movie with feeling. Everything just clicks into place.
What about the racists?
There's been some controversy surrounding Overlord and its black actors. Why is that controversial? Because people are racist. “It's not about race, it's about historical accuracy!” Dude it's got zombies, die on another hill. For a movie that ignores historical accuracy in favor of having a good time, why can't the audience do the same?
Overlord is not a movie that should be giving me life lessons, but as a black horror fan, reading Overlord reviews as a teen was one of the first times I realized that horror often isn't made for me. Overlord itself does a wonderful job of having black characters just exist in a movie, but the audience will never be race blind. The audience will never let me forget that black people will always been seen as black before any other trait. That's not always a bad thing, I'm proud to be black, but sometimes I just want to watch a movie and not have to think about racism. Maybe I'm so ride or die for Overlord because it's one of the few horror movies that throws its black audience a bone, or maybe I shouldn't look too much into it.
There are also some whispers that Overlord was supposed to be a Cloverfield movie because of JJ Abrams’ involvement. Being a massive Cloverfield fan (I even like Paradox, don't shoot me) that's actually the reason I watched it in the first place. Sorry to disappoint Cloverfield fans, it's not secretly connected and it probably never was.
So What?
So that's all well and good, a decent movie. But once again why am I writing a whole blog based on Overlord and movies like it? I think if I boil it down, it's a movie that wants nothing more than to be fun. It's a love letter to cool. When I first watched Overlord, all I wanted was a direction in life. I wanted meaning. Overlord instantly made me throw my worries out the door and think huh, maybe not everything in my life has to be for a reason. Maybe some things I can just do because I think they're fun.
Now I want more. I want to find that high that Overlord gave me and find more movies like it. You could say I like the idea of supernatural creatures being used as metaphors for the horrors of war, that I like seeing Nazis get beat up, that I am fascinated by the whole history behind the Nazi zombie subgenre, but in all honesty I just think they make for some kickass movies.
At this point I've seen 14 of these supernatural war films, and since I've got no one to yap about them to, I'll yap to the void that is the internet. Come along if you'd like.
Bonus
Here's some movies I think make great double features with Overlord. No explanations, just vibes.
Resident Evil (2002)
Green Room (2015)
The Pope's Exorcist (2023) ok ok listen if you don't see the vision I can't help you
Adding this to my watch list ASAP :)