Overlord – Movie Reviews by Ry!
Overlord – A Distraction of Chaos and War
‘Taking the truth for a spin’ is the statement that comes to mind when approaching any film. When placed against factual settings, storytelling can take liberties to provide a jolt of entertainment. It is the complexion of adrenaline, emotions and shock that will bring you for a ride in a setting of war. Playing within a web of genres, this stylistic action/horror film will peak your interest, even if it has elements you have seen many times before. Overlord takes you on an intriguing but entertaining ride.
The plot centers within WWII, following a group of soldiers on a mission to take out a radio tower in France. Chaos ensues from the onset, setting the tone of the grit for the audience. The use of the war dynamic is strong in the first act, allowing for the obscure elements to unfold methodically. From the beginning, you get the feeling of a B-style movie. From the simple script to the basic characters, you can tell there is a sense to play with the truth to create an ‘elsewhere’ scenario during WWII. From the camera work, soldier interactions and ominous atmosphere, you get enough of the ‘who, what and where’ for the rest of journey. The actors/actresses enlisted play the typical archetypes common to a WWII plotline. The one-dimensional aspect allows for slight endearment to evolve through certain encounters. Once the soldiers get to France, the story moves quickly on a linear path. This allows for the action/horror elements to imbue tension without explanation. There is a sense to get the mission completed, but the reaction to the mysterious Nazi experiments cause an unpredictable ‘wildcard’ to the familiar. Through that unhinging feeling, tone and dialogue cause riveting sensations to the experience, allowing for a more humanistic reaction to unbelievable circumstances.
There is a lot of fun throughout, but you begin to realize that the simplistic notion of ‘seeing it before’ weighs on the experience. Within the ‘race against time’ trope, the glaring issues of secondary plots, obscure scenarios and over-the-top action leads to disarray of the climax. Even when the story stumbles to the finish, the B-style elements creates a barrier between the goofy and seriousness that could have derailed the experience. Overlord falls in the in-between of just another action/horror style film. There might not be a lot of depth, but it creates an escape for those that do want to see it on the big screen.
Final Score – 3 out of 5 (Theater Discount)