Dead Snow (2009)

The Norwegian horror/comedy Dead Snow takes the zombie genre in a new direction by setting its events amidst quiet, snow-covered terrain. There are no urban centers teeming with undead, only the muted crunch of boots moving to intercept their prey.

Which brings me to the other way in which Dead Snow stands apart from the crowd. These aren’t your normal flesh-eating zombies. No, these are Nazi zombies. And here you thought that the undead couldn’t get any worse.

A group of seven medical students decide to spend Easter vacation at an isolated cabin nestled among the mountains and a 45-minute hike from the nearest road. While they wait for the cabin’s owner, Sara (Ane Dahl Torp), to arrive, they engage in a variety of activities that remind one of what a Norwegian Noxema commercial must look like. Little do these young men and women realize that Sara bought the farm in the opening scene to the strains of “In the Hall of the Mountain King.”

With the body count already standing at one, let’s go ahead and meet our would-be victims (before it’s too late):

• Hanna (Charlotte Frogner) – The dreadlocked female lead and girlfriend of…
• Martin (Vegar Hoel) – An aspiring doctor who gets queasy around blood. Will he overcome this by film’s end? Oh, you betcha.
• Erlend (Jeppe Laursen) – A pudgy movie nerd. He takes an immediate liking to…
• Chris (Jenny Skavlan) – The brunette hottie with a little movie geek in her (that statement becomes literal later in the film).
• Vegard (Lasse Valdal) – The good-looking and capable boyfriend of the late Sara.
• Roy (Stig Frode Henriksen) – Described as “the horniest guy north of the Arctic Circle.”
• Liv (Evy Kasseth Rosten) – The hot blonde who’s lacking in the personality department.

But their fun is interrupted when a haggard stranger (Bjorn Sundquist) emerges from the darkness and asks for a cup of coffee. After complaining about the quality of the beverage and popping open a beer, he fills the kids in on the predictably dark local lore.

During World War II, the nearby town served as a harbor for German forces, and the area was under the iron-fisted control of Colonel Herzog (Orjan Gamst). Relations were never good, but, as the war drew to a close, they got even worse when Herzog and his men began looting households for gold and silver. This provoked the locals to no end, and they turned on the Germans, killing any who failed to escape into the mountains with the Colonel and his ill-gotten treasure.

Having provided the necessary exposition, the stranger wanders back into the cold. Not long after, Erlend finds a box hidden inside the cabin.

It’s a box filled with gold jewelry.

Guess what happens next?

Dead Snow moves at a deliberate pace in the beginning, with little to show in the way of horror other than the opening chase sequence. But it’s the kind of slow pace appropriate for films of this genre, allowing the inevitable bloodshed to creep up on you and then erupt into an avalanche of carnage.

And there’s plenty of carnage to be found. With busted brainpans, outhouse attacks, and brutal hand-to-hand zombie fighting, Dead Snow won’t disappoint those looking for plenty of the ‘ol red stuff. An impromptu field surgery with a fishing hook and duct tape is sure to make even the most hardy gorehound wince.

Some horror directors–especially new ones–like to pay tribute to iconic films of the genre. This often comes off as a little too fanboyish, but director Tommy Wirkola manages to tip his hat without seeming like an autograph hound. Horror fans should enjoy spotting all the subtle nods directed at films such as Evil Dead II, Shaun of the Dead, and Ravenous. There’s also a knowing moment early on where movie geek Erlend asks his fellow travelers to name horror movies where young people head to an isolated location without cell phone reception.

Which brings me to a complaint: Dead Snow takes several opportunities to stress the isolation and lack of communication with the outside world. But, in the middle of a full-on Nazi zombie siege, one character produces his phone and manages to make a call. Were it not for an unreliable battery, the day would’ve been saved by the authorities. That’s just sloppy continuity.

The score, ranging from blaring Norwegian rock to swelling orchestral arrangements, mixes well with Wirkola’s unique visual flair. The snow and mountainous terrain are plumbed for maximum effect–especially the ominous stillness that’s established early on–and a scene featuring zombie intestines and someone dangling over a cliff is truly original. The same can be said for the ultimate showdown between the exhausted survivors and Colonel Herzog’s endless wave of undead.

Of the potential zombie victims, Lasse Valdal stands out at the earnest Vegard. Looking like a cross between Tobey Maguire, James Caviezel and Ashton Kutcher, he’s the obvious hero of the bunch. Which is interesting, considering that Wirkola has him separated from the group for much of the film. There’s so much running about, in fact, that we’re cutting between four distinct struggles for survival at one point. This adds nothing to the film, and it serves to hamper the pacing at key moments.

But the biggest problem with Dead Snow is an overall lack of humor. Evil Dead II and Shaun of the Dead were superb examples of films able to blend genres, and they produced laughs that were frequent-yet-unobtrusive to the action at hand. This feels more like Severance, a movie whose attempts at humor were half-hearted at best. At worst–as is the case with Dead Snow–it was enough to blunt the more terrifying aspects of the film.

Despite its uneven tone, Dead Snow remains a film that will leave horror fans satisfied. Director Tommy Wirkola shows promise, the cast is likable in a doomed sort of way, and it’s hard to beat Nazis as a depiction of the ultimate creeping evil. With any luck, Colonel Herzog and his men will rise again for a sequel.

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