Overlord Reviews

A paratrooper squad is dropped behind enemy lines to destroy a pivotal German communications tower in order to enable the oncoming D-Day attack. Things prove harder than they expected when they uncover diabolical Nazi experiments meant to bolster the German war machine. Action, thrills, suspense, and grue ensue.

"Overlord" is the definition of a balls-to-the-wall, nonstop, rip-roaring romp of a popcorn movie. If Hollywood churned out stuff like this instead of regurgitating Transformers movies then "leave your brain at the door", unabashedly "fun first" movies would actually be entertaining instead of a chore. This is not to insinuate that the movie is a vacuous bag of eye candy. No, just that the eye candy and mile a minute pacing are prioritized.

That being said, "Overlord" is also not a movie with a big message, dramatic heft, or loftier motives either. It quite literally is a movie that is intended to be consumed as a thrill ride. At that it succeeds in spades. The characters are thin, sure, but not anemic as they each embody a singular outstanding characteristic that enables the audience to quickly identify with them and cheer them along without any of the burden of extreme character involvement. There's a guy that's all business, there's a guy that's all heart, there's the reluctant softie, there's the badass chick, and, of course, the over the top baddie. And, you know what?, they work wonderfully because they fulfill those rolls expertly without dragging down the breakneck pace of the action.

Action, says I? Oh yes, that is the star of the show along with the gruesomely fascinating effects spectacle that accompanies it. Genuinely suspenseful moments are interspersed at just the right moments too, so the action never overwhelms or becomes numbing. Add to that the fascination of the forbidden sciences the bad guys are playing with and you are rarely, if ever, not thoroughly engaged.

Speaking of the bad guys, if there has ever been a group of more ideologically detestable people than the Nazis then I haven't heard of them. History's darkest hour has also become the source of the greatest movie villains ever. There is literally no reason to ever agree with them so it's always a pleasure to see them become canon fodder. Oh, and believe you me, there is much a Nazi thrown before the proverbial canon.

Yes, those with weak stomachs might wince at the bloodshed but nothing is overly grotesque. War isn't pretty, even when it's in the form of alternate history. Also not pretty: the creations of mad Nazi science that eventually plague our heroes. A fantastic combination of physical and computer generated effects make for a feast for the eyes that will please most people tired of having the screen flooded with overly processed effects work. This movie is a bridge for lovers of the old school makeup and proponents of the new stuff.

Almost video-game like in its pace, "Overlord" manages to be immersive by sheer nature of its "all or nothing" mentality. Buckle in, cause its a ride from the start to the end. Great fun! 9/10