Virus Undead (2008)

User Rating:

3.7/10   

Directors:

Wolf Wolff
Ohmuthi (co-director)

Writer:

Wolf Jahnke (writer)

Genre:

Horror

Plot Keywords:

Wilhelm Scream

Cast

Alex Attimonelli	...	Zombie mit Sichel im Kopf
Anna Breuer	...	Vanessa Lux
Philipp Danne	...	Robert Hansen
Marvin Gronen	...	Patrick
Jesse Inman	...	Dicker Mann
Nikolas Jürgens	...	Eugen
Joost Siedhoff	...	Professor Bergen
Wolfgang Stegemann	...	Zombie
Birthe Wolter	...	Marlene

Runtime:

USA:95 min (original version)

Country:

Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company:

Legendary Units

Soundtrack:

Virus Undead

Well worth seeing

Considering the fact that most German horror movies of recent years came from amateurs with their video cameras and varying degrees of talent and that there hasn't been any real tradition of this kind of genre films for decades in this country, VIRUS UNDEAD certainly seems like a welcome breath of fresh air.

Not only was it actually filmed on 35mm, the whole workmanship on display here is miles above what you'd expect from a little low budget horror movie from Germany: The credit-sequence is extremely stylish, the digital special effects of helicopters and birds are surprisingly well done, there's some rather spectacular stunt work to be seen - in short: VIRUS UNDEAD looks professional.

More important, the movie's not only very well made on a purely technical level, it displays a very good eye from its two directors as well. There are some quite impressive shots and sequences to be seen here, especially in the second half of the movie, when the main characters are besieged in an old mansion. This was actually the part of VIRUS UNDEAD I enjoyed the most, because the skilled use of that beautiful location made for some chilling moments that reminded me of the haunting atmosphere of European horror classics from decades past.

So is this a flawless movie? No, of course not. I was a bit annoyed by the use of the English language, which sounded quite unnatural to me most of the time and seemed in harsh contrast to the obviously German locations. I got used to it as the movie went on though, and I understand it had to be filmed in English to get the financing done. I wasn't very fond of the main characters either who just didn't seem likable to me. The guy who turns psycho in the end did a good job though and was pretty convincing.

So while VIRUS UNDEAD is certainly far from perfect I definitely can't agree with the comment from another user that this was "the baddest Movie ever". It may not be 'the gooddest Movie ever' (ahem), but there's much to enjoy here.