Dead Snow 2: Red Vs. Dead (2014)

   

Directed by: Tommy Wirkola

Written by: Stig Frode Henriksen, Veger Hoel & Tommy Wirkola

Starring:

V ... Martin
.... Herzog
.... Daniel
.... Monica
.... Blake
.... Glenn Kenneth
.... Gunga
.... Sidekick Zombie

Release Dates: Sundance Film Festival: January 19, 2014; Fantasy Filmfest: March 15, 2014; Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival: April 10, 2014; Night Visions Film Festival: April 11, 2014; Stanley Film Festival: April 25, 2014; Seattle International Film Festival: May 30, 2014; Sydney Film Festival: June 5, 2014; Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival: July 19, 2014; Fantasia International Film Festival: July 26, 2014; Frightfest: August 24, 2014; Fantastic Fest: September 18, 2014; Athens Film Festival: Se[ptember 19, 2014; Lund Fantastisk Film Festival: September 26, 2014; Saskatoon Fantastic Film Festival: September 27, 2014; Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival: October 4, 2014; Limited Theatrical: October 10, 2014; Mile High Horror Film Festival: October 11,2014; Toronto After Dark Film Festival: October 18, 2014; Razor Reel Flanders Film Festival: November 11, 2014

 

Rating:

 

Martin (Vegar Hoel) is still on the chase from the NAZI zombie's lead by the nasty Herzog (

 

There's the flashback sequences that we spot in the previous film and then it goes right to when the last one ended off which worked in cleverly. There's a strong and effective moment with the lead character Martin in the hospital as well as the police officer and paramedic talking nastily towards him which looked well done and perfectly peer pressuring. Plus a good moment when he discovers that he has a zombie arm attached to him and the shocking and gruesome moments that he does attacking these two people in a deadly way.
Good campy moment with Martin trying to convince a child to unstrap him offering him candy as well as later on not controlling himself with the arm to do something deadly to him as well as alot of powerful moments on him trying to get away which looked impressive to watch.
Nice special effects on the head zombie NAZI Herzog awakening the others using his fist to the ground and showing effects on the ground which is impressive for anyone who enjoys these types.
Many hokey situations involving people that are victims to these zombies and one liners but sometimes the comedy showed some perfect timing too.
We have a campy situation with a zombie slayer Daniel talking to Martin on the internet as well as discussing with his sidekicks Monica and Blake as to what their mission is going to be which looked slapstick but it seemed to come across a bit cheesy and stale at the same time but not terrible by any means.
Also some campy moments when the three of them go to a warehouse to buy some equipments like shears and other stuff for weapons to do away with zombies along with a good camera shot on the long printed receipt on how much everything will cost which you can tell will be alot of money. It offers good comedic timing for a film like this one.
A good moment between both Martin and Glenn to pose as statue soldiers so Herzog and his zombie troopers don't recognise them as people as this makes you cringe by watching as to how still they can freeze the way they are for so long.
Great gross out stuff on what the NAZI zombies are doing in order to resurrect the dead bodies to becoming a part of them as well as Glenn throwing up while watching this as this too looked gross. This should please gorehounds who likes shocking gross out situations.
Alot of great shocking and hokey moments with the NAZI zombies running over or killing locals in an army tank and black comedic situations while happening here as well as the horrifying moments which is genuinely controversial to watch including someone running away and leaving someone in a wheelchair behind or two mothers trapped with this madness while walking their babies in a stroller.
Nicely strong moment on Martin testing his arm as to what to do to stop the madness which looked cleverly done here as well as resurrecting a zombie to use as a pet of some sort which looked too much and spotting gross out moments while driving in his vehicle with this object as to what he does. Adds a ton of zany and hokey moments for sure.
Perfect dark shots on Martin near a burial ground which looked gloomy and plunging his fist to the ground to resurrect the dead as well as nice close up shots on the dead rising from the dirt which should impress zombie fans big time. Also good moments with the head zombie saluting to him in which this looked heroic to watch.
Perfect shots between the good and bad zombies ready to do battle as well as great action shots when they charge along with perfect gruesome effects. Also we have nice fast action camera shots between Martin and Herzog battling too on top of the army tank as well as Daniel battling the zombies inside of the tank driving this vehicle. Lots of fast paced brawling within all of this.
A perfect moment near the end when Daniel digs up his dead wifes grave and resurrects her along with a gross out romance between the two of them which looked too zany while spotting all of this.
Bottom line is that this film was well done offering the slapstick comedy and horror into one but yet some of the plotlines looked a bit stale and nowhere near as effective as the original and becomes a drag at times and perfectly sick and gross too. Sometimes the story seemed to have a writers block and not getting to the nitty gritty at certain times. For anyon who likes gross out comedy, horror and action all into one then you may get a kick out of this party flick.

The acting is well performed as many of these cast members show both comedic and horror timing. Lead actor Vegar Hoel(Martin) offers alot while reprising his role as he does well by reacting unpredictable with his zombie hand acting perfectly forceful and violent. Plus does well by trying to act calm when this happens as he comes off convincingly funny. Also does well when trying to be safe from the terror and showing good nervous reactions. Plus he was great by calling out and preparing for battle which he shows alot of great energy with his blocking and forceful emotions. He also shows some good strong blocking when trying to dig up a grave near the end of his performance in which he shows a perfect concentration within all of this.
(Herzog) still knew his craft quit well as the NAZI leader in which he shows a good powerful and ruthless attitude as well as knowing on how to act menacing while slaughtering others. He also does well by carefully eyeing something and acting slick as well as cold on other situations. His blocking and energy was dead on too especially during a battling scene looking good and invincible.
(Daniel) seemed to be natural playing a nerdy type of zombie slayer and studied his part quite well as a computer geek and showing good enthusiasm into planning a battle which was dead on and does well not taking things seriously. Had the right looks for this and the appeal was good too. Showed off good battling energy as well. Yes he was a decent character actor.
Jocelyn DeBoer
(Monica) showed great enthusiasm and courage in her role as the super outgoing one in which she added some nice pizzaz to her role. She also showed great energy planning to do something as she had a ton of spunk while doing this. She was very convincing as one of the sidekicks for the zombie slayers. Also had the right nice girl looks too.
Ingrid Haas
(Blake) did a nice job as the brainy and nerdy sidekick in the film and does well with her panicking and fearful attitude. Does well with her energy and looks too. Shows off a good motive to do whatever she had to do in her performance and offers characteristics too. She blended in okay with the rest of the cast.
Stig Frode Henriksen
(Glenn Kenneth) was a natural ham in this flick offering perfect timing as a pansy type of role with his high pitched spooked attitude and fearful behavior as he was a ball of action by what he does. Probably he was the most comedic type in the film. Also had the right feminine looks for what he did in this flick too.

Lots of gore to gross you out.
Decapitated head.
Plenty of heads and bodies crushed by vehicles or stomped.
Intestines and guts ripped out of bodies in various scenes as well as being used as tubes for syphoning gas.
Heads are blown off.
Brains grabbed out.
Arms andlegs torn off.
Plenty of bloodsheds.
People being impaled as well as hearts ripped out.
Axes thrown at heads.
Hammers used to bludgeon heads repetitvely.

The music was powerfully done composed by Christian Wiebe in which he has great powerful violin playing sounding different in each parts and having a good sharpness to everything. Also alot of deep strong trombone playing too which made things sound quite powerful as well as in a scene some chanting sounds when the russian zombie's rise from the ground as this sounded perfectly catchy to everything.

A cool songtrack by Bonnie Tyler with "Eclipse of the Heart" when the main character Martin tries to revive his dead wife from the grave which looked effective on the tune playing while he is doing this. Seemed to show perfect timing for an old ballad such as this one.