I consider myself to be a pretty generous critic, perhaps even too generous. If I can see a film trying, or sense a filmmakers good intentions, that’s usually worth a lot for me. If a movie works as a whole I’m willing to let a whole lot slide. So it was something of a surprise to find myself on the opposite end of the spectrum in regards to two films that are getting bizarre passes, even raves from reviewers, both of which left me completely cold.
Dead Snow features Zombie Nazis is a concept that resonates on a “Wallace Beery Wrestling Pictures” primitive level. With a hook like that what more do you need? Don’t ask the makers of Dead Snow, because they have no fucking idea.
Dead Snow desperately wants to be counted asone of the Spatter Punk films of the eighties. Look Sam Raimi, Dan O’Bannon, and Peter Jackson are all genuine heroes of mine. But I’m sorry to say, this ain’t that.
The film this really reminds me of is Cabin Fever. It’s the same situation, cool concept, game director, dedicated cast, with nothing that’s remotely close to what you’d call a genuine investment.
There are a couple moments in particular where the movie goes completely awry. Going for a big emotional moment when that serve as the definition of unearned.
Give them credit, they try. This isn’t Hatchet, or Behind The Mask. The filmmaker try to create a sense of tension, interesting mythology, cast of characters that you DON’T want to see killed by Zombie Nazis, and a compelling story. Its just that all of these objectives are met with failure.
There are some great moments in Dead Snow but they’re few and far between. The filmmakers can’t seem to decide whether to play the coy Jaws game (The Zombie Nazi’s don’t show up until forty five minutes into the movie, and you don’t get a real good look at them until nearly an hour in.) or to go all out with Dead Alive style madness. It splits the difference with unsatisfying results.
I was looking forward to How To Train Your Dragon. After all for all the horrid crass product they’ve made, Dreamworks animation has shown itself capable of occasionally pulling out a diamond (or at least a cubic zirconium) with the likes of Kung Fu Panda and Over The Hedge. Not great movies to be sure, but clever, effective, well animated films. How To Train Your Dragon is not one of these films.
I was looking forward to the film based on the positive reviews which promised an affecting story, and trailers which promised a quirky deviation from The Dreamwork’s animated house style. Unfortunately I was disappointed on both accounts.
The story is fill in the blanks Dreamworks stuff, with Hiccup, the young blah blah blah a hero, but thanks to his blah blah blah disappointed father blah blah blah wacky mentor character blah blah blah appealing marketable animal blah blah blah giant climatic battle. To get invested in this kind of Mad Libs view of animated story telling you have to have one hell of a game cast. And Dragon does not provide. Jay Baruchel as the lead merely sounds bored throughout the film, Gerard Butler plays Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson gets some wacky lines.
The film’s animation design is fine, I’m not the first to note the resemblance between the characters and the art of famous Mad illustrator Don Martin, and the animation and design on Toothless (the titular Dragon) is personality filled and always fun to watch. Creating a creature with the body of a Salmander, the movements of a cat, the head of a snake, and the disposition of a half trained German Shepard.
Yet while the animation is fine in some places its almost embarrassingly rote in others. Its in the little things, the way that Hiccup’s child like body language clashes with Baruchel clearly teenaged performance. But its in the big things to, like the way Every Viking and Vikingess who doesn’t have the line has the exact same model. No seriously. Its almost unbelievably sloppy. Not that it matters much, because the plot finds a convient reason for all the non principle Vikings to leave the now conspicuously depopulated village leaving only Hiccup and the supporting cast, unpleasant both in design and performance the type of characters both underdeveloped but who in no way inspire a wish for further development, to train for oncoming battle with the dragons.
Now to give the devil his due, the flight scenes are fantastic. Using the ultra depth of field to create some astounding vertigo inducing moments that capture the feel and wonder of flight with a level of skill that’s worthy of Miyaziki. But we’re talking about half an hour of the movie at the most. Surrounded by a whole lot of very bland scenes. In the end all the flight scenes amount to is an impressive tech demo with an admittedly likable mascot, while the movie itself amounts to a whole lot less.
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