Outpost (2008)

    Ray Stevenson is hired to assemble a team of battle-hardened mercenaries to escort their mysterious money-man into the Eastern European wilderness in search of “Minerals.” Easy-peasy, 48 hours round trip. 

    Well, ‘minerals’ turns out to be Nazi Gold and the location is an old, underground  German bunker. And, shortly thereafter, unknown enemy fire from without forces the squad to hole up and fortify the old bunker.

    Soon, what started out as a very ‘Predator’-like film, (“Get to de CHOPPA!!!”), becomes a haunted house ghost story, complete with silent ghostly apparitions! 

    Then, as the inevitable siege gets setting in full-swing, FINALLY! The Nazi Zombies are tagged in!

    Oh, they may have ghost-like qualities, but these shock-troopers kill with bullets, bayonets, and even a pickaxe!

And, although these Zs seem unstoppable, invulnerable, and in overwhelming numbers, a plausible plan for defeating them is in place and hopes are high! But the time is short, and the undead have breached the bunker!

    Outpost’s action scenes are really good, if sporadic. There are periods of slow exposition and atmosphere-building, and then suddenly and briefly, some violence and gore, then back to storyline. The squad works well as a team and although there is some hamming, the mercs are convincingly portrayed. 

    The undead are, of course, Nazi Zombies, and therefore need not adhere to the Rules of Romero. Instead, at times appear as if ghosts, others, as silent soldiers following orders. There is a commanding officer Nazi Z, but he, too, is utterly silent.

    The movie setting, deep in a wilderness, surrounded by forest, and filmed in under-saturated, washed-out colors, provides great mood - very bleak and soullessly utilitarian. Perfectly befitting a clash between two armed forces in Eastern Europe.

    Yeah, I enjoyed this one, but I am such a sucker for a well-done Nazi Undead flick. If, instead, you place your trust in the cold heartlessness of maths, then there is The Zombie Movies Rubric to convince you. When held up to the ZMR, OUTPOST earned itself a 2.55 out of 4.0 points. And although that is a pretty good rating, I may’ve been a bit more generous!

Either way, if you dig your walking dead with a pinch of goose-stepping WWII evil, you should enjoy OUTPOST. 

Of course, YouTube has a trailer to further help you decide! OUTPOST

    Two sequels to follow - reviews coming soon!