Recent Reviews
Film Review: Horrors of War
By John Marrone
Aug 20, 2006, 19:20

Directed by:  Peter John Ross & John Whitney
Running time:  99 minutes
Body count:  40

- trailer (windows media)

This straight to dvd film shot in and around the Youngstown/Columbus Ohio area takes place at the turning point of the second World War.  You know, 1944-1945?  Right about the time Hitler was feeling the pressure from the US and other European nations.  When he had a lone scientist in the woods develop the super-soldier - a zombie like humanoid creature with extraordinary stamina and strength.  Send in some Allied troops behind enemy lines led by a sergeant with super bleached teeth and - what the hell - throw in a werewolf while we're at it, and you've got Horrors of War.

Not a lot to write about this one.  Is it a war movie?  Yes.  Zombie flick?  If you want to call them that - hardly at all.  Monster movie?  No.  Then why is a werewolf kung-fu-ing it out with an undead super soldier at the end?  Your guess is as good as mine.  Horrors of War doesnt really offer anything to the seasoned horror community.  War buffs, perhaps.  Or maybe faint zombie fans that would rather play paintball on the weekends.  Lots of people that look alike running in circles, going back in time, shredding stories for all theyre worth - and anyone in the military or from such families will just laugh outright at the tactics used.  Its watchable - if not fragmented as hell - not to mention weird and monotonous.

In short, this film starts in 1945, with troops advancing on German strongholds behind enemy lines.  Soon from the German positions, a super soldier emerges, taking two bullets in the eyes and several others in the torso before it finally falls.  Closer investigation and it begins to get up...  Sound interesting?  Well that part is over my friends, five minutes into the film.  Its time for the title sequence, "Dawn of the Dead 2004 style", with lots of digital effects and editing.  Looks like 99 percent of the film's professionalism lies here - from an outside company hired to develop the material.

Back to the film, which screeches to a slow down and goes back a year in time to explain the super soldier.  You will now watch endless arrays of indescernable troops running to and fro, in the bushes and behind trees (was that somebody's home there on the horizon?), shooting bullets and taking cover.  Loop this several times until the end, when the German madman scientist is located, and his "re-animating agent" - a glowing green formula administered via syringe.  Familiar?  Top with a climactic battle between bad-over-acting characters, zombie super soldiers, and a barely mentioned French private that just happens to be a lycanthrope, and there's your film.  Leave ending open for sequel and serve. 

FINAL ANALYSIS:  This is another of 2006's low budget horror lineup, and it sits right there next to The Damned and others of their sort when it comes to what you end up getting.  It feels amateurish in production and acting quality, but it has its moments.  If your taste lies in highly produced, big-name schticks, this isn't for you.  Admittedly, it took about three watches to generate any attention, but once it flowed, it held a shimmer of interest.  The high body count is mostly bodies dropping from bullets during the war, the creatures almost look like theyre wearing rubber masks, and only one death is truly "gorey".  Horrors of War is a low budget horror movie war flick, with a bit of campy old-day "monsters" and German "mad scientists" mixed in.  If that sounds like your thing - what the hell, go for it.