Dead Snow 2 (2014)

 

The first 'Dead Snow' was a surprisingly tense horrorflick that had just enough comedy to balance it all out and make for a very entertaining watch. So how on Earth does one continue the story from there on, without making it too derivative?

You turn it into a balls-to-the-wall slapstick comedy. With buckets of blood and guts. 

One might argue that this more or less follows the trajectory of the 'Evil Dead'-franchise, as the first one also was more serious and the second one completely over the top and funny as all hell. And you'd be pretty spot on, actually. 

This film picks up right where the first one ended, where Martin has to fight off Oberst Herzog in his car, as he still had one coin of the cursed nazi gold left. However, Herzog discovers the nearby town of Talvik and this turns out to have been part of their mission. These zombies need to complete their mission before they can finally rest. Sort of. 

Martin has a car crash and when he wakes up, he not only discovers that the doctors have attached Herzog's arm to his body, but also that he is under suspicion for murdering all his friends. He escapes and discovers there is something like a Zombie Squad from the US, that turns out to be comprised of three nerds that want to help him fight the menace. Things get even more bizarre as Martin discovers he has the power to resurrect corpses as well, and they decide to raise a group of Russians prisoners from the Second World War to aid in their battle. 

This one clearly doesn't go for the suspense anymore, which is a good decision. What you get instead is a gory comedy. Imagine the Black Knight-sequence from 'Monty Python's The Holy Grail', only far more graphic. This silly tone works really well, even if most of the characters are so comically exaggerated, it turns a bit weird. And of course, your appreciation of this one will depend on how brutal and dark you like your comedy. 

For instance: what happens to the young kid at the hospital is a good test. If you are horrified and can't find it funny, then this is most definitely not for you. But if you are rolling over the floor laughing, then you will enjoy 'Dead Snow 2' immensely. 

Is it as good as the first? No. But is it still enjoyable when you are in the mood for some carnage? 

Of course.