Originally reported as being another installment in the worsening “Cloverfield” franchise, “Overlord” is the second endeavor by Julius Avery (“Son of a Gun”) and follows a squad of paratroopers as they attempt to decommission a Nazi radio tower on the eve of D-Day. It is a setup that is routine for countless numbers of World War II movies and video games, such as “The Guns of Navarone,” but “Overlord” circumvents these expectations by blending familiar war movie tropes with elements of horror and science fiction.
After a rather unoriginal opening that echoes “Saving Private Ryan” and “Band of Brothers,” “Overlord’s” story picks up when our heroes stumble upon a secret Nazi lab in the bowels of a French town, the intent of which is sinister in nature (They are Nazis, after all). The cast includes numbers of unfamiliars, such as Jovan Adepo (“Mother!”), Wyatt Russell (“Shimmer Lake”), Mathilde Olivier (“The Misfortunes of Jane”) and Pilou Asbaek (“The Guardian Angel”).
Despite the lack of any real star power, the cast work off each other well enough, even if the performances are hardly memorable. Key standouts include Olivier as the sole female protagonist (who bares similarities to Mélanie Laurent’s “Mia and the White Lion” character in “Inglourious Basterds”) and Asbaek as the ruthless Nazi commander. The film’s biggest flaw relates to the horror aspect. Like many mainstream horror movies, “Overlord” succumbs to jumpscares and loud noises to shock the audience. This leads to scares that are completely predictable, as the blending of various genres does not equate to an entirely original film. Plot devices and tropes from various features of the 1980s are littered throughout, which includes “Re-Animator,” “Return of the Living Dead” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” even similarities to 2011’s “Captain America: The First Avenger.”
One might think this lack of originality would be a considerable detriment, but it is actually “Overlord’s” greatest strength. The movie fully embraces its 80s-nostalgic appeal. It is pure fun, plain and simple. “Overlord” was not made to win an Oscar or be an installment in an overblown cinematic universe; it was made for a fun night at the local movie theater. Think of pieces of entertainment like “Inglourious Basterds” and the “Wolfenstein” game series. One does not watch or play these items to be historically informed, but because they are both wildly fun and have a unique insight into war history. It is difficult to see whether “Overlord” will be remembered as fondly as either of these properties, but it hardly needs to be.
Despite having a clichéd beginning, unmemorable performances and anticipated frights, the film’s entertainment value far outweighs its shortcomings. The climax alone is worth the price of admission. With December fast approaching, “Overlord” will be enough to tide audiences over until Santa comes to town. It is a film that some may find too cliché or run-of-the-mill, but “Overlord” is popcorn entertainment done right. If one is in the mood for “Re-Animator” meets “Captain America,” “Overlord” is for them.
Image from Paramount Pictures via YouTube
