Overlord

A blend of action, horror, and comedy that works surprisingly well - 8/10

by Movies-Graded

  • Performances: 7/10

Why? They all knew exactly the type of film they were in. Some of them took their roles a bit more seriously than others, but it worked well given the half A half B nature of the movie. I quite enjoyed the performances overall.

  • Screenplay: 8/10

Why? The script excels at balancing horror, drama, action, and comedy, which is no easy task at all. It's definitely not perfect and I did feel at times that it didn't know what it wanted to be, but the things that worked for me worked really well. The chemistry between the characters, which I find to be crucial in this type of films, was handled with great care, as was the tension. The second half of the movie takes an unexpected turn (if you've seen the trailer, you probably know what I'm talking about) that could've sunk the film, but it instead gives it a B-movie feel that I more than enjoyed. "Overlord" is no masterpiece by any means, but I can't remember the last time I had that much fun watching a movie with such a ridiculous premise on the big screen. And that's more than enough in my book.

  • Special Effects: 5/10

Why? Thankfully, not a lot of CGI was used to design some of the characters we see later on in the film, which instead opted for practical effects and makeup, but the few times computer generated images were used didn't look as great as in your average big Hollywood blockbuster, nor as bad as your typical B-movie effects.

  • Costumes/Makeup: 8/10

Why? "Overlord" is a pretty bloody movie that gets quite gory at times. And I loved it. It doesn't hold back on the amount of blood used but uses it in a way that gives the scenes an over the top atmosphere that will sort of make you want to cheer (much like in the Evil Dead franchise). It was all very well crafted, except maybe for a couple of characters that appear near the end of the movie.

  • Editing: 7/10

Why? I was honestly never bored in the movie. The way the movie was edited gives you a chance to take a breath every once in a while which was necessary. It inconsistently tries too hard to look intentionally bad (same shots recycled, quick cuts during explosions that highlight how awesome they are...), however, which was sort of distracting in my opinion.

  • Cinematography: 6/10

Why? Some interesting camera work here and there but let's be honest, does anyone really care?

  • Score/Soundtrack: 7/10

Why? It's not one you'll be humming when leaving the theater, but it definitely gave energy to a movie that depends on it to work.

FINAL GRADE: 8/10

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