The movie blends genres of war, action, horror and sci-fi(Image: Paramount)
Fans say one movie on Netflix holds up as one of the best war films but is not for the faint of heart.
An ‘outrageous’ and ‘ludicrous’ war movie blended with horror genre is described as Saving Private Ryan combined with Resident Evil or The Walking Dead.
Overlord, originally released back in 2018, is now streaming on Netflix and has already earned itself a place on its top 10 charts. At the time of writing, it is the tenth most watched title among UK subscribers and it would not be a surprise if it manages to achieve a higher spot over the weekend.
According to its synopsis, the film is set on the eve of D-Day during the Second World War. American paratroopers drop behind enemy lines to penetrate the walls of a fortified church and destroy a radio transmitter.
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As the soldiers approach their target, they soon begin to realise that there’s more going on in the Nazi-occupied village than a simple military operation. Making their way to an underground lab, the outnumbered men stumble upon a sinister experiment that forces them into a vicious battle against an army of the undead.
Fans say they were ‘shocked to their core’(Image: Paramount)
While Star Wars director and creator of Lost J.J. Abrams is credited as a producer, it was directed by Julius Avery who went on to helm The Pope’s Exorcist. Its script was penned by Billy Ray and Mark L. Smith.
Between them the screenwriters are behind the scripts of films such as The Hunger Games, Terminator: Dark Fate, The Revenant and Twisters. Smith also created Netflix’s American Primeval and Untamed.
Its cast includes stars who went on to become MCU superheroes, including Thunderbolts’ Wyatt Russell and Fantastic Four’s Joseph Quinn.
Overlord was a surprising critical hit upon release and earned a more than respectable 82% rating on website Rotten Tomatoes. One critic described it as ‘Saving Private Ryan meets Resident Evil’.
Another reviewer penned: “Overall, Overlord is a smart film that blends war and horror together effortlessly, resulting in a truly terrifying experience.”
Fans have also shared their enthusiasm for the film. One posted online: “Outrageous horror action flick, pretty much what you would expect by JJ Abrams. The special effects were great & it was fun watching Nazis get blown up.”
Another added: “Bad Germans. Big studio budget. Gore. Re-Animation. Heads getting blown. Romero would be proud. Despite a slow second act and a ludicrous premise, I couldn’t help giggling with glee at the bloody mess this film descends into. Good stupid gooey fun!”
The gore and violence might be too much for some(Image: Paramount)
Others compared the film to video game series Wolfenstein and claimed fans of that franchise should enjoy what’s on offer with the film. As one viewer claimed: “Absolutely amazing movie. Instant cult hit. Hooked from the start, nail biting suspense and tension. Just a great movie! Wolfenstein yes, that was also what came to mind! Simply amazing! Go watch it and enjoy!”
Meanwhile someone else commented: ” Eat your heart out all you war movie fans! A new world war II movie classic has just been born!”
They continued: “Great acting. Riveting suspense. Good plot. Gut wrenching, vicious violence. Brilliant visual and sound effects. Non stop blistering action! Seen it four times now, still shocks me to the core.
“Definitely not suited for the faint of hearted. Don’t shy away by the cheap sounding zombie story, because this movie is first most a serious, thrilling WWII movie. One of the best war movies I have seen the last decade.”
Overlord is streaming on Netflix