30 Years Anniversary Review Of Universal Soldier

The year 1992, what a magical year it was. This was the year when Rage Against The Machine released their fantastic debut album, simply called Rage Against The Machine. This is one of those classic rap metal albums that sounds just as good today, as it did when the album was released 30 years ago. I have to mention Faith No More´s album Angel Dust as well, perhaps their best studio album ever that was also released the same year. 1992 was also the year when especially action movies would deliver a lot of goodies in VHS stores. The video store owner Micke at Videomix, who i visited a lot at this time, he knew how much i loved violent action films. So he would tell me what releases are on the way, and there were plenty of titles that seemed really cool. But the real place to experience action movies was of course at our local cinema, and i still remember the first time i watched The Last Boy Scout with Bruce Willis in cinema ( technically a 1991 film, but was not released in cinema until January of 1992 in Sweden ). The Last Boy Scout turned out to be a really fun, and well made action film from legendary director Tony Scott ( director of so many classics such as True Romance, Crimson Tide, and of course the 1986 film Top Gun ( a film i can watch, but i am not a big fan of ). The Last Boy Scout starts of with a televised football game L.A. Stallions running back Billy Cole ( Billy Blanks ) receives a phone call from a mysterious man named Milo ( Taylor Negron ), who warns him to win the game. Cole ingests PCP and, in a drug-induced rage, brings a gun onto the field, shooting three opposing players to reach the end zone. Cole ends up shooting himself in the head. Meanwhile, private investigator Joe Hallenbeck ( Bruce Willis ), a disgraced former Secret Service Agent, beat up his business partner and best friend Mike Matthews ( Bruce McGill ), for sleeping with his wife Sarah Hallenbeck ( Chelsea Field ).  After this is done, Joe agree on taking a well-payed assignment, to act as a bodyguard for a stripper named Cory ( Halle Berry ). It turns out, there is much more behind the story than Joe expected. The Last Boy Scout is easily one of the best action movies in Bruce Willis career, and he have such a great chemistry in this film with actor Damon Wayans. This might actually be one of my favourite films from director Tony Scott. Definetely worth checking out on streaming sites. I recently went through a list of action films of 1992 and i noticed that Universal Soldier with Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren turns 30 years this year. Of course we have to celebrate that, so i decided to make a 30 years anniversary review of this film. Is it just as good today as it was back in 1992, or have Universal Soldier aged a lot over these years, and lost some of the magic?

In 1969, a U.S. Army team is ordered to secure a village against North Vietnamese forces. Soldier Luc Deveraux ( Jean-Claude Van Damme ) discovers members of his squad and villagers murdered, all with their ears removed. Deveraux finds his sergeant, Andrew Scott ( Dolph Lundgren ), who have gone insane and made a necklace of severed ears, and holding a young couple hostage. Scott execute the man, and orders Luc to execute the girl. He refuses and tries to stop him. They both end up dying in a gun battle. Their bodies are taken care of the American army and cryogenically frozen down, to be used in a new military program called Universal Soldier. The idea with this program is to bring back dead soldier´s back to life, and make them super soldier´s, who will only follow orders and finish each job, no matter what they are told to do. But when Luc Deveraux suddenly have memory flashback´s, where he remember what former sergeant Andrew did in Vietnam, he have problems following orders. Suddenly, the Universal Soldier program is not working as it should, and Andrew is also getting his memory back.

Even if 30 years have passed, Universal Soldier still manage to entertain the audiences worldwide for a number of reasons. First of all the combination of having both Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren fighting against each other, makes this film especially entertaining. They both have a really good screen presence, and it is their action scenes together where this film works best. Even if this film does not have much martial art scenes that we are used to see Van Damme do, we still have plenty of guns, explosions and violence. But the final fight is where we really get to see these action icons really hit the right spot. I also enjoy the comedy influences thrown in here in certain scenes, where this film does not take itself too seriously. This was actually a good thing, because if you are going to make a film about dead soldiers coming back to life, you have to be able to joke about certain details, without harming the plot itself. If you are looking for great acting, this may not be the film you are looking for, but that is not what is important in a film such as this. I still feel that Jean-Claude Van Damme as his character Luc Deveraux and Dolph Lundgren as Andrew Scott, both manage to make their characters fun and doesn´t take themselves too seriously. Actress Ally Walker ( who i used to love watching in the 90´s TV crime series Profiler as the character Dr. Samantha "Sam" Waters, who can also be seen in TV series Sons Of Anarchy ) deliver a fun acting performance as reporter Veronica Roberts. Director Roland Emmerich manage to combine some really fun ideas with Universal Soldier, and he proved that it is possible to make an action film entertaining, even if the Vietnam war influences are usually taken very seriously. He also manage to combine the right action ingredients to make the film work, without feeling too cheesy. Universal Soldier has a little bit of everything if you just want to have a good time, and watch a movie that is purely made for action fans. I would definetely say that Universal Soldier will be seen as one of the 90´s action classics, because even 30 years later, this film still manage to entertain me, just as much as it did on the big screen. Definetely worth checking out this summer and celebrate 30 years of a classic, no matter if you watch it on streaming services, DVD or Blu ray. There is not doubt, Universal Soldier still have a lot to offer, no matter what genre you usually prefer. I guarantee, once you have experienced this film, you will definetely fall in love all over again.

Rating: DDDD

Death Count

When we think about Hollywood, we usually think about directors. But let´s be honest here and speak about the importance of film producers as well. Without their hard work, we would not be able to see all new films, since they are a big part of the making of films.  There are some really well known film producers across America, who have delivered so many classics. Two of my personal favourite film producers of the past, is without a doubt the Cannon Film duo The Go-Go Boys, known as Menahem Golan and Yoran Globus. This duo managed to produce a lot of real classic 80´s films, that will be loved by many generations ahead. Just to mention some of the films, i decided to make a small wonderful list:

Missing In Action ( 1984 )

Death Wish 3 ( 1985

Cobra ( 1986 )

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 ( 1986 )

Over The Top ( 1987 )

There are so many films i could discuss here, but it would take a very long time. Menahem Golam and Yoran Globus were incredible in their own unique way. They always worked on new films, and they never stopped. Making films was their big passion, and they always cared about the audience. No matter how difficult it was sometimes, since they worked with limited budgets, they did everything they could to make their projects come to life on the big screen. Unfortunately, Cannon Films could not survive into the 90´s because of the economy, but the legacy of Menahem Golan and Yoran Globus lives on for many generations to come. In present day we do have a lot of well known film producers, but i feel that there are two brothers who are really making an impact worldwide. And these film producers are known as Sonny Mahal and Michael Mahal. You might recognize their names, and that is because they are just as hard working in the industry as Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus were. Sonny and Michael Mahal have produced several films so far, such as Party Bus To Hell, Art Of The Dead and Attack Of The Unknown. They have a lot of upcoming films coming up for a release, and i am really looking forward to see them all, especially Bridge Of The Doomed ( i am a big fan of zombie films ). I did review Attack Of The Unknown and gave it a positive review, and now i was given a chance to see Death Count, one of the films who is produced by Sonny Mahal and Michael Mahal. Is it possible that Death Count is one of the films you need to see this summer, or was it not as good as i was hoping it would be?

A group of strangers wakes up individual holding cells, where no one remember how they got here. A man known as Warden ( Costas Mandylor ) inform everyone that this is a competition, and if they want to survive, they must follow his rules. As long as they follow the rules, their chances of surviving is quite bigger. How far do they have to go, to finish this game?

It is quite nice to step into something different than Attack Of The Unknown, and to experience a horror film instead. As i was watching Death Count, i was reminded of the 2008 thriller film Untraceable. Both films are quite different, but they do have one thing in common. In both of these films you get to see chosen people suffer to death, while being watched online on a particular website. In the case of Death Count, the plot is nicely built around the mystery of the mysterious man known as Warden. He is actually one of the most interesting characters in Death Count, played by actor Costas Mandylor ( who you probably remember from Saw 4 - Saw 7 ). Wearing a half mask and giving the prisoners instructions, Warden is a character who is clearly feeding on the fear of the prisoners. Even if you can´t see his eyes, you can tell by his voice that he is determined to finish what he started. Actor Costas Mandylor manage to balance this evil character, without feeling like a copycat to Jigsaw. Is there anything specific that caught my attention with Death Count? Yes, the practical make up effects. I love to see the brutal kills in Death Count, and in this film we do have some tasteful treats that are quite nasty. They really wanted to capture the feeling of old school gory horror with this film, and there are certain scenes where they pull this off in a surprising effective way. I also enjoy the approach of the game, where it is up to each person to hurt themselves as much as possible, to get as many likes as possible from the internet watchers. It really tells you that there are some messed up people out there, who actually enjoy watching people suffering. We also get a interesting twist into the story later on that surprised me, where we find out why these people were chosen. The actors in general deliver acting performances that are alright, and i especially enjoy actress Sarah French as Rachel. The scenes where she expresses fear, of not knowing how to get out or what to do in this situation, capture the right atmosphere of how someone might feel being trapped. Even if you can tell that Death Count have been inspired by both Saw and Hostel, the film manage to go in a different direction, and proves that there is much more to appreciate about this film, than just being a rip off to Saw. The police scenes may not be as effective as i was hoping they would be, but it is always lovely to see legendary actor Michael Madsen delivering dialogue in his own unique way. Death Count is a film that gives hope for gory independent horror fans, and why we appreciate practical make up effects so much. Director Michael Su finds all the strings that he needs to make this film a fun, and quite violent horror film. If you are a fan of the gory horror genre, Death Count is definetely what you are looking for. Now excuse me, i am off to sign myself up to this game. Who does not want to be tortured online to get the most likes? Sounds like the perfect Swedish weekend for me.

Rating: DDD

Furioza

Gang violence is a worldwide problem that will never be solved. No matter how much we would want the murders of innocent people to stop, there is no way to make sure everyone is safe. There will always be victims, no matter how effective some nations are in their police work. So should we loose all hope? No, if we do that then there is no reason to fight against gang violence. So the fight goes on, and if we do it correctly, we might save some people who wants to leave their criminal life behind. I remember back in 1992 when i met a guy at my school, who was a member of a criminal gang. He told me openly about the drugs he have tried, the money he was making, while he was wearing Dr. Martens boots. Unfortunately, he did not take his life too seriously and was injured really bad in a knife fight. He survived, but it damaged him really big, especially his mind. He changed completely when he came back from the hospital, barely talked to anyone, it was just like he was no longer the tough guy anymore, as if this knife fight affected him mentally. The last time i saw him was in a park around 1995, where he was sitting alone looking at the trees. I still remember his eyes, it was like he had no soul anymore. When it comes to gang violence portrayed in movies, there is especially one film that i really love. And that is the 1993 criminal drama Blood In Blood Out from director Taylor Hackford ( director of the 90´s classics Dolores Clairborne and The Devil´s Advocate ). Blood In Blood Out is a very powerful story of Miklo Velka ( Damian Chapa ), a 17-year-old son of a Mexican mother and a white father. After a violent confrontation with his racist father, Miklo leaves Las Vegas for East Los Angeles. where he stays with his cousins, Paco ( Benjamin Bratt ) and Cruz ( Jesse Borrego ). His cousins are in the local Vatos Locos gang, and Miklo earns his membership during an attack on their rivals, the Tres Puntos. Blood In Blood Out deliver a very powerful message on how damaged human souls can become after joining gangs, but also show that people who don´t feel welcome anywhere, finds a new home where they are accepted. The acting in this film is one of the reasons why this film is so powerful, and actor Damian Chapa have never been better, i would easily say this is his best acting performance. Director Taylor Hackford does a brilliant job capturing the thug life, with his camera technique and passion for the story. A must see on DVD, well worth having in your film collection. When you think of Poland, you might be thinking about dishes such as Pieorgi, footballer Robert Lewandowski or perhaps Jan Lewan, also known as The Polka King ( you should see the film based on his life, on Netflix with Black Jack ). But there is so much more that we could talk about Poland, such as films made in Poland. I have seen a couple, and most of them are good, except for 365 Days. But when i saw that Netflix have released a Polish crime drama called Furioza, i was actually curious to give this film a chance. Is this a film everyone should be watching on Netflix this summer, or is Furioza very easy to forget?

An event from the past seperates the fate of three friends. Police woman Dzika ( Weronika Ksiakzkiewicz ) confront her friend David ( Mateusz Banasiuk ) and make him an offer he can´t reject. Either he becomes a police informant, or his brother Kaszub ( Wojciech Zielinski ) will go to prison with a long-term sentence. To make this work, David decides to infiltrate the organized criminal group where his brother is located known as Furioza. He knows the risks, and that he may not survive, but he is willing to do anything for his beloved brother.

I have seen a lot of criminal films, and it is always easy to compare films in this genre and say that we have seen it all before. For the most part, a lot of these films borrow ideas from similar films, and combine them together with other genres. And there are elements in Furioza that we have seen many times before, but the one thing that makes this film interesting is the background story of the criminals. Since we are dealing with football hooligan gangster´s, you know from an early start that they don´t really care if they hurt anyone. The gang Furioza is a brotherhood, and you show the pride by fighting, no matter how injured you get. The one thing that makes Furioza especially stand out from certain criminal films, is the level of violence that this film deliver. And i honestly think they made the right choice, not holding back on the brutality. In real life, this is the way criminal football hooligan´s actually live, not knowing if they will live the next day. I have to talk about the best acting performance of this film, and that is from Polish actor Mateusz Damecki as the character Golden. This may be the best acting performance i have ever seen someone do in a Polish film, he is absolutely brilliant. The way he expresses his anger, hate, and struggle with personal problems, Mateusz manage to bring out all the emotions through his performance. I guarantee you will not see many acting performances this year on this level, so be prepared to feel emotionally affected by his performance. I also really enjoy the acting performance from actor Wojciech Zielinski as the character Kaszub, another damaged soul with a lot of bad experiences. As the story of Furioza moves along, you get a sense that a lot of these hooligan members don´t see any light in their lives, as if they are stuck, with no other option where happiness does not really exists. As if they only see one way out, a depressing but true image of criminal life, and this is without a doubt one of the reasons why Furioza feels realistic. Director Cyprian T. Olencki knows how to tell a powerful story, while making sure he capture the brutal lifestyle of criminals in a brutal and honest way. If you are looking for something good this summer on Netflix, you should definetely give Furioza a chance.

Rating: DDD

Pursuit

There are actors who can do all kinds of genres, and still deliver through their performances, no matter what the plot is about. One of those actors who have proved that many times, is legendary actor John Cusack. This is a man who have done so many wonderful films over the years, it would take me forever to go through the list. So i decided to pick one of my personal favourite films with John Cusack. And that is the 1997 action comedy known as Point Blank Grosse from director George Armitare. This is one of those films i can rewatch over and over, and still enjoy it just as much as i did back in 1997. Grosse Point Blank tells the story of professional assassin Martin Blank ( John Cusack ), is preparing for a job, when his assistant, Marcella ( Joan Cusack ), inform him that he has received an invitation to his ten-year high school reunion. The job goes bad for Martin, when he is forced to shoot the target, when it was supposed to look like the victim would die of natural causes. His client demands that he makes amends by killing a Federal witness in Detroit, Michigan, close to his hometown Grosse Pointe, where the reunion is taking place. Eventually Martin decides to go to the high school reunion, but how will he keep his secret that he is an assassin? Grosse Point Blanke is not only a funny film, but this film also have some really good characters included. I also feel that this film manage to capture the true spirit of a high school reunion, since you never know what have happened over all of those years. Have everyone changed, or are some of your former class mates just the same? This is definetely worth checking out on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney +, YouTube or anywhere else you can watch the film. Some of you may remember actor Emile Hirsch from films such as Into The Wild, Milk, Killer Joe and The Autopsy Of Jane Doe. We can find both John Cusack and Emile Hirsch in an action film, simply called Pursuit. I decided to pick up a DVD copy to check out the film, so the question is, is this one of the better action films of 2022, or is it much worse than i expected?

Detective Mike Braslin ( Jake Manley ) crosses path with Rick Calloway ( Emile Hirsch ), a ruthless hacker who´s trying to save his kidnapped wife from a drug cartel. But when things don´t go completely as planned, Rick is forced to find another solution.

I really tried going into Pursuit with an open mind, when you see that this film has a pretty good cast. I thought i might find something to be positive about this film. But i have to be honest and say, this could be the worst film i have seen so far in 2022. As an action film, Pursuit does not have one single exciting action scene. There is not one moment where i felt that the action sequences worked at all. It is almost like this film was made, just to cash in on the Hollywood stars, hoping to sell a lot of DVD´s and Blu Ray´s. What you get is an action film that does not really care about the characters, or the action scenes as well. Every time you hear dialogue between the main characters, it is extremely easy to fall asleep. The acting performances does not have any depth at all, and they seemed bored themselves standing in front of the camera. Especially John Cusack, who does not seem to care at all. It is almost as if he is just waiting to get paid, so he can leave the set and enjoy himself at a night club visit instead. What about the plot? There is actually an interesting plot here, if it was made with passion for the right kind of characters. But the plot is not constructed in a clever way, and you loose interest from an early start. To see actor Emile Hirsch with a face tatoo, playing a professional computer hacker, is a very odd combination. If he actually tried to deliver an interesting character, i might have been more interested. But not even he seems interested in making this film, so he basically deliver dialogue, just as stiff as Donald Trump Jr´s ranting videos. We have to talk about the shooting scenes for a while. Have you ever seen an action film with so boring shooting scenes, that you wonder why they didn´t even try? And that is exactly how you will feel while watching Pursuit. Director Brian Skiba ( who directed Beverly Hills Christmas with Dean Cain ) probably had a cool idea on paper, too bad he could not make it work in the actual film. If you did not think you could find a film that will help you with a good night´s sleep, this is the film you are looking for. Pursuit is the best sleeping pill you could find this year on the market, and that is the only positive thing i can say about this film. Pursuit may be the worst film of the year, and i suppose that might make someone happy, at least that is something worth celebrating. Champagne anyone?

Rating: D

Shut In

We all need our privacy to function as human beings, no matter if you need to go for a walk, read a book, just to clear your mind for a while. We need time to see our family members, or friends of course, but it is important to think about yourself as well. When i need some time alone, i take a moment to watch films that my wife does not like. I can just relax with a nice cup of coffee, and watch independent horror films in different categories. But what if you suddenly were locked in, for an unknown reason, and you don´t know why someone would take away your freedom. That is exactly what happened to the character Paul Conroy ( really well played by actor Ryan Reynolds ), who is a U.S. truck driver working in Iraq, who wakes up buried alive underground, in the really well made drama thriller Buried. This is a claustrophobic film that may not have a big budget, but is really effective. How do you react when you wake up underground, knowing that no one can hear you, and no one knows where you are? Ryan Reynolds gives one of his better acting performances in his career, and i actually think that this was the perfect role for him to prove that he wanted to move on from comedies, and do something more serious. Director Rodrigo Cortés ( who directed the well made black comedy Concusante ) knows how to tell a story with a claustrophobic feeling, using mostly one location for the whole film, inside the coffin. You can tell that Rodrigo really wanted the audience to feel what it would be like, to be in the situation of the main character Paul. Definetey worth checking out on HBO Max, Amazon Prime, or any other streaming site. You may have heard of The Daily Wire, the American conservative news website and media company, well known for people like political commentator Ben Shapiro. In autumn of 2020, The Daily Wire distributed the action thriller Run Hide Fight from director Kyle Rankin. I reviewed this film on DVD in May of 2021, and i actually enjoyed it. Especially actress Isabel May as the character Zoe Bell, who tries to survive a school massacre. Defintely worth picking up on DVD or Blu Ray, if you love films like Die Hard. A few months ago i heard that The Daily Wire have made their first original film called Shut In, that seemed to be in the claustrophobic thriller genre. Since i am a big fan of thrillers, i simply had to check this title out. Is this film just as good as Run Hide Fight, or is it even better than i expected?

Jessica ( Rainey Qualley ) is a former drug addict, trying to make a fresh start for her two kids. Running out of money, she needs to continue her journey to Texas to try and find a new job, and a new home. Unfortunately, her ex-boyfriend Rob ( Jake Hororwitz ) and his friend  Sammy ( Vincent Gallo ) find her location. Jessica is worried about the safety of her children, and as a conflict starts between Jessica and Rob, he thrown her in to the pantry room, and nail her shut in. Jessica is locked in, with 2 drug addicts in the house close to her children. There is no option, she has to find a way out.

There is no way i can compare Shut In and Buried, since they are very different films. But i will say this, Shut In have definetely managed to capture the feeling of how you may feel, being locked up inside a room. It is very hard to say how everyone would react, since we are all different. One thing is clear though, i do believe we would all panic. Shut In is not a pure claustrophobic thriller though like Buried, but have other psychological elements as well. In the case of Jessica, she is forced to try and make her daughter take care of herself, and her baby brother, since she can´t get out. Imagine being a mother locked in, and can´t be sure her kids will have the help they need? Issues such as these help the plot of Shut In become more interesting than the ordinary thrillers we usually see. So how is the acting? Overall i am quite impressed. Actress Rainey Qualley ( who some of you might recognize from the independent thriller Ultrasound, worth checking out ) deliver a great performance as the young mother Jessica. I do believe that Rainey manage to capture a realistic performance how a mother would react, if you were in her situation. The best acting performance though in this film is without a doubt from legendary actor Vincent Gallo ( who is absolutely brilliant in one of my personal favourite films, known as Buffalo´ 66 ) as the drug addict character Sammy. The thing that makes Vincent Gallo such an amazing actor, is the way he uses his body language, and his own unique way to deliver dialogue. I hope we get to see him more in the future, since we definetely need actors of his quality level. Director D.J. Caruso is most known for his action films such as Eagle Eye, I Am Number Four and XXX: The Return Of Cage. I think this is definetely one of his better films in recent years, since he really tried to do something completely different. It is a well made film with great looking scenes, and even if most scenes are just in this big house, it actually works thanks to clever film making. Shut In feels like a throwback to 90´s thrillers, when this genre was still powerful enough to leave an impact. It may not be a future classic, but if you are looking for a solid thriller, i would definetely recommend this one. Hopefully we will have a DVD and Blu Ray of this film, but you can check this film out on VOD. If there is one thing this film Shut In teaches us, is that no matter what it takes to survive, you have to look at all options.

Rating: DDD

The Bunker Game

I remember back in the summer of 1998, when my high school friend Jonas ( who i especially had a very wild drunk Swedish Midsummer party with and some female friends of his, where i puked down a whole kitchen table ) invited me for the first time to his home. He had a big family, and as we were sitting down having dinner, one of his brothers named Stefan told me that he was into roleplaying. He had a group of friends that would see each other on weekends, dressed up as different characters from Dungeons & Dragons. He told me how they made every costume on their own, and even made the weapons as well. They could not make swords, so they made their weapons out from wood that they found in the forest. I remember that Stefan invited me to visit them one weekend, as they were preparing to get together for another roleplay. I thanked him for the invitation, but it just was not my thing. So i did what i usually do on the weekends, i went down to Videomix the VHS store, to hang out with employee Pierre and his boss Micke instead. Speaking of roleplay, what i understand this is very popular worldwide, that people love to become another character. Just to be able to become someone else for a moment and leave your problems behind, and actually have fun. When i come to think about it, i can imagine that it would be a positive thing to do if you need a break from reality. Why not enjoy yourself in a different world, where anything is possible? Of course you have to be able to come back to reality as well, and not stay as the character you choose, or it might become a problem. There is actually a quite funny film that takes on the roleplay subject in a film called Knights Of Badassdom. This film is a mixture of action, comedy and adventure as well, with some really funny characters. If you want to see how crazy things can get with people who love roleplay, you should definetely check this film out from director Joe Lynch ( director of the Netflix film Point Blank, also worth checking out ). Not that long ago, i discovered a film on VOD that looked interesting under the title The Bunker Game. I love horror films that takes place in a bunker, so i just had to check this film out. Is this one of the horror films you should see this summer, or is The Bunker Game even worse than i ever would have imagined?

A big group of people are playing a live action role play game, inside an old war bunker. When a couple of mysterious accidents happen, and people are ready to leave to the outside world, a few of them decides to stay to investigate what have happened to the mastermind of this game, known as Greg ( Lorenzo Richelmy ) who have simply disappeared.

Before i watched The Bunker Game, i did not see any trailer or read about the plot, since i wanted to go into this film and know as little as possible. And i am glad that i did, because that makes you more surprised over the direction that the plot takes you. In the beginning it may look like we are in a bunker with nazis who are trying to make the perfect human race, but it turns out that this is just a roleplay. So when the plot turns around and show us some of the real characters, i actually think that this film manage to switch the plot in a effective way, without hurting the story. Let us talk about what i especially enjoy about this film. The bunker itself looks really good, with wide spaces and realistic arranged rooms, made for living underground. The costume design also looks good, especially when you see the dressed up nazi general preparing an execution. I also think that the film manage to capture the lifestyle of roleplay, how you can become someone else for a moment, and leave your real personality for a while. The actors actually manage to show us that they tried to act out two different characters, and that is of course not easy to do. But i have to say for the most part, the cast manage to do that in a surprising way. I really enjoy the mystery surrounding this bunker, especially when some of the characters are locked inside the bunker. You get the feeling that there is a secret that will be revealed, and as the film goes on i feel that the psychological tension manage to stay through out the film. Actress Gaia Weiss ( who some of you might recognize from the very popular TV series Vikings, playing the character known as Porunn ) is without a doubt one of the most interesting characters in The Bunker Game, as the character Laura. Her screen presence matches so well with the two different characters, and you can tell that she must have had fun doing this performance. Anything negative to say? If i wanted to complain i could just look for smaller details, but why bother when i actually enjoyed this film? The Bunker Game may not be perfect, and i am absolutely fine with that. I just feel that this is a film that manage to combine roleplay and horror, in a surprising positive way. Director Roberto Zazzara have directed several short films, and documentary films as well. The Bunker Game is the first film i have seen him direct so far, and i am actually quite impressed how he managed to make this film work. Not only does the film look good, but the plot is quite different from most horror films. If you are looking for a horror film that tries something different, and does not follow the same pattern as a lot of horror films does these days, you might find this film interesting. I would definetely recommend you to check out The Bunker Game this summer on VOD. If the film gets a DVD or Blu Ray release i will definetely pick it up, after all, who does not love bunker horror films? 

Rating: DDD