Outpost II: Black Sun (2012) Review
A couple of years back writer/director Steve Barker delivered a deliciously atmospheric, ghoulish and well acted Nazi zombie chiller called Outpost. A hardened bunch of mercenaries are paid a bundle to go on a mission where very little is known to them except that they are to accompany a British government scientist and locate an artefact. Their mission takes them to a remote bunker at an undisclosed location in war-torn Eastern Europe. From then on the soldiers find themselves battling against vicious Nazi zombies losing their lives all for the sake of a war machine, designed by Hitler’s scientists, that our government wants to get it’s mitts on.
Second-time around Barker has opened up the story rather than offer a tired retread of before. Unfortunately, in broadening the canvas they have spread the paint thin and turned in a bland, tedious and bordering on appalling flick that is an insult to anyone that rents or buys this expecting the solid surprising entertainment of the first. Lena (Catherine Steadman) is a young, spunky, no bullshit Nazi hunter. Her quest is to locate the mysterious Klausener, one of the few remaining Nazi war criminals. In her search Lena makes the acquaintance of a scientist by the name of Wallace (Richard Coyle) who might be able to assist her. They become allies and venture over enemy lines in Eastern Europe – as you do and despite our Nazi zombies battling with NATO forces about them – and not surprisingly they soon need rescuing. Luckily a band of soldier stereotypes masquerading as a British task force take them under their wing and they seek out the Nazi war machine and destroy it before the world is lost to the zombie soldiers.
The filmmakers are evidently looking to make an homage the escapist thrills of an Indiana Jones movie with Nazi’s, soldiers, action and double-crossing and a pivotal scene towards the climax that is less homage more blatant rip-off ! Credit due for not just spilling out a rehash of the original and looking to expand however writer/director Steve Barker appears to believe that he doesn’t need to try to impress having surprised with his original flick and resting on the reputation of the first film to sell (us) this one.
Lena (Catherine Steadman) comes across as a no-nonsense get what she wants kind of girl in the opening scene and then becomes lifeless and called upon to do nothing but bring violent death along with her to any new characters the plot brings in. Then at the end she finds that spark again and remembers that she was meant to be a bounty hunter chasing down war-criminals. In fact the opening scene and closing scene both play like they are from a different sparkier flick. The filling in between is limp; the zombies no longer sinister and lost in the desire to ramp up the action only once reminding the audience of why they were so spooky first time around during a mass stabbing.
Richard Coyle as Wallace, looking for the same secrets as Lena, appears lost much of the time as to what’s going on ; always looking like he’s waiting for some meaty dialogue that actually means something to get his acting chops around. His pairing with Steadman as Lena lacks any oomph and as a matter of fact their best scene together is when they are talking on the phone rather than actually acting together.
The first Outpost worked as a ghost story whereas here the emphasis is not to retread the same path of dark bunkers and vicious killings. This time around the killings are muted and the push is for a franchise so the story is expanded without the savvy or funding to compensate for a lack of savvy to open up to accommodate the nonsense unfolding onscreen. Where there was suspense before it’s inevitable that whoever our two leads cross paths with are going to end up hacked to death to the point of tedium. And with that aforementioned franchise concept in mind Outpost II is left hanging open for a third instalment. Buy into the changes Outpost II offers and you’ll gagging for more. Looking for something that delivers on the horror count as per the first and you’ll be head in hands moaning ‘No more!’
