War of the Dead (2011)

War of the Dead is a 2011 action horror film written and directed by Marko Mäkilaakso and starring Andrew Tiernan, Mikko Leppilampi, Jouko Ahola, Samuli Vauramo, Andreas Wilson, Mark Wingett, and Antti Reini.

Plot
It is 1941 and the world is at war. Captain Martin Stone (Andrew Tiernan - 300, 300: Rise of an Empire) is in command of a platoon of American soldiers who have teamed up with a platoon of Finnish soldiers in order to locate and destroy a secret German bunker hidden deep in a Russian forest. After encountering and killing a group of Nazi soldiers they think their troubles are over for the time being. However, they are shocked to find their enemies didn't stay dead for long, returning as near unstoppable walking corpses. With the majority of their respective platoons decimated, the only two survivors, Captain Stone and Lieutenant Laakso (Mikko Leppilampi), along with a Russian soldier they stumble across (Samuel Vauramo), and a scared civilian woman decide to press on and try to finish their objective, pursued by the reanimated dead from both sides.

Cast

 * Andrew Tiernan - Martin Stone
 * Mikko Leppilampi - Lieutenant Laakso
 * Samuli Vauramo - Kolya
 * Jouko Ahola - Kapteeni Niemi
 * Mark Wingett - Selzman
 * Andreas Wilson - Assistant
 * Antti Reini - Sergeant Halonen
 * Magdalena Gorska - Dasha

Production
Production took over eight years, with many changes in both cast and crew. It was originally titled Stone's War, starring James Van Der Beek.

Production occurred in Lithuania, at a cost of €1.3 million (US$1.8 million), making it the most expensive film ever made in Lithuania.

Release
The world premiere was at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival on 22 October 2011.

Reception
In a mostly negative review, Variety called it one-dimensional and unmemorable, though predicted healthy sales on home video. On the other hand, Fangoria praised the film highly, calling it "an extremely impressive debut", with a final rating of 3 out of 4 stars.

Historical errors
The initial scene is set in 1939, presumably during the Russo-Finnish War. What Nazi scientists are doing helping the Finns is not explained.

The bulk of the film is set in 1941, presumably between the start of the Continuation War and Pearl Harbor. How neutral US troops in US uniforms can be serving with the Finns is never explained.

The classic US M-1 steel helmets are too late for 1941. The American Captain wears a Vietnam War era Enlisted uniform jacket under his trench coat. The same Captain also wears odd Captain rank bars on a patch on his arm, when Officer rank is meant to be warn on the collar or shoulders.

The nature of the border in the area where the film is set, though mentioned, is never adequately explained. The German experimental bunker is described as a Soviet bunker but is full of Nazis, undead and otherwise. It is said to be behind "enemy lines", but things are so confused by this stage that it is unclear which enemy is meant.

The air strike at the end is presumably meant to be Finnish. It is hard to imagine that it is American, and a Soviet radio communication after it is ordered makes it clear it is not Soviet. Yet the aircraft resemble Soviet Polikarpov I-16 fighters. They are also clearly not bombers capable of destroying a vast bunker complex.