Heil Schumacher: Blood Creek (2009)

At last, is there finally true penance for Batman & Robin?  Today's Film is Blood Creek, a 2009 Action-Horror Film from Joel Schumacher.  Let me say this first: yes, he's made many Films that were good since *that* one.  Can you blame me though?  15 year-old me was disappointed by that one in Theaters- even though I was the target audience.  I mention the Film because this Film is chock full of future-and-past Comic Book Film Actors.  There are so many that it is almost eerie!  The Film's Leads are two brothers- Dominic Purcell and Henry Cavill.  Ironically, the other guy who played 'Superman' before Cavill is on a Show with Purcell!  The guy behind all of the evil in the Story is played by Michael Fassbender, only a year before his first two Comic Book Films (the other being Jonah Hex).  There's even some deep-cut stuff here as one of the Victims in the Film is played by the guy who was Peggy Carter's Boss on the 1st Season of Agent Carter.  Supposedly Wentworth Miller is here as an Uncredited Soldier, but I couldn't find him.  The Story- evil Nazis try to make Supermen with Rune Stones buried under Farms.  It is a bit out there, I admit.  This all leads to something that you wouldn't quite see until Dead Snow 2.  Beyond all the weird Casting stuff and the crazy Story, is it any good?  To find out, read on...

A Farm in West Virginia agrees to take in a German stranger in 1936.  The man- Fassbender- is interested in the Rune under the Farm...

It is weird how much this plays out similarly to the opening of Inglorious Basterds- also with Fassbender!

In the Present (of 2009), a Paramedic (Cavill) is still living with the loss of his Brother (Purcell) in the Woods.  He's also stuck with a dick of a Dad and having to help raise his kids.

Good News- Cavill still gets to play upset and mopey.  At least he's not Superman in this though...

All of a sudden, his Brother reappears.  He tells them what they need to do...

They go to the Farm where you learn that Purcell was taken and tortured for the last 2 years.

On top of that, the Farm's Residents haven't aged a day since 1940!  What's up with that?

It all relates to Fassbender's Nazi, who is now some sort of Undead blood-drinker guy in black.

Zombie Fassbender is trapped outside due to magic rune symbols (also what stopped Michael Meyers in Halloween 6), but can work around it by bringing people back as Zombies.  People and Horses, that is.

Zombie Horses!

Will Zombie Fassbender be able to get enough blood for the rituals and doom humanity?

Or will Superman and Heatwave have what it takes to stop him?

To find out, watch the Film.  The End.

Surprisingly-good, even if it only has a few tricks up it sleeves.  Blood Creek is such a generic Title for a Film involving a Nazi Super Zombie, right?  That just goes back to my general Thesis of Films- the more subdued the Title, the crazier it is (provided you don't count Japan).  For example, Society is about how Rich People are freaky Mutants to eat poor people and absorb them via osmosis into their body.  In this case, the overall premise is a crazy, but at least grounded by the Acting.  Cavill still doesn't show alot of range here, but at least he's not always brooding.  Purcell is pretty much his usual, grumpy self here and Fassbender is good in his small Role.  The Film gives you a few neat moments- like the revived people and the Zombie Horses- and paces them pretty well.  It only has *so* many tricks though.  Eventually you just kind of get used to the craziness, even when they bring in bone armor.  All in all, Blood Creek is actually a pretty good Film.  It doesn't break the mold and it doesn't 'wow' as much as maybe it should, but I liked it.  Just don't tell Cavill here how his big Sequel will be co-opted by a Batman Film- it would break his heart...

Next up, an obscure Film from a Continent not too well-known for Horror.  Will it be effective down under?  Stay tuned...