the_teapot
What I always appreciate in any film, but especially one in the zombie genre (because it is so rare), are believable characters. Characters whose actions are logical, even in bizarre situations. And I always appreciate a writer's ability to develop a dramatic plot without relying on characters' moronic decisions to stir trouble. This is seen too rarely in this genre.For anyone wondering whether this is their kind of zombie film, I'll try to knock up a short summary with no spoilers. :) The plot of Rammbock takes you to the very start of the zombie virus outbreak, it begins while the world is still "normal". When it happens, it happens very suddenly. What follows is of course shock and confusion and the horror of not knowing what is going on, then the subsequent eeriness of witnessing the society dissipate through loss of public communication channels, following which the characters must come to terms with the weight of the situation, and shift their usual priorities and inhibitions to bare survival.You are taken through this process with the protagonists, witnessing the first few days of the outbreak and the fragile survival of people trapped in a residential building in the middle of Berlin, surrounded by hordes of the violent infected. Although the director decided not to reveal much about anyone's background and past, this doesn't stop you from empathising and gradually growing fond of them. At no point are any (uninfected) characters polarised or dehumanised, even the nameless ones.This is the type of zombie film with no over-the-top violence and very little gore, the accent is on eeriness and tension, rather than action and special effects.I would say that as far as the zombie apocalypse topic goes, this is one of the more realistic portrayals of how it would look for someone in Europe.If you liked 28 Days Later or Rec, you will almost certainly like this one. If you're more of a Resident Evil type of person, maybe skip it.
dmb-reports
Zombie fans should be content and satisfied after watching "Rammbock: Berlin Undead." The movie is well filmed, has great acting, and doesn't stink one bit. This is in no way a B movie from Germany -- if anything this is a masterpiece destined to become a classic zombie movie.If you're looking to watch a zombie movie that is bound to entertain you and your friends, this is it. The movie keeps you watching and guessing, but it all lasts 59 minutes (yes, short movie). I know, as many zombie fans out there do too, that there are many low-budget zombie movies that really-kind-of-suck and are a total waste of time. So, as someone who is tired of all the trashy movies that destroy the genre, I was glad to finally find this gem and I'm highly recommending it. My score card: Acting A- | Cinematography A+ | Story line A+ | Make-up A | Musical score A+ | Editing A
khaymanbb
If you want to add real drama, lives playing out much closer to what would actually happen should a zombie apocalypse occur, than this is your movie. Great plot, great movie, good drama for a change in a zombie flick. +caution spoiler+ This is a tale of several people, all living in an apartment building, and what would happen should the zombie apocalypse happen. Of course, nobody is armed to the teeth, how to incapacitate a zombie isn't known so it has to be trial and error (ending in someone's demise, of course). It's about desperation, trying to survive with what you may have in a strangers apartment, and what most movies leave out: food. There is the token heroic sacrifice scene, which in this movie made it a 10.
siderite
I always thought that a low budget zombie movie should be a lot better than the big block busters. Maybe set in my home country of Romania, where guns are rarely allowed and even cops don't carry them much, the story would gain a lot of power and the ingenuity of the people would be brought into view.Rammbock is exactly the kind of film I was thinking about: set in Berlin, the Eastern side I guess, with extraordinarily ordinary people getting caught by the zombie epidemic in a banal building block. Complex story, a few people, authentic reactions.I am sure the makers of the movie realized that the true force of the movie is in the obvious of the lowbudgetness, and so they didn't even conform to the length standards of regular movies: it all lasts just an hour, more akin to an episode of something.Bottom line: it is hard to identify with any of the people in the film, simply because they are so ordinary and like normal persons that we refuse to. I watched the movie with English dubbing, which I hated, but I couldn't find the German version. The zombie story was not developed in any way: we don't know how it happened, why or how to stop it. In the end, the true lead character is the story. I liked the film and I would recommend it to viewers of zombie movies.
AD
