Overlord was an idea originally developed by Abrams (written by Billy Ray), rather than being a Paramount-acquired script a la The Cellar (which became 10 Cloverfield Lane) and God Particle (The Cloverfield Paradox), so it's possible it was never planned to be. Of course, due to Abrams' trademark secrecy, there's a lot of unknowns that make way for speculation; it's possible that it was at one point meant to be part of the Cloverfield brand but plans were subsequently changed due to the complicated and mixed reception to The Cloverfield Paradox, a greater desire to move the series in another direction, or an attempt on Abrams part to ensure Bad Robot gave Paramount a movie outside of the franchise.
If it was once planned as a Cloverfield movie, based on what the footage released shows, Overlord would have fit nicely. It's a different beast to the monster, alien invasion and alternate dimensions stories we've got before, instead a World War II-era horror about Nazi experimentation, yet slots into the broader idea of a genre-twisting anthology. If Cloverfield is now more narratively linked, however (The Cloverfield Paradox connected all the movies together into a series of parallel universes), then it may be better to keep Overlord separate.
Pairing some of the spirit of schlocky Nazisploitation fare with a top-flight young cast and better-than-solid filmmaking, the movie is more mainstream that the midnight fare it sounds like on paper, if only by a bit. Horror fans should cheer, as will admirers of the ensemble's up-and-coming cast.
Alan Cerny (8/10) - ComingSoon
Getting the primordial dread of a horror film and the action intensity of a war film to work together is a tough mix, but Avery does it remarkably well... Overlord is all about the Nazi-punching, Nazi-exploding, and Nazi-perforating, with heroes worth rooting for, villains to hiss at, and monsters to tremble at. It’s a full throttle blast, and one hell of an entertaining ride.
Jonathan Barkan (no rating) - Dread Central
Loaded to the brim with action, heavy practical FX, and delightful gore, Overlord is undoubtedly exciting with some truly exhilarating sequences... Overlord gave me exactly what I wanted. Tight, fun, vicious, and brimming with practical FX gore, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a film as gleefully bloody this year.
Haleigh Foutch (B) - Collider
The strongest criticism I can lobby at Overlord is that it seems reluctant to fully commit to the monster bit, wavering between B-movie glory and a straight up soldier story. There are flourishes of fabulously gnarly practical effects and disturbing mad scientist designs but only tastes, never a whole meal.
Matt Donato (8/10) - Slashfilm
Overlord isn’t Call Of Duty: Nazi Zombies…The Movie, for the better. Thunderous WWII recreations are every bit as impressive as Axis bioengineered inhumans that’d make Stuart Gordon blush. Don’t expect zombie waves out the gate, and Julius Avery does take his time to weaponize Hitler’s “Thousand Year Army,” but patience brings reward. Supernatural knuckle-dusting, large-scale French production designs, demented investment into a concept torn from genre fan dreams – this is why horror fans go to the movies. Bold ideas, blackened execution, and a fighting spirit that spits at enemy feet. With Nazi zombies.
Kaleyn Corrigan (B+) - IndieWire
“Overlord” invites low expectations and gleefully rises above them. Yes, this is a B-movie produced with studio resources about American soldiers battling Nazi zombies in WWII. But despite some underdeveloped characters and obvious B-movie tropes, “Overlord” goes beyond the call of duty with a riveting story that digs far deeper than this material usually goes for.
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