Iron Sky
2.5/4
Starring: Julia Dietze, Christopher Kirby, Gotz Otto, Stephanie Paul, Peta Sergeant
Rated R for Language and Some Violence
Although I watched this in a sober state of mind, I strongly suspect that "Iron Sky" will play better to audience members who are drunk, stoned, or otherwise mentally impaired. It's too silly to be taken seriously.
Not that it's meant to. From frame one I knew that director Timo Vuorensola wanted me to laugh at the film. The acting is intentionally bad, there isn't a single character with an IQ above 10, and the action scenes are ridiculously cheesy. The problem is that it's not all that funny.
James Washington (Kirby) is a black astronaut taking a stroll on the moon when his fellow spaceman sees something very strange on the dark side of the moon (yes, there is a Pink Floyd reference, although I missed it). Apparently, the Third Reich established a moon base there, and is preparing to retake the Earth. How they got from Germany to the Moon after being so soundly defeated in 1945 is left unexplained, which is a fault because such an explanation necessitates being totally warped, which would have fit right in with the silliness. The Nazis, led by the new Fuhrer Wolfgang Kortzfleisch (Kier, taking a break from working with Lars von Trier...I'm dead serious), need a power source to use their ultimate weapon. So after a somewhat amusing scene involving a cell phone, Kortzfleisch authorizes his underling Klaus (Otto) to go back to Earth and find a new power source. Tagging along is Renatae (Dietze), Klaus's fiancee, who falls for the captive the now-white (don't ask) James. Meanwhile, The President of the United States (Paul, playing a Sarah Palin clone) is desperate to get re-elected, and her campaign manager Vivian Wagner (Sergeant) thinks that she can use these lunatics to her own advantage.
"Iron Sky" might have worked better as a short film. There are some bits that are funny, but they're fleeting, and the flimsy "wink wink nudge nudge" plot can't stay afloat amid all the cheese. The acting is bad by design, but there are times when it's physically painful. And there are plenty of jokes that don't work, like the reference to "Downfall" (it would have been better with stronger writing and acting).
The film's closest cousin would have to be "Starship Troopers," which should give you some idea of what the film is actually like. Unfortunately, while the 1997 gore-fest is a blast from start to finish, "Iron Sky" feels feeble. That's mainly because Timo Vuorensola is no Paul Verhoeven. True, "Iron Sky" had a fraction of the budget that Verhoeven had ($10 million vs. $105 million), but he doesn't have Verhoeven's deft touch for tone. Actually, for such a small budget, the film boasts some impressive visuals, and the obvious CGI touch-ups enhance the film's charm.
The bottom line is that "Iron Sky" can't be viewed in any normal setting or state of mind. It demands audience involvement, like in late night showings or sleepovers with friends and booze. Most people will either be bored, annoyed or turn it off part way through, but for a select few, you'll have a great time.
Starring: Julia Dietze, Christopher Kirby, Gotz Otto, Stephanie Paul, Peta Sergeant
Rated R for Language and Some Violence
Although I watched this in a sober state of mind, I strongly suspect that "Iron Sky" will play better to audience members who are drunk, stoned, or otherwise mentally impaired. It's too silly to be taken seriously.
Not that it's meant to. From frame one I knew that director Timo Vuorensola wanted me to laugh at the film. The acting is intentionally bad, there isn't a single character with an IQ above 10, and the action scenes are ridiculously cheesy. The problem is that it's not all that funny.
James Washington (Kirby) is a black astronaut taking a stroll on the moon when his fellow spaceman sees something very strange on the dark side of the moon (yes, there is a Pink Floyd reference, although I missed it). Apparently, the Third Reich established a moon base there, and is preparing to retake the Earth. How they got from Germany to the Moon after being so soundly defeated in 1945 is left unexplained, which is a fault because such an explanation necessitates being totally warped, which would have fit right in with the silliness. The Nazis, led by the new Fuhrer Wolfgang Kortzfleisch (Kier, taking a break from working with Lars von Trier...I'm dead serious), need a power source to use their ultimate weapon. So after a somewhat amusing scene involving a cell phone, Kortzfleisch authorizes his underling Klaus (Otto) to go back to Earth and find a new power source. Tagging along is Renatae (Dietze), Klaus's fiancee, who falls for the captive the now-white (don't ask) James. Meanwhile, The President of the United States (Paul, playing a Sarah Palin clone) is desperate to get re-elected, and her campaign manager Vivian Wagner (Sergeant) thinks that she can use these lunatics to her own advantage.
"Iron Sky" might have worked better as a short film. There are some bits that are funny, but they're fleeting, and the flimsy "wink wink nudge nudge" plot can't stay afloat amid all the cheese. The acting is bad by design, but there are times when it's physically painful. And there are plenty of jokes that don't work, like the reference to "Downfall" (it would have been better with stronger writing and acting).
The film's closest cousin would have to be "Starship Troopers," which should give you some idea of what the film is actually like. Unfortunately, while the 1997 gore-fest is a blast from start to finish, "Iron Sky" feels feeble. That's mainly because Timo Vuorensola is no Paul Verhoeven. True, "Iron Sky" had a fraction of the budget that Verhoeven had ($10 million vs. $105 million), but he doesn't have Verhoeven's deft touch for tone. Actually, for such a small budget, the film boasts some impressive visuals, and the obvious CGI touch-ups enhance the film's charm.
The bottom line is that "Iron Sky" can't be viewed in any normal setting or state of mind. It demands audience involvement, like in late night showings or sleepovers with friends and booze. Most people will either be bored, annoyed or turn it off part way through, but for a select few, you'll have a great time.
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