Outpost: Rise of the Spetsnaz

Last updated

Outpost: Rise of the Spetsnaz
Outpost 3 Rise of the Spetsnaz.jpg
Directed byKieran Parker
Written byRae Brunton
Story by
  • Kieran Parker
  • Rae Brunton
Produced by
  • Arabella Page Croft
  • Kieran Parker
Starring
CinematographyCarlos De Carvalho
Edited byNaysun Alae-Carew
Music by
Production
company
Distributed by Entertainment One
Release date
  • 27 June 2013 (2013-06-27)(EIFF)
Running time
87 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Outpost: Rise of the Spetsnaz, also known as Outpost 3, is a 2013 British science fiction horror war film and is the third and final entry in the Outpost film series. Unlike its predecessors Outpost and Outpost: Black Sun , Rise of the Spetsnaz was not directed by Steve Barker and was instead directed by Kieran Parker, who had served as a producer on both of the prior films. [1] [2] The film had its world premiere on 27 June 2013 at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. Rise of the Spetsnaz serves as a prequel to the series and is set during World War II and expands upon the creation of the invincible supernatural soldiers. [1]

Contents

Synopsis

The film begins with an old man drinking at a bar in the current era. He drops a Red Army medal into his glass and says “They who have been, will never be forgotten”.

Back in March 1945, the Russian Red Army continues its drive towards Berlin. Russian commando Dolokhov leads a Red Guard reconnaissance squad through a stretch of forest, likely in German-occupied Bosnia, to search for a secret German camp, which a concerned Arkadi notes is not even marked on any captured German maps.

The Soviets wipe out a small convoy of Waffen-SS troops; the nearby SS ’Dog Unit’ led by the SS-Hauptsturmführer kills a not-forthcoming Russian scout and begin a hunt using a rabid undead soldier as an attack/tracking dog. At the convoy, Voronin keeps watch as the rest search the vehicles where they discover bizarre medical files, a syringe, and strange human remains. A German Sd.Kfz. 251 halftrack arrives carrying more troopers, overwhelming and scattering the team. Voronin is cut down by the halftrack’s machine gun and young Kostya is wounded; he and Araki are captured as the remaining Russians flee. Dolokhov, Osakin, Fyodor and Potrovsky split up to make them harder to track. Osakin hides but is killed by a grenade while Fyodor is shot and captured. Potrovsky provides sniper support for Dolokhov, killing several troopers but is attacked from the side by the reanimated German and ripped part. Finally captured, Dolokhov is brought to a bunker where screams and moans can be heard everywhere.

Imprisoned together with Arkadi, Fyodor, the three meet an American named Rogers. Arkadi notes that, despite the smell of death, there seems to be no rats. Rogers claims to be with the OSS and that the Germans are trying to create an army of reanimated corpses; he also claims to have extensive knowledge of the bunker’s air ducts. Kostya, held in a separate cell, is attacked by an SS test subject; Arkadi and Dolokhov rush to his aid using a metal pipe and their boots to destroy the creature, but Kostya quickly dies of his wounds. SS-Standartenführer Strasser, leader of the project, sends in a second creature, a brute with skill in hand to hand combat that quickly kills Rogers and Arkadi, although Dolokhov manages to snap its neck. An impressed Strasser takes the two to a laboratory to demonstrate how he creates the creatures. He explains the serum that the Russians discovered activates cells in the body that prepare it for the effects of the Unified Field Machine from the previous films. A test subject is forced into the test chamber as the Germans fire up the machine: its effects causes some guards in the next room to vomit and the man's head to explode.

Fyodor is forced in next but survives with his strength dramatically increased: he manages to kill several Germans before being sedated. Dolokhov is put in a cell, but he jams the lock with one of the exploded man's teeth and later kicks the cell door open, knocks out two guards and steals a uniform. Stealthily killing several Germans, he finds a radio and attempts to contact his superiors but is unable to. Returning to the lab, he frees Fyodor, kills the bunker’s chief surgeon, then injects a nurse with serum and seals her inside the test chamber turning her into one of the undead. The two men advance deeper into the bunker, killing numerous troopers. Taking the bunker elevator down to Level Six, Fyodor slowly begins to succumb to his treatment and begins to lose control of himself.

Strasser orders the cell doors on Level Six opened, unleashing numerous undead. Fyodor puts up a heroic fight to give Dolokhov time to escape but is overwhelmed and killed. The brute, reanimated once again, forces its way inside the elevator and, reaching the top, slaughters a large group of SS guards, but is riddled with bullets and weakened so Dolokhov finishes it off for good. He finally finds and confronts Strasser, killing him by puncturing the brain through the eye sockets with his thumbs. Using the air ducts, he reaches the surface and escapes but inadvertently sets off a tripwire flare. Dog Unit, seeing the flare, sets off in hot pursuit. Dolokhov knocks the reanimated corpse unconscious with a tree branch, then kills the SS Captain and the two remaining guards. Dolokhov then sets off back towards Russian lines, carrying the reanimated creature over his shoulder as proof of the German project for his superiors.

Back at the bar, the old man, revealed to be Dolokhov, repeats his statement from the beginning. A man enters and tries to coax Dolokhov into talking, showing him Hunt’s notebook from the first movie and buying him drinks. The film concludes with Dolokhov and the man taking a shot together, as Dolokhov finishes by firmly setting his drink down on the table; the Red Army medal glimmers within it as the film ends.

Cast

Production

While creating the film Parker chose to focus on the medical aspect of the zombie soldiers, whereas the previous two films took a more supernatural and mechanical approach. [1] Exterior filming took place in Ripon, Yorkshire while interiors were shot on a stage near Glasgow, Scotland, and filming took place over a 28-day period. [3]

Reception

Critical reception for Rise of the Spetsnaz has been mixed. [4] Dread Central panned the film. [5] In contrast The List and Fangoria both gave more positive reviews for Rise of the Spetsnaz, [6] and Fangoria wrote that "despite its flaws, RISE OF THE SPETSNAZ is still a fun watch, offering enough for action and horror fans alike. It's bloody and brutal while sleek and respectful of its place within the franchise, and sure to please fans of the first two films as well as the unfamiliar". [7]

Related Research Articles

Spetsnaz are special forces in many post-Soviet states. Historically, this term referred to the Soviet Union's Spetsnaz GRU, special operations units of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Soviet General Staff (GRU). Today it refers to special forces branches and task forces subordinate to ministries including defence, internal affairs, or emergency situations in countries that have inherited their special purpose units from the now-defunct Soviet security agencies.

<i>Resident Evil</i> (film) 2002 film by Paul W. S. Anderson

Resident Evil is a 2002 action horror film written and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson. The film stars Milla Jovovich, Michelle Rodriguez, Eric Mabius, James Purefoy, Martin Crewes, and Colin Salmon. It is the first installment in the Resident Evil film series, which is loosely based on the video game series of the same name. Borrowing elements from the video games Resident Evil and Resident Evil 2, the film follows amnesiac heroine Alice and a band of Umbrella Corporation commandos as they attempt to contain the outbreak of the T-virus at a secret underground facility.

<i>Bride of Re-Animator</i> 1991 film by Brian Yuzna

Bride of Re-Animator is a 1990 American comedy horror film produced and directed by Brian Yuzna and written by Yuzna, Rick Fry, and Woody Keith. It is a sequel to the 1985 film Re-Animator and the second entry in the Re-Animator film series. Like its predecessor, it is loosely based on the serialized story "Herbert West–Reanimator" (1921-1922) by H. P. Lovecraft. Unlike its predecessor, it was released direct-to-video.

"Dalek" is the sixth episode of the revived first series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 30 April 2005. This episode is the first appearance of the Daleks in the 21st-century revival of Doctor Who; it also marks the first appearance of Bruno Langley as companion Adam Mitchell.

<i>Pet Sematary Two</i> 1992 film by Mary Lambert

Pet Sematary Two is a 1992 American supernatural horror film directed by Mary Lambert and written by Richard Outten. It is the sequel to the film Pet Sematary (1989), which was based on Stephen King's 1983 novel of the same name and the second film in the Pet Sematary film series. The film stars Edward Furlong, Anthony Edwards, and Clancy Brown. Pet Sematary Two was theatrically released in the United States on August 28, 1992, by Paramount Pictures and grossed $17.1 million worldwide. It received negative reviews from critics, but Brown's performance received critical acclaim.

<i>Dracula 3D</i> 2012 Italian film

Dracula 3D is a 2012 vampire horror film co-written and directed by Dario Argento and starring Thomas Kretschmann, Rutger Hauer, Marta Gastini, and Unax Ugalde. An Italian-Spanish-French co-production, the film is Argento's first 3D film. Kretschmann took the role of Dracula; he later played Abraham van Helsing in the Budapest-shot television series Dracula.

<i>Diary of the Dead</i> 2007 American horror film by George A. Romero

Diary of the Dead is a 2007 found footage horror film written and directed by George A. Romero. Although independently produced, it was distributed theatrically by The Weinstein Company and was released in cinemas on February 15, 2008 and on DVD by Dimension Extreme and Genius Products on May 20, 2008.

<i>S.S. Doomtrooper</i> 2006 television film

S.S. Doomtrooper is a 2006 television science fiction film starring Corin Nemec, in which a mutated Nazi supersoldier, who can generate electrical charges as a weapon, and has greatly enhanced strength, fights against Allied troops during World War II. It was aired from Sci Fi Channel on April 1, 2006.

<i>Outpost</i> (2008 film) 2008 British film

Outpost is a 2008 British war horror film, directed by Steve Barker and written by Rae Brunton, about a rough group of experienced mercenaries who find themselves fighting for their lives after being hired to take a mysterious businessman into the woods to locate a World War II-era military bunker.

<i>Nightmare City</i> Film by Umberto Lenzi

Nightmare City is a 1980 Italian-Spanish science-fiction horror film directed by Umberto Lenzi. It stars Hugo Stiglitz as a TV news reporter who witnesses the collapse of order in a city overrun by irradiated blood-drinking ghouls. Victims rise from the dead to join the host, adding to the chaos.

<i>The Bloody Red Baron</i> 1995 novel by Kim Newman

Anno Dracula: The Bloody Red Baron, or simply The Bloody Red Baron, is a 1995 alternate history/horror novel by British author Kim Newman. It is the second book in the Anno Dracula series and takes place during the Great War, 30 years after the first novel.

<i>Juan of the Dead</i> 2010 film

Juan of the Dead is a 2010 Spanish-Cuban zombie comedy film written and directed by Alejandro Brugués. A Spanish-Cuban co-production between La Zanfoña Producciones (Spain) and Producciones de la 5ta Avenida (Cuba) involving the participation of the ICAIC, Canal Sur and Televisión Española, the film won the Goya Award for Best Spanish Language Foreign Film in 2012.

Wither is a Swedish 2012 horror film directed by Sonny Laguna and Tommy Wiklund, who wrote and produced the film along with David Liljeblad. It is based on the 1981 horror film The Evil Dead by Sam Raimi. The plot follows a group of young Swedes who travel to an abandoned cabin over the weekend. The cabin turns out to be the home of a Vittra, and the friends have to fight for their lives, aided by the hunter Gunnar.

<i>Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies</i> 2013 American film

Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies is a 2013 sports action horror film that was directed by Cody Knotts. An early version of the film was shown at an international horror festival in Whitby, England in October 2013, and the movie was released to DVD on March 28, 2014 along with a limited theatrical release. The movie was funded partly through a successful Kickstarter campaign and through private funds from three investors and stars including several former WWE and current TNA wrestlers that portray themselves fighting against a horde of zombies.

<i>Outpost: Black Sun</i> 2012 British film

Outpost: Black Sun, also known as Outpost 2, is a 2012 British war horror film directed by Steve Barker, based on a script written by himself and Rae Brunton. It is a sequel to Barker's 2008 film Outpost. The film was later followed by Outpost: Rise of the Spetsnaz, the third entry in the series.

<i>Dead Men Dont Die</i> 1990 American horror-comedy film

Dead Men Don't Die is a 1990 American horror-comedy film written and directed by Malcolm Marmorstein and starring Elliott Gould and Melissa Sue Anderson.

Bryan Larkin is a Scottish actor, writer, producer and self-taught filmmaker. He was awarded the Trailblazer award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 2009. He is best known for his role of SAS Captain in London Has Fallen directed by Babak Najafi. and the leading role of Dolokhov in Outpost: Rise of the Spetsnaz

<i>Zombie Holidays 3D</i> 2013 Russian horror-comedy film

Zombie Holidays 3D is a 2013 Russian zombie comedy film directed by Kirill Chemnitz. It premiered in Russia on 15 August 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oats Studios</span> Independent film studio

Oats Studios is an independent film studio started in 2017 by Oscar-nominated South African filmmaker Neill Blomkamp. The studio was created with the goal of distributing experimental short films via YouTube and Steam in order to gauge the community for interest and feedback as to which of them are viable for expansion into feature films. Actors featured in the films include Sigourney Weaver, Carly Pope, Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, Kellan Lutz, Michael Rogers, Jose Pablo Cantillo, and Dakota Fanning.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Hanley, Ken W. "Q&A: Director Kieran Parker on "OUTPOST: RISE OF THE SPETSNAZ"". Fangoria. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  2. ↑ "Kieran Parker". IMDb. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  3. ↑ Grise, Michael (28 January 2014). "Interview: Kieran Parker – Director (Outpost: Rise of the Spetsnaz)". HorrorNews.net. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  4. ↑ "OUTPOST 3: RISE OF THE SPETSNAZ (2013)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  5. ↑ Jones, Gareth (30 August 2013). "Outpost: Rise of the Spetsnaz (review)". Dread Central. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  6. ↑ Northmore, Henry (20 June 2013). "Outpost III: Rise of the Spetsnaz". The List. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  7. ↑ Hanley, Ken. ""OUTPOST: RISE OF THE SPETSNAZ" (Movie Review)". Fangoria. Archived from the original on 22 October 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.