Timo Vuorensola's "IRON SKY"

A movie review by Dennis D McDonald

I was really looking forward to seeing Iron Sky after all the online hype.

Actually seeing it was a major disappointment. This movie is awful.

The overall design and special effects are good, the basic idea holds great promise (Nazis return from the dark side of the moon in 2018 to attack Earth), the costumes are top-notch, and the on-screen talent for the most part is more than adequate.

Alas, as a piece of anti-American propaganda it’s out of date and unoriginal. As a commentary on “race relations” it’s overly stereotypical and wince-inducing. As a political commentary on an outmoded “Nazi Culture” clashing with 21st-century realities via a high-tech conflict it is totally underwhelming.

Most disappointing: the movie is not very funny.

Where does it succeed?

There are a few good jokes about smart phones and he juxtaposition of 1940’s-based “retro-tech” with today is visually entertaining. But that’s about it.

It might be worth seeing primarily as an oddity and as an example of what can go wrong when the talent behind the camera just doesn’t have the horsepower to rise to the occasion, despite the opportunities provided by the story and the available cast.

This movie is a reminder that, when you go out of your way to outrageously offend, you’d better have the creativity and directorial chops to pull it off. That’s why there’s such a difference between the onscreen efforts of Rob Zombie and Quentin Tarantino. Unfortunately, Iron Sky falls mostly into the former category.

Review copyright (c) 2013 by Dennis D. McDonald