Project Z – Movie Review (3/5)

PROJECT Z is a Norwegian horror comedy. There are zombies and aliens, and the main character is from the fantastic horror drama Thelma. Overall, the movie isn’t as consistently good as it could’ve been. Read our full Project Z movie review here!

PROJECT Z is a horror comedy from Norway. Although the movie has wonderful moments along the way, it becomes too long and muddy in its expression. Still, it’s definitely worth watching, so give it a shot.

Just remember to have fun watching it. After all, this is “just” a quirky horror comedy that shouldn’t be taken too seriously. In typical Scandinavian style, there are even people in their birthday suits, so you’ll be getting a good look at male anatomy as well.

Sometimes it feels like it’s almost mandatory for Scandinavian productions to show that we’re not scared of the human body. Oh yeah, it’s a form of freedom to not be restricted in any way… even when zombies are chasing you, I guess.

Continue reading our Project Z movie review below. Find it in theaters, on demand, and on digital from November 3, 2023.

From zombies to aliens!

In Project Z, the premise is the good old “We’re filming a horror movie, and then something creepy and supernatural happens in the real world”.

A group of film students are about to shoot a zombie movie. There’s even a film-within-a-film moment that works really well. Including when the Final Girl really tries to avoid a scene where she has to have a threesome with two zombies. 

An otherwise classic moment for any zombie horror movie. Or not!

In any case, this is actually a pretty fun recurring detail. Especially because it’s never overused in the film’s plot. It just pops up here and there – yes, pun intended.

While the film is being shot, there is some kind of strange meteor shower happening in the real world. A few people from the film crew find a rather large (and very strange) meteorite. One with an opening that one of them stupidly decides to stick their arm into.

Anyone who has watched Alien, will know that you never do this. Though the result of this action is not taken directly from the Alien franchise (far from it!), it does of course also have consequences.

The part with the film crew fumbling their way actually works quite well. Overall, the film also has a really good cast. Not least with Dennis Storhøi, who actually plays himself – and was nominated for a Norwegian film award for his role in Projekt Z.

The director of the student film, Julie, is played by Eili Harboe, who was the lead in the fantastic horror drama Thelma.

Watch the Norwegian Project Z in theaters and on demand!

Henrik Martin Dahlsbakken is both the writer and director of Project Z, which premiered in Norway in March 2021. More than two years later, it’s finally reaching US audiences on a wider scale.

If you are not familiar with Norwegian genre films, you’ve been missing out. Try to find films such as the Nazi-Zombie horror comedy Dead Snow (2009), the monster-horror adventure Troll Hunter (2010), and of course the Cold Prey trilogy.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Read our review of the Norwegian horror-comedy THE TRIP on Netflix >

Unfortunately, this particular genre film is not without problems. Despite a runtime of around an hour and a half, it feels long. And that’s even though we get both zombies, aliens, and a lot of delicious meta-layers in the film. It just lags a bit more with the execution, and that’s a shame.

Especially with a cast that give it their all with their respective characters. It’s a fun movie-watching experience, but one that could defininitely have been even better.

Project Z is out in US theaters, On Demand and Digital from November 3, 2023.

Details

Director: Henrik Martin Dahlsbakken
Cast: Eli Harboe, Jonis Josef, Vebjørn Enger, Regina Tucker, Iben Akerlie, Arthur Berning