Horrors of War follows a group of US soldiers trying to uncover some truths in another fine mess that Hitler’s cooked up. Hitler and his mustache are trying to create super soldiers. Not just super soldiers, but werewolves, zombies, and all around strong dudes that can take twenty hits without flinching.

The opening titles, which were probably the best I’ve ever seen, yes even in Hollywood fare, to the final scene this movie looks GOOD. It’s well shot, cut, acted, and scripted. The locations, costumes, and colors used in this movie were beautiful and once I saw it without the filter, I loved it. It looks that good.

The first hour started out well, but not well enough, I think. Like I said, everything is above average here. From locations to the acting, it’s all top notch. We know the story, and we’re following it well…but for some reason I felt it took too damn long to get from A to B.

That isn’t to knock it, because there are plenty of war and westerns that do this. I felt like they were just following suit with this. However, as we get to the finale of the movie it irked me a bit. The last twenty minutes are GREAT! Great action, great performances, it made me happy to watch it.

Then it ends.

Of course, I’m not going to spoil how it ends, but it’s pretty damn abrupt. Especially after finally getting to some meat. It made me upset that so much time was wasted with the set up, that the payoff was so damn short.

Everything good to say about this movie is everything positive you want to hear in a review. I dug it. A lot. However, the pacing in the first hour is what made me not love it.

I loved the dialog in this picture, and as a viewer, I don’t think any of the actors had a missed delivery. They didn’t feel like twenty something actors in 2007 pretending to be WWII soldiers in 1944. They put the phenomenal performance hat on and they all have the walk, talk, and swagger as if they stepped out of a time machine and chose to work on a WWII film. Big ups, cast.

Big big props to Ross and Co. for making a fantastic low budget take on a ‘What If?’ scenario during WWII. It looks and feels like a war movie, the effects are above average, and the acting is some of the best you’ll find in any indie project.

I’d recommend this as a buy, simply for the bonus features on the retail version. Sonnyboo.com (Ross’ site) is a staple and fantastic resource for filmmakers from the backyard to mid-level pros. There’s a lot to learn, and be entertained from, in any number of his production journals regarding making HoW.

If I’m wrong, you can kick me in the turkey.

**Correction Update**
An arriflex SRII super 16mm primary, a BL for 35mm, a nikon R10 for super 8 film, plus a CP-16 for some regular 16mm filmed material in the movie. This is not a digital picture, as I assumed, it is a full on film. I’ve corrected any concerns in the above review regarding this.