Horror Movie Review: Outpost III: Rise of the Spetsnez (2013)

Outpost III: Rise of the Spetsnez, the third and final (currently as of 2018) Outpost movie follows the formula set out by many third films in a franchise by going back to the beginning. Yes, Rise of the Spetsnez is a prequel.

You can read our review of the first film here and its sequel, Black Sun here.

Rise of the Spetsnez is set during World War II and focuses on a group of Russian Special Forces soldiers who come up against the Nazi experiments to create undead super-soldiers.

The Nazi’s have failed to perfect their experiments. With the soldiers they have tested it on either dying immediately or becoming mindless-zombies. However, the leader of the Russian Special Forces, Dolokhov (Bryan Larkin) impresses Col. Strasser (Michael McKell) with his ruthless and calculated aggression.

The Nazi wants to harness that aggression in his soldiers and even the inevitable end of the war won’t stop him completing his mission.

Outpost III: Rise of the Spetsnez takes a different approach for the series choosing to focus less on the super-natural side. Instead it gives insight into the medical aspect of the undead soldiers. Something that might have been interesting if that had been the focus of the previous two films. Instead, it ends up feeling disjointed and less of an explanation for what would follow in the first two films.

If that wasn’t bad enough, it’s quite a dull film. After a frantic opening, it slips into repetition and convoluted plot-points with lengthy and boring explanations about every little detail. The cast aren’t bad but the Nazi actors don’t fully embrace their roles and Michael McKell isn’t that exciting as a villain. It’s all played a little too seriously rather then hamming it up which considering the zombie super soldiers idea seems like a mistake.

There are positives though.

The film is dark and grim to look at which fits the experimental horror nicely. While the underground bunker/lab where the majority of the film takes place comes across cold and twisted.

The gore is suitably realistic and quite nasty at times, there is a visceral quality to it that makes the whole experience that little bit more grim.

Be it biting, ripping or gouging, Outpost III: Rise of the Spetsnez is violent and memorable in that regard. It’s just a pity that not much else is.

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