Rammbock: Berlin Undead | aka Siege of the Dead (2010) Review

"Rammbock" American DVD Cover

Director: Marvin Kren
Writer: Benjamin Hessler
Producer: Sigrid Hoerner
Cast: Michael Fuith, Theo Trebs, Anka Graczyk, Brigitte Kren, Emily Cox
Running Time: 64 min.

By HKFanatic

“Rammbock” is a 2010 German-language zombie film that takes its cues from “28 Days Later”: the dead aren’t coming back to life, it’s the living that are being infected by a virus that turns them into rabid flesh-eaters. The filmmakers obviously didn’t have access to the large budget of something like Zack Snyder’s “Dawn of the Dead” remake, so they wisely kept costs down by keeping the action confined to a large apartment building and its courtyard. This actually works in their favor as the focus of the film is turned away from zombie bloodshed and placed squarely on the characters. Though “Rammbock” clocks in at a scant 60 minutes, its emphasis on human drama over blood ‘n gore means it’s still one of the better horror flicks to come down the pike in some time.

Main character Michael is not your typical hero. He’s pudgy, balding, and kinda homely. He also has a severe case of co-dependency on his ex-girlfriend Gabi. When she requests he returns his set of keys to her apartment, he gets the bright idea to travel all the way to Berlin and try to win her back. As soon as he arrives, the zombie apocalypse intervenes.

Michael must hunt the apartment building for Gabi all while contending with rabid humans and neighbors who might not have his survival in mind. He soon teams up with a young plumber apprentice named Harper, who soon turns out to be rather fearless and resourceful. He’s the kind of kid who can make a weapon with a few forks and a rubberband. Together, they might just have a fighting chance of getting out of Berlin alive. Expect a few twists and turns along the way, or as many as the filmmakers can toss at you in an hour’s runtime.

There’s a little bit of gore in “Rammbock,” I suppose just enough to secure a “R” rating, but Germans are notorious censors of violence in films. Instead this is a story about the human characters: how they dig in to this apartment, scavenge for food and supplies while fending off zombies, and try not to lose hope. A survivor’s story. All the while Michael pines for his ex-girlfriend, Gabi. At least he gets closure there – but probably not in the way you’d expect.

With a bigger budget and an increased runtime, I get the feeling that “Rammbock” director Marvin Kren could pull out all the stops. The actor who plays Harper, Theo Trebes (Michael Heneke’s “The White Ribbon), also emerges as a young talent to watch. If you rent this film expecting a bloodbath, you might be disappointed. This is not “Dead Snow” or “The Horde” – but I actually enjoyed it more than either of those. If you’re looking for a character study with a few new twists on the zombie formula, then “Rammbock” fits the bill.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 7/10