Valley of the Dead (Malnazidos) is a Spanish zombie action film released on Netflix on 11 July 2022. It was initially planned to be premiered on 11 September 2020. Due to the pandemic, it was postponed to 22 January 2021 and eventually to 24 September 2021. And finally released on 11 March 2022.
The film is based on the novel Noche de difuntos del 38 (Night of the dead of 38) by Manuel Martín Ferreras. It is directed by Javier Ruiz Caldera and Alberto de Toro. The adapted screenplay is written by Jaime Marques Olarreaga, Alberto Fernández Arregui and Cristian Conti. The film has a runtime of about 1 hour and 41 minutes.
The cast includes Miki Esparbe as Jan, Aura Garrido as Matacuras, Luis Callejo as Sargento, Alvaro Cervantes as Mecha, Jesus Carroza as Jurel, Dafnis Balduz as Comisario Político, Sergio Torrico as Brodsky, Manel Llunell as Decruz, Mouad Ghazouan as Rafir, María Botto as Sor Flor, Manuel Morón as General Lozano, Francisco Reyes as Comandante SS, Frank Feys as Oficial SS and others
Also Read: DB Cooper Where Are You: Everything to Know About Netflix’s Upcoming Docu-Series
-Valley of the Dead Review Does Not Contain Any Spoilers-
The Dead Are Walking Amidst The Civil War
The film is set in 1938, during the Spanish Civil War and starts with a group of people gathering for a wedding celebration, getting shot at by the German soldiers and a gas bomb thrown at the dead bodies. Cut to Jan Lazano, blindfolded and about to be shot by soldiers, when he reveals that he is General Lazano’s nephew and is finally saved by him.
We then learn that Jan is a lawyer & Captain of the Fifth Brigade, who has been sentenced for treason because of headbutting a judge who was the cousin of Francisco Franco. He is wanted dead but to save his life, the General orders him to deliver an important letter to the sixth, which is across the no man’s land and enemy lines.
Since he doesn’t know how to drive, he has been assigned a driver, who is a 17-year-old soldier named Decruz, that deserted the frontlines and is currently a prisoner in his own camp. But while on their way, they get arrested by the opponent’s platoon. But the possibility of dying executed will soon be overtaken when a new unknown enemy arises in the form of walking dead bodies or Zombies.
On inspecting further they discover a blue powder-type substance coming out of a bomb, which is deduced to be the trigger of making the dead alive. When encountered with an entirely new and unknown enemy, the Nationalists and the Republicans have to stick together, keeping their differences aside, in order to stay alive.
The film is quite comedic compared to the background it is set in. The country is at war, people are divided into sides and the common people suffer the ravages of it, by dying twice, once as a human and second time as a zombie. Due to the deployment of biological warfare by the Nazis, the war will wipe out the whole country instead of just the enemy.
That’s when Jan Lazano with the mix-matched group from both sides, must find a way to stop it. They must follow the map which was found at the back of the letter, to find a cure for the undead plague. During their expedition, they lose many of their own, while saving their lives by a hair.
Final Thoughts: Stream It or Skip It?
Valley of the Dead (Malnazidos) on Netflix is a quick, casual watch contrary to the topic it deals with. The story moves forward quickly, packed with action at every turn. The characters are well sketched with a definite role and know what they are doing. Instead of making it a serious thriller-esque, the film takes a comedic route as the characters keep making light of whatever situation they are in.
Even though some major characters die, as viewers we don’t really feel empathetic toward their death. The action sequences are well shot and the effects add up for more impact, but the end of the story doesn’t live up to the build-up it had in the past hour. You don’t want to believe that this is the end, which makes the film feel very short and anticlimactic.
Valley of the Dead is streaming on Netflix.
Also Read: Planning to Watch Persuasion? Here’s All You Need to Know About the Latest Dakota Johnson Movie