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Valley of the Dead
By Brian Costello,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Violence, language in fun Spanish zombie horror movie.
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Valley of the Dead
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Based on 1 parent review
Hilarious Action Horror!
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What's the Story?
In VALLEY OF THE DEAD, it's the middle of the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s, and the Nazis have joined with the fascists to take on the communists and anarchists. In the middle of this, Jan (Miki Esparbé) is on the verge of being executed for treason by the fascists before his uncle saves him at the last minute. In order to redeem himself, Jan must deliver a message to another officer and go through dangerous enemy territory. He's joined by a nervous young soldier named Decruz, and as they enter a desolate valley, they're surrounded by communist guerillas, including one nicknamed "Priest Killer" (Aura Garrido), who intend to kill them. Before that happens, however, they witness a warplane go down in the woods. Upon finding the dead paratrooper, they soon discover that the paratrooper isn't dead, but has become a zombie. Soon, other zombies from the area appear and begin to attack them. Reluctantly, the communists join forces with Jan and Decruz to work together to stop the zombie invasion.
Is It Any Good?
This is a surprisingly fun zombie horror-comedy set during the Spanish Civil War. Valley of the Dead (aka Malnazidos), aside from the historical backdrop, doesn't deliver anything new to zombie movies. Zombies eat human flesh, humans try to stop them by shooting them in the head, and it almost goes without saying that the Nazis are the evil force behind it all. The filmmakers know the rules of this game and have enough sense to make it an entertaining adventure rather than yet another ponderous and dreary exercise in goth darkness.
At the very least, it's a chance for non-Spanish audiences to learn more about the Spanish Civil War beyond world history classes and Ernest Hemingway novels. Fortunately, it's more than that, and the movie does an effective job of using the deep divisions in that war to heighten the tension of the story. It's a movie that skirts many different genres, and the light touch helps to keep it consistently engaging in spite of all the expected zombie movie tropes.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about zombie horror movies like Valley of the Dead. How is it similar to and different from other horror movies centered on zombies?
What did you learn about the Spanish Civil War from this movie? Where could you learn more?
What aspects of this movie make it more like a comedy than a more straightforward zombie horror movie?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: July 11, 2022
- Cast: Miki Esparbé , Aura Garrido , Luis Callejo
- Director: Alberto de Toro
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Horror
- Topics: History , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Run time: 101 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 17, 2023
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