Der Bunker

Director - Nikias Chryssos (Black Strawberries)
Starring - Pit Bukowski (Der Samurai), Daniel Fripan (Tower Block), and Oona von Maydell (An Old Maid)
Release Date - 2015
Genre - Horror/Comedy
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Artsploitation Films is a company I have heard about for sometime but never started getting into until Bloody Knuckles was released.  Since then they have sent me over a few dozen films.  At first most of these were fun as hell and really embodied what I love in horror movies.  Sadly, the last few films sent my way from Artsploitation has been duds or easily forgettable starting with Observance and followed by The Perfect Husband.  Though The Perfect Husband was a decent watch it is still easily forgettable.  Before I got both of those films I was sent the movie Der Bunker on blu.  I didn't know anything about it but it looked rather unique.  I finally was able to check it out and I have to say that this is easily the best film I have seen from Artsploitation yet.  Thanks for sending it my way!
     The film follows a student who agrees to rent a room in a bunker from a married couple and their child.  He is looking for a quiet place to do his work and this bunker looks like it will do the trick.  The first night there they prepare him a meal.  He eats and asks for seconds which they charge him for.  In order to remove his debt from his new landlords they offer to let him tutor their son.  He agrees and starts teaching the unusual child.  He has a hard time reaching the child but eventually breaks through and makes real progress when he learns that the child's mother has an alien living in her leg that controls the family who now wants the student gone forcing confrontation between them all.
     I love horror comedies.  Absolutely fucking love them.  I will go out of the way to watch one and I will stop at nothing to own as many as I can.  However, I find most black comedies strange but intriguing.  These offbeat comedies are usually darker in nature but still give off a few laughs.  Der Bunker did make me laugh a few times but the story is what really held my attention.  The acting in this one is great which is something I can rarely say when I watch an international film.  The cast is perfect.  Pit Bukowski is great as the student turned teacher who is tossed in an unusual situation.  He was the right choice for this role.  Daniel Fripan is great as Klaus and is clearly the star of the show.  This strange character is very intriguing and takes center stage in the story.  Oona von Maydell and Davis Scheller are great as the mother and father.  They work very well together and bring an eerie sense to the film.  The story for this one is simple but entertaining to say the least.   This off beat comedy following parents and their son who have plans of turning their child into the future president of the United States is pretty funny considering he was not born on American soil.  Its even funnier considering the mother figure has an alien living in her leg.  The film has a slow pace but that only adds to how odd it is.  Finally, if you are looking for gore then you will not be happy.  It has a little blood and a few practical effects gags but that is about it.  The film is more story oriented than it is anything else.  Overall, Der Bunker is a fantastic black comedy that has some laughs and a very entertaining story.  The cast is brilliant and really bring the characters to life.  Check out this release from Artsploitation now.