I’m a fan of foreign horror, and lately I’ve been really enjoying some of the European horror out there. Blood Glacier was a movie that I remembered hearing a few good things about when it first came out. The first thing to know about this movie is that it is on the scale of a slightly better than average Syfy channel movie. But, I am someone who is often in the mood to enjoy these types of movies, and I found a lot to like in Blood Glacier.

The story focuses on some scientists in the Alps who discover a mysterious red substance on one of the glaciers. This substance begins having an effect on the animals in the area, mutating them into bizarre cross-breeds with disturbing, violent, and bloody results for the scientists. The hero of the story is Janek, who is basically the handyman for the expedition and has stayed at the outpost for more consecutive assignments than anyone in history. Janek is an interesting rogue who enjoys his liquor, hanging out with his dog, and gives no effs as to what anyone else thinks about him. A complication arises when, just as the scientists are realizing that there is a major problem, the outpost receives a visit from the Prime Minister and her entourage, which includes Janek’s long-lost love, Tanja. Eventually, Janek and Tanja must fight for their lives against the various monstrous new species that are being created.

So, here are a few things I liked about the movie:

• some excellent creepy monsters – it seems like good monster flicks are in short supply lately, and the mutated species in this movie were actually pretty fun

• some wonderful funny lines, like “Stop eating that banana while you are crying!”
• a willingness to just go for it – the characters are interesting, over-the-top eccentrics, which kind of works for reclusive scientist types (or, powerful government officials); the mutations are creative and reminiscent of Carpenter’s The Thing; and the ending is ridiculously over the top and end-of-life-as-we-know-it
• the visual production quality is good and the special effects are not bad

Basically, I thought this was a fun movie with some pretty good scares here and there. It made me jump and laugh, which I like every now and then. I would definitely recommend it if you are into some of the less “horrifying” horror.