With over 12 MILLION views, there is a good chance you've seen this featured brickfilm. If you're as fascinated by it as me, you've probably watched it several times. In my eyes, Forrest Whaley (forrestfire101) single-handedly raised the bar for horror/action brickfilms with this video. The opening shot alone is a feast for the eyes; Captain America's shield shimmers as he drives down a battered city block. Things go south fast for our hero, though.
Captain America finds himself battling hordes of zombies in the dark. Forrest takes this opportunity to get creative with lighting. I was especially impressed by the shots of zombies crawling out of "hell holes" that were lit by lamps underneath the studio table.
This seems simple in theory but I imagine it took a lot of planning to execute. In all the brickfilms I've seen, I can't recall ever seeing this technique before. Truly a brickfilm pioneer.
The phenomenal quality of this film arises from a lot more than just good lighting, however. The animation is as smooth as it gets, which has become standard for Forrest's videos. The special effects and compositing are also top-notch. Not only are there convincing shots of zombies getting blown apart by land mines and blood and guts flying; there are even a few slow-motion shots of heads getting blown apart and Captain America leaping through the air.
The blood and gore is second to none. Forrest utilizes a perfect blend of clay, VFX blood, and perhaps some kind of glossy gel to create a deeply textured and wet look. It is not a video for someone with a weak stomach, featuring scenes of beheading, exploding, splatting and crushing. There was certainly quite a bit of LEGO sacrifice involved as well, considering the dismemberment and disembowelment that takes place.
If you somehow missed this masterpiece, you need to check it out. It is an absolute joyride for the zombie and Marvel fan, and the plot takes a few really fun and interesting turns. It is also a valuable lesson to any aspiring brickfilmers out there. The behind-the-scenes videos are fascinating, and simply seeing the way the set is built is informative. So many lamps!
What brickfilm should I review next? Comment below with suggestions!