Absurdly Fun! Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich Review

Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich is perhaps one of the most absurd and unique films of the year. The film is completely self-aware, and that is the reason it is so much fun to watch.

The film is (oddly) written by writer/director S. Craig Zahler who wrote and directed the gruesome Bone Tomahawk, the brutally magnificent Brawl in Cell Block 99 and the upcoming Dragged Across Concrete.

The film is much different than that of a feature directed by Zahler, but his grindhouse sensibility of ultra-violence and offbeat humor and gut punch ending are all still in place.

The film is hilarious, the plot is essentially this; little puppets that were made by the Nazi’s are all at an auction and being sold as Third Reich memorabilia, once they are all together at this rustic hotel where the event is taking place, they get summoned and go on an outlandish and ridiculous killing spree. Yes, Nazi puppets go on a killing spree.

An impressive aspect of the film is not only the overall quality, as it is apparent they had an ample budget for practical effects and production design, but the cast is rather excellent. It is made up of comedic actors, headlined by Thomas Lennon, and shored up with genre actors Michael Pare, Barbara Crampton, and Udo Kier.

The film isn’t perfect, and it does not strive to be. As stated, what makes this film work to the degree that it does is that the film is completely self-aware. The film knows exactly what it is, and doesn’t try to be anything different.

The script from Zahler is incredibly funny, filled with odd humor that works well. One can’t help but wonder how Zahler got involved in the Puppet Master series, it doesn’t quite seem like a logical progression for him since he has become such a grindhouse auteur, but his sensibilities are all over the film, including his token gut punch ending that leaves us wanting a continuation of the story, which is essentially what is promised prior to the end credits.

Review by Frank Mengarelli