For reasons that will become clear with the review of the second episode, we’re skipping that for now…

In the closing stages of the Vietnam war, something impossible begins to affect reality. Tens of thousands of soldiers are killed, vehicles are disassembled as they float up into the sky. An entire firebase, Tarheel, has been wiped off the face of the Earth. The survivor says he’s seen the devil.

Even before you find out what’s really going on, and you should because Blomkamp’s full plan for this is incredible, Firebase impresses. The budget is stretched in clever, witty, unpleasant ways and the unusual setting allows for a very different, claustrophobic feel. The newsreel effect used in the opening does a great job of making the visuals even more impressive and the tone of the piece is urgent, tense, panicky. It’s great, sweaty, nasty fun and there’s a shot of black humour to the opening. Sgt Hines, played by Steve Boyle, fights his way through a tunnel network and a near unkillable zombie. As he finally kills his opponent, he scowls ‘YOU AREN’T WHO I’M LOOKING FOR’ and pushes on. It sets the tone brilliantly and what follows only builds on that.

There is a reason for Hines’ near invincibility. There is a reason for the massacre at Tarheel. There is a terrifying, additional context to the archive footage which manages to be respectful to the time and yet drive the plot along. There’s also some more of that gristly visual flair, with the psychic assembly of a suit of meat armour and a delirious trip to an alternate US both standouts. It’s incredibly violent and gory, once again, but once again that’s in service to the story and tone.

Verdict: This one is the good stuff, and if any of these movies ever get expanded, I’d love it to be this one. 8/10

Alasdair Stuart