DOG SOLDIERS
Sub-Genre- Werewolf
In Attendance- Me, Erin, The VG, and Cherrie.
Cast Members of Note- Sean Pertwee, Kevin McKidd, Emma Cleasby, and Liam Cunningham.
What's it About?- A squad of British army blokes on a "routine training mission" (aren't they always routine...) come upon the destroyed camp of a squad of their special forces. Everyone is dead save for their leader, who is badly injured, and he starts talking about a pack of mean dogs or something. Like some angry dogs are going to take out an entire unit of the British SAS? Riiiiggghhht!
Soon enough the dogs attack again, only this time they're werewolves! Forced to flee or be ripped to tiny little cockney shreds, the soldiers catch a ride with some cute chick who takes them home with her, but it's not really her home. Or it might be. I was confused. Anyway, they're forced to hole up there and make a stand against the werewolf dogs, whom are really not happy at all to have had to chase their dinner so far.
So the soldiers are stranded in a ramshackle house 50 miles from anywhere, badly injured, low on ammo, afraid, and missing the greatest football game of their lives. They also find themselves losing limbs and getting disemboweled, so I'm gonna have to guess that a England vs. Germany football match takes a back seat... Oh who am I kidding? Nothing takes a backseat to football in the U.K.!
Crazy inter-species violence and betrayal ensues. I won't spoil what happens next here, but suffice it to say that everyone gets torn to shreds, lots of things explode, and the English win their footy!
This is just a well made, engaging movie that doesn't leave you feeling cheated at the end.
I also love the nods to Bruce Campbell and H.G. Wells via character names, as well as the very sly references to Star Trek and An American Werewolf in London. I just love that Neil Marshall is a cool guy who likes to have his fun, as well as a hell of a director (he gave us The Descent and Doomsday ae well.)
The Bad- I've owned this on DVD for 5 years now and this was the first time I've ever sat down and watched the movie. I NEVER leave movies sitting unwrapped/unwatched after I buy them, and I'm not really sure why I did it in this instance, and I am truly ashamed.
The Downright Horrendous- Why are there so few good werewolf movies? Most of them seem to focus on the inner turmoil that people face when struck with lycanthropy, and they try to humanize them. I'm fine with that, but why does it always come off lame? Feral beasts are at their best when they just do their thing, and do it violently. Also, CGI is not necessary to make a werewolf look good, nor is it preferred.
The Gory- The wolves turn everything around them red with blood in this one, and it's plenty gory. Spilling guts, multiple lacerations and gashes, plenty of gun violence, biting... all good stuff.
The Naked- We get no nakedness, but we do at least get a woman wearing a tight shirt with some visible pokies. We takes what we can gets.
Best Line- "You just can't get past the dog, can you?" or "They were always here. I just unlocked the door." or "I'd torture him." Tons of great lines in this one.
What did we learn?- Krazy Glue is awesome. Also, werewolves are kinda smart. And tricky. Mean too.
Rating- A (9.5/10) This is a modern day classic without a doubt. Finally, after so long, a movie does werewolves the complete justice that they deserve, and keeps us on the edge of our seat all the while. It's well made, stylish, bloody, action packed and fun. If you hunger for a real werewolf movie, then this is a must see.
Final Thoughts- This is what werewolves in cinema have come to these days; 2 second midair shape-shifitng Abercrombie models! Sad.
