Perros de presa (Werewolf)

Very very beautiful cinematography and explains the characteristics of post-war psychological behaviour . Beautifully captures the horror of man eater dogs and explains the divine quality of mercy even to one's enemies.

Absolutely stunning movie! Really good acting, these children are haunting me for days now. Children who have been liberated from a concentration camp are left at in an abandoned palace in a forest without food and water. But the real nightmare starts when the house is besieged by hungry wild dogs that were used to guard the nazi camp.

Another really overrated movie, nothing special to see if you ask me. First of all the title is misleading and stupidly chosen, Werewolves or Wilkolak whilst it has nothing to do at all with werewolves. A pack of dogs terrorizing a bunch of kids, that's about it. It's long, slow and boring. I wish it was something else but unfortunately it isn't. The acting is okay though, even from the kids, but the story just lacks of everything interesting. If you want to watch a horror movie, like I did, you'd better skip this one because there is 0% of horror in Wilkolak.

Beautiful scenery and swell filming locations contrast with the horrors of war and genocide - and that's just the setting. Factor in the fundamental elements underlying the story - isolation, hunger, desperation - and creeping, quietly searing music from composer Antoni Komasa-Lazarkiewicz, and the tension is palpable before the plot even meaningfully begins. 'Werewolf,' or 'Wilkolak,' is not a movie that wants its audience to truly sit back and relax.

Acutely jarring moments are sparing, to effect. The emphasis here is on a pervasive, pensive mood, with risk of violent death both in the past and always waiting to burst through. This is bolstered by a color palette dominated by dull, bluish-gray, and tasteful lighting that allows deep shadow to feel ponderous. This is to say nothing of the clashing personalities of the children - disparities that grow more severe as conditions persist and worsen - nor the growing withdrawal of eldest Hanka, whose initial effort to assume responsibility becomes a burden that somewhat builds to detachment.

The small, young cast is superb, but this especially goes for those most prominent - Sonia Mietielica, as Hanka; Kamil Polnisiak, as Wladek; and Nicolas Przygoda, as Hanys. They in particular seem to bear capability of range and nuance befitting the darkness and intensity of the roles, and perform admirably. I hope we get to see more of them all some day.

The atmosphere 'Werewolf' endeavors to fashion isn't wholly enveloping, but ably keeps us on edge. Any viewer specifically looking for a concretely visceral tale with recognizable horror concepts may well feel put out, and possibly deceived by the title and premise. But if you're able to simply let the movie be, and appreciate it without or regardless of presuppositions, the result is highly satisfying as a tale of perseverance and and fortitude in the face of dire circumstances.

It's perfect neither generally nor in how well it keeps us engaged, but 'Werewolf' is a finely crafted, tense feature, well worth checking out for anyone who appreciates more underhanded approaches to their cinema.

Polish horror drama 'Werewolf' concerns a group of children recently liberated from a Nazi concentration camp. As they settle into an abandoned mansion deep in the forest, they not only have to overcome thirst and hunger, but also fend off a pack of vicious dogs...

Those hoping to see a werewolf will be disappointed, but this film cleverly combines coming-of-age elements and survival horror thrills. It has an interpretative title; whether meant for the Nazi's and how war has transformed them into beasts, how a young child might view grisly injuries on a decaying corpse and conclude that it was caused by something from fantasy, or even how the children themselves have been forever changed by their horrific ordeal. And it's quite understandable why one of the young ones poses the question: Have the SS officers turned into wolves? As the animals attack with bloodthirsty intensity.

You won't get familiar with any names, but the group of characters are good. And of course there's an unstable member who threatens to endanger everyone more than once. (Is he the metaphorical werewolf?) The psychological and physical effects of past imprisonment has worn these children down, but they combine their wits when the dogs lay siege to their decrepit shelter, and there are a number of tense sequences and savage attacks, some of which are done in slow motion quite nicely.

Overall, 'Werewolf' is a solid, unexpected treat. The acting and cinematography is faultless, and it contains a thematically rich narrative that keeps you engaged even when it settles into a more straightforward horror groove.

7/10.