Dog Soldiers

If you are like me and are completly sick to death of the teen/college slasher horrors that hollywood seem to produce by the week then Dog Soldiers is then film for you. this film has everything for the true horror fan, a great story , good acting , lots of blood , tons of action and most importantly it's bloody scary. The film is about a group of soldiers on routine patrol in Scotland come across what seems to be a group of man eating beasts that turn out to be warewolf's and do their best to fight of the constant attack by the flesh eating beasts. What i like about the movie that while it has a good blend of horror and action it is also very amusing in parts to and unlike most hollywood horrors it it funny when the director means it to be! A classy way above average horror that you cant fail to enjoy. 8 out of 10.

It's easy to make a bad horror film, and, sadly, not too many people have the drive or imagination to make a decent one. I heard about Dog Soldiers through Fangoria, and though they've been wrong before I thought it was worth a go. In a word, it was fantastic!! I was willing to overlook the slightly convoluted plot (especially when people turned into werewolves at any old time, as opposed to the beginning of the full moon...) for the action and tension. I rather liked the werewolf costumes, because even though their range of motion was limited they made for some divinely creepy silhouettes. I even got interested in and attached to the soldiers, action-film archetypes though they were. If you're not willing to follow the movie where it takes you, then I wouldn't recommend it. But if you're ready for a deliciously gory bit of fun, I doubt you'll be disappointed. 8/10

A group of squaddies are sent out into woods in the Scottish highlands to take part in a small practice operation against a group of special force soldiers. However when Sgt Wells' men locate the other unit they find that Captain Ryan is the only survivor and, appears to be mad, gibbering about "things". When the group are attacked by something else, they take Ryan and his array of weapons and flee. They find local girl Megan in a landrover and she takes them to the nearest shelter to attend to the wounded – an empty farmhouse. As Megan tells them of werewolves in the woods, and Ryan sits silent as to what his team were actually up to, the "things" start to gather and strike the house.

With comparatively no budget to speak of, it is no surprise that among the references, this film pays homage to the Evil Dead by calling one of its characters Corporal Bruce Campbell. Certainly with a group of people in farmhouse (cabin) in the woods fighting off an unstoppable supernatural evil is almost homage enough in itself although, for me, this didn't get anywhere near to the horror of that film. However it does still manage to produce quite an enjoyable film even if it isn't really scary in a true sense. The plot is simple and it is a good thing because the action bits are best, while the dialogue bits are less so. The film does pretty well to keep the tension up but I did think it could have been tighter and more suspenseful than it was at times. That said, the attacks are good and, as long as you aren't too demanding, it will do enough to keep you entertained. I must admit that the "Britishness" of it and the fact that it was such a low-budget affair may me more willing to forgive it such things – although some of the dialogue was so clunky and unconvincing that it was occasionally hard to get past – although I did get a big laugh out of the Matrix reference "there is no spoon".

The cast do pretty well, shouting and running around convincingly enough. I would have liked a bit liked a bit more humanity but in fairness the characters were pretty accurate for many squaddy types I know. Pertwee is fun and for probably the first and last time is the big name of the film. McKidd is OK but he has to carry a lot of the talking and it means his limits show up more than the others. Cleasby is pretty poor and she is lumbered with a poor character to boot. Cunningham was fairly obvious but I was constantly distracted by just how much he came across like George Galloway (minus the moustache of course). Lockyer, Robson, Simpson and others are pretty one dimensional but Morfitt had energy and manage to stand out with a bit of character. The direction is good and wisely keeps the camera fluid and the monsters hidden – although I personally though the costumes were good for the money they cost.

Overall this is an enjoyable film. It appears to homage other films as much as it borrows from them, but it does it well enough. It could have been tenser, more exciting and it certainly could have been scarier but it still works as an action/horror of sorts. Apparently a sequel is planned and I hope the bigger budget can improve it a bit but for now this is an enjoyable low-budget horror that is basic but fun and worth seeing.

OK this film is cheap, with limited effects and a relatively unknown cast. It just proves that you don't need allowed of money or Hollywood to entertain somebody for a couple of hours. I was sceptical before viewing this movie but i must say it was surprisingly enjoyable and original.

Some guys are doing an army exercise in the woods of Scotland, when they are stalked and chased by werewolves. They manage to escape the woods and reach the only house nearby, where they end up desperately fighting for their lives against some savage beasts.

This is by no means a straight out horror movie. There is a lot of action and even some moments of comedy. There is also a clever twist towards the end and the audience is kept guessing who will survive and who won't. The men act like true heroes in the fighting and I genuinely felt for them - unlike in so many horror films.

Another thing I particularly loved about Dog Soldiers is that it's so British. I'm tired of so many good American horror movies! The setting in Scotland, the dialogue and the men are very British. Although its not completely original many elements of this film are. Admittedly the effects aren't great and although a bit jumpy at times I didn't find this one scary (though that isn't its main aim).

A refreshing and entertaining film; OK its not a classic but i still recommend it. If you liked this check out the Descent (by the same director) with a bit more cash

This one is the best werewolf film I've ever seen. I must admit that it hasn't got the greatest special effects or the biggest names in the acting business attached to it, but the film succeeds in doing what needs to be done: it keeps you on the edge of your seat for the whole ride and it doesn't let you go for one minute. Other than that, the actors are pretty good and there are also some good comedic moments. If you want a nice night of entertainment, suspense and scares give this one a try, because despite not being the most original or inventive film out there, it does not only promise to deliver IT DOES SO!!! I just know that I especially (and two others) highly enjoyed this low budget horror flick.

8 out of 10