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.

This is not your average World War II movie. This is not your average Holocaust movie. The is definitely not your average werewolf movie.

This film is something special. I don't watch many foreign films, but I think you'll like this one as much as I did because it's a film-lovers film - or an actor's film, perhaps.

The story follows a group of children recently liberated from the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp. Out of the frying pan and into the fire, they land in a huge, empty mansion in the care of sinister Russians. That's not the worst of it, though, because the place is surrounded by vicious animals. Are they escaped military working dogs or something much, much worse?

While I don't know the cast or crew, I am certain they are at the top of their game in their home country (Poland). Watch this film - I promise you can't guess the ending!

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.

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.

If ever a film demonstrated man's inhumanity to man, this has to be up there. Here we have a few half starved kids so terrified of their Nazi guards that they perform automatic, humiliating tasks just to get through each day. You get the distinct impression that they have never known any other kind of life. Once their camp has been liberated and they are effectively abandoned, they take a chance to bond together in a derelict country house for survival and turn into quite an effective group against a clear and natural animal enemy that is now just as deprived of freedom (and food) and many of them. There is certainly some gore, but it seems appropriately inflicted on the deserving. The title is slightly misleading, I thought. There is nothing supernatural about the "horror" here - it's as plain as the nose on your face. Certainly worth seeing on a big screen.