Dog Soldiers Review
Written by: BlackTequilaKiss
Dog Soldiers rocks solid! There are a lot of werewolf movies out there from back in the 80's and long before so breaking into the horror industry with a werewolf niche is a hard sell considering how many different stories have been used around the mythology of wolves but damn Dog Soldiers is one of the few that has managed to be a break out success.
It's original, genuinely creepy in parts and as a great sense of humour in the staple of the movie. Helps that the men of the movie actually do have so balls about them.
Plot: A squad of British soldiers on training in the Scottish wilderness stumble across a wounded special forces captain along with the remains of the rest of his team. Trapped in the wild with ferocious beasts on their tail they are helped to safety by a local woman called Megan. It soon becomes clear they are in a region surrounded by werewolves and this night it's a full moon...
What makes this movie stand out? Typically British humour and a movie not reliant on CGI. It is a refreshing change of pace. I loved the beginning where everything starts normally with the usual footy talk and then quickly descends into a nightmare. It pulls no punches and is such fun to watch.
Cast-
Sean Pertwee as Sgt. Harry G. Wells: He ruled the screen recently in Mutant Chronicles and back in this he was awesome! His wry sense of humour, his anger, his resilience when they try to patch up his 'flesh wound' is fantastic. He was fun to watch and the end where he realises what he must do was actually a tender moment. He is such a joy to watch, truly.
Kevin McKidd as Pvt. Cooper: Someone give this guy a medal!! He is such a fantastic actor in this. Achingly sweet but a hard nut he played the role of Cooper to perfection. Moments like refusing to give up are what made him totally unique. The ending complete with him was probably one of the biggest highlights of the film. Superb.
Every other actor did a great job inc. Liam Cunningham and Emma Cleasby who played their role to absolutely conviction. Just brilliant.
Special FX/ Music/ Cinematography: Wolves using just old fashion special effects! I am in paradise! They looked fantastic and truly creepy-ass, stunning work was definitely put into effect. Music was worthwhile for this particular film. It just fitted greatly. And then there was...
camerawork worked crisply and touch tense perfect. Colours illuminated wonderfully. Moonlight bouncing against paths, windows; the colour of the great wilderness of the highlands against the dusk of the sun. Words cannot describe the sweetness of those moments.
Final Verdict: In the end this was a great story aided by actors I did love, deaths that actually touched me and great werewolf effects this was a flawless film that didn't try so hard to be something it wasn't.
Fun, fast, in your face and an insanely enjoyable plot, this ticks every box. Watch it again and again, this movie never gets old. ABSOLUTELY awesome!! 8/10, deservedly!