Dog Soldiers sees a squad of six soldiers are dropped into the Scottish Highlands on a training mission. They soon discover the remains of a Special Ops camp with only one survivor. Hoping to get far from the bloody site, the soldiers and survivor hitch a ride from Megan, a zoologist who is passing through the area. An old farmhouse grants them shelter and medical attention; however, they must endure the night of blood hungry werewolves who have been tracking them all along!
Dog Soldiers has some twist and turns; therefore, I will stop here to avoid spoilers! However, I can definitely elaborate on the fact that you have to see this film for yourself. I loved how the characters didn’t spend all their time trying to find out every detail about the creatures. I really dread when films do that because that wreaks havoc on the pacing.
The screenplay even avoids diving into long, boring, mythological lessons on how to defeat the savage beast. The soldiers act like soldiers: They see a threat, they strive to kill the threat, and they do everything possible to get away from the threat. Plain and simple. That’s how I like it!
I’m not familiar with any of the cast in this film, but I do know that they are all talented actors. You can always tell how skilled an actor is by your level of concern for the well being of their character. And in this case, I absolutely cared about the soldiers. They all seem loyal to their duties, making it all the more painful to see some of them die or turn into beasts! The bond the soldiers share with each other is authentic.
Make Sure to Check out Our Script to Pieces Feature on Dog Soldiers: Fresh Meat
On to the guts, gore and other effects! There is no CG in Dog Soldiers, which is pretty great. The werewolves look like werewolves: Hairy, ugly, 7 feet tall, fast and menacing killers. There are buckets and buckets of blood and guts throughout. Also, the explicit gore is all meaningful, it serves a greater purpose, which is rare to come by.
Overall, Director Neil Marshall deserves a round of applause! I have never been a big fan of The Descent but Dog Soldiers is pretty amazing! It has its flaws, and I did have questions about certain events that transpired. But to keep this review spoiler free, I won’t mention them! Do I recommend it? Of course! How can I turn down a picture with great shots and action that keeps the story rolling? Plus, who can resist soldiers and werewolves?
WICKED RATING: 7/10
Director: Neil Marshall
Writer(s): Neil Marshall
Stars: Sean Pertwee, Kevin McKidd
Year: 2002
Studio/ Production Co: Kismet Entertainment Group
Budget: $2,000,000
Language: English
Length: 105 Minutes
Sub-Genre: Horror, Comedy, Action
