Review of Dog Soldiers (2002) by Kevin N — 28 Aug 2010

A gleefully original werewolf film that straddles the line between B-movie wackiness and A-movie fright- and manages to find a good medium. There is no question that Neil Marshall has an eye for the macabre, particularly within that sub-genre of survival horror.

Here he showcases a lot of the technique he would utilize in his future masterpiece (2005's 'The Descent') and proves that there is much to be said about the effectiveness of minimalism in the genre.

The film is serious in tone but has comic touches, and a story that takes no time at all in getting started is helped dramatically by a solid cast familiar with how to deal with character development quickly and efficiently.

The werewolf movie is really kind of a danger one, and often filmmakers who venture into it don't come out with their careers in tact. Neil Marshall proves to be one of a very few exceptions.