Hey folks, Harry here... this horrorshow is showing at me local Alamo Drafthouse North this coming Wednesday at 9:45pm for you mates out there that dillydally with the paper like I've told ya too a couple stories back. Ya ere? Alrighty then get your jollies on and I'll see ya there! Here's our freakshow with the skinny...
Dear Harry,
I've never tried writing a review for you before, although I meant to tell you a while back that the fellow brit who sent in that glowing review of Ali G in Da House calling it better than the Full Monty should be taken with a bit of salt. He was obviously a big Ali G fan. There are a load of them over here, Ali G is a massive cult amongst the youth, creating his own zeitgeist. The truth is he can be funny on the odd occasion, but it is just that; on the odd occasion. His TV series was hit and miss and his film's meant to be the same. What do you expect of someone who only uses blatant and obvious sex/drugs jokes? His normal TV act is to interview a guest and manipulate in such ways as to make the guest unknowingly come out with innuendos, that and asking shock questions.
Anyway onto my review of Dog Soldiers which I'd like to call 'Doing it Doggy Style‚' and why not?
The film opens with a couple of flashbacks/forwards which is confusing at the time as you have no context to put them in. Then it joins Sean Pertwee's group of soldiers, this is where it comes to life with a postmodern sense of humour, both enjoyable and funny, it immediately lifts the film to one you know you are going to enjoy. Most people are going to enjoy this movie, hence all the great reviews its getting over here, but I can see some may be bored with postmodernism by now, and I have seen one bad review, but more for it being a straight forward horror flick - which it is. It's no great classic but an enjoyable film to fill the gap until the next one, which is all you need sometimes.
Sean Pertwee is the highlight of the film, carrying it with his best sexy Russell Crowe - Gladiator‚ husky accent. Want to pull the girls eh Sean? The story itself ain't half bad, though with a couple of holes; you got to watch those werewolf teeth, very sharp.
The first glimpse of the werewolves is in silhouette form and they are as menacing and as scary as the mutant logo at the end of Buffy - looking like the Minotaur's got a night job, although this worries that the film may not be all that despite the reviews, rest assured the next time you see them they are suitably menacing. The film then runs as a variant on the Assault on Precinct 13/Evil Dead type of film, with them stuck in a house trying to keep the werewolves out. It is not as good as the classics of the genre because there are large gaps of time when they are not being attacked, and for real tension and terror it should have kept up the pace. The film never flags but you do wonder are they going to attack again soon or what?‚ I mean what else do these werewolves have to do, they're hardly going to be playing cards in the woods are they? Perhaps they're out of breath, perhaps that's it. You do wonder with the characters how are they going to get through the night, but not enough without sustained attacks, they are allowed large chunks of peace. This is not on. It's a long time since I've seen Assault on Precinct 13 but if my memory serves correct the pace was relentless. I may be wrong, memory is a sneaky bitch. My mate said it was more like Evil Dead, as it had people who had been bitten inside with them, never good for security, and at least one scene was a direct steal or homage to the Raimi classic.
The main characters are good, and the story has got edge, but the rest of the soldiers meld into one Society style as they are not developed enough. But in the end does it really matter? I enjoyed the film and that's all that counts. Why pick over the bones after a werewolf attack? Go see, it's an ideal movie for fans of this site.
Yours,
Cliff Homewood.
