Dog Soldiers (2002) - Neil Marshall

[Caustic Coffee]

Link to old thread



The main plot opens with a band of soldiers running a training mission in which they are being hunted by another regiment. They come in contact with an intelligence officer that informs them their orders have changed and they are to investigate the site of a massacre. They find the camp torn to shreds and find evidence this attack was carried out by wild animals. It turns out that werewolves have been hunting this area for years and the military meant to harvest these specimens for use in military purposes.

[Caustic Coffee]

I saw this years ago and have owned it for quite some time. The first time I saw Dog Soldiers, I thought it was a bit silly, but ultimately a satisfying time waster. That was then. I saw it again during the most recent horror draft and I think this is kind of ridiculous.

Neil Marshall has a reputation for making tongue-in-cheek films full of action and short on plot development, but this takes that idea to a new level. The so-called soldiers seem completely unprepared for any manner of attack, choosing to hold up in a house and not use any reasoning power when the werewolves come for them. They fight with soup spoons and pots and pans, as if this is the only thing that can be attempted. At one point, Marshall sets up a hand-to-hand fight between one of the tougher soldiers and a werewolf, and to show how tenacious the fight is, he shows the interaction in fast forward. This is the sort of thing you’d expect from a Benny Hill or Monty Python skit, not an action movie.

If not for the Descent, I would say Marshall is a hack that should quit directing, though Descent is still a favorite of mine. With some perspective, I cannot recommend this movie to anyone, which is why I’m continually surprised that people speak positively on its behalf. If I’m wrong, speak up, but I think this is a piece of shite.

[black coffee]

Amen!

This movie sucks.

[Santa]

Originally Posted by Caustic Coffee

If not for the Descent, I would say Marshall is a hack that should quit directing, though Descent is still a favorite of mine. With some perspective, I cannot recommend this movie to anyone, which is why I’m continually surprised that people speak positively on its behalf. If I’m wrong, speak up, but I think this is a piece of shite.

I don't understand why sometimes there is so much nitpicking on movies, who suppose to be just plain horror fun. Besides, this was one of Neil Marschall's first films, he wasn't that crafty like in Descent, yet he still manages to make a decent werewolf movie out of Dog Soldiers.
Though it's been a while since I have seen it. I can only remember having loads of fun in theater.

[Willowfang]

I like it a bit, but what gets me really is how much it's basically Night Of The Living Dead with a new coat of paint and a number of changes that it doesn't strike you that way right off the bat.

Conversely, I hate the Decent series.

[Heretic]

Originally Posted by Caustic Coffee

I saw this years ago and have owned it for quite some time. The first time I saw Dog Soldiers, I thought it was a bit silly, but ultimately a satisfying time waster. That was then. I saw it again during the most recent horror draft and I think this is kind of ridiculous.

Neil Marshall has a reputation for making tongue-in-cheek films full of action and short on plot development, but this takes that idea to a new level. The so-called soldiers seem completely unprepared for any manner of attack, choosing to hold up in a house and not use any reasoning power when the werewolves come for them. They fight with soup spoons and pots and pans, as if this is the only thing that can be attempted. At one point, Marshall sets up a hand-to-hand fight between one of the tougher soldiers and a werewolf, and to show how tenacious the fight is, he shows the interaction in fast forward. This is the sort of thing you’d expect from a Benny Hill or Monty Python skit, not an action movie.

If not for the Descent, I would say Marshall is a hack that should quit directing, though Descent is still a favorite of mine. With some perspective, I cannot recommend this movie to anyone, which is why I’m continually surprised that people speak positively on its behalf. If I’m wrong, speak up, but I think this is a piece of shite.

Yeah, I never got the hype surrounding this flick. It's pure schlock.

Marshall does have some talent, but I doubt he'll ever reach the hights of The Descent ever again. I can forgive him for this movie, 'cause he wasn't working with much. My "Eureka! This guy might not be as good as I thought" moment of clarity, came with Doomsday. Now that was fucking pile of garbage.

He did a damn good job with that Game Of Thrones episode though. When that series wraps up, that episode will be remembered as one of the very best of the series.

[kevinb]

I owned it on DVD and plan on picking it up on Blu-ray eventually. Im not going to use words like 'classic' or praise the film to be something of Citizen Kane caliber cause it's neither IMO, however, it's a great fuckin flick that blends action and horror well.

Not to get off topic here but I've noticed in the last few years, I keep re-visiting Doomsday. Yeah, I know, that's pretty crazy especially considering when that movie was released I labeled it '"fucking awful". It has a acquired taste I guess. Took me more than a couple of viewers to really appreciate it.

Also, Centurion has the overall best cast (Dominic West, Michael Fassbender).

[The Nightmare]

In the old thread, I was very positive about this film, but that was 6 years ago and I was only 15 at the time, I will have to watch the film again as I'm sure my opinion will have changed.

However, I do remember the film being a lot of fun if not taken too seriously, full of gory action and British humour.

[Caustic Coffee]

Originally Posted by Heretic

Yeah, I never got the hype surrounding this flick. It's pure schlock.

Marshall does have some talent, but I doubt he'll ever reach the hights of The Descent ever again. I can forgive him for this movie, 'cause he wasn't working with much. My "Eureka! This guy might not be as good as I thought" moment of clarity, came with Doomsday. Now that was fucking pile of garbage.

I had a big problem with Doomsday as well, in part because I loved Descent and had my hopes raised far too high, which made the disappointment that much more profound. Doomsday was a poorly executed sampling of a bunch of far better films apocalyptic films, which wasn't even that much fun. I didn't imagine it would be surpassing Road Warrior or anything, but I didn't think they'd try to copy the look so exactly, while at the same time failing so badly.

I haven't seen his Game of Thrones entry, but I'll give it a shot.

[Sea Hag]

Never have been a fan of this flick or Marshall in general & that includes "The Descent". Once the chud are revealed the whole thing goes downhill.