Neil Marshall's Dog Soldiers (2002) opens as a hapless group of British soldiers on maneuvers in the Scottish wilderness discover the ravaged remains of another squad. Terrorized by an unseen enemy, they soon find themselves trapped in a small cottage where, conveniently, a local zoologist informs them that they are being hunted by werewolves. It's your basic siege movie, in the mold of Assault on Precinct 13 or, more appropriately, Evil Dead 2, with a healthy dose of Aliens thrown in for the fun of it. Marshall, who directed 2005's criminally underrated The Descent, wears his influences proudly on his sleeve (as he did with this year's Escape from New York homage, Doomsday).
A modest hit in Europe, Dog Soldiers went straight to DVD in the States, which is a shame given the film's superior werewolf effects. Still, if you keep the room dark enough, it's great fun to watch at home. There's no subtext to speak of, and it's not what you'd call innovative fare, but the film does boast a witty script and a cast of rock-solid English and Scottish actors (including Kevin McKidd, from Trainspotting and HBO's Rome). All in all, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better direct-to-DVD horror film for a night of pumpkin carving.
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