Dog Soldiers

The lost patrol meets the werewolf movie. Sgt Harry Wells (Pertwee) is leading his squad on manoeuvres in the Scottish Highlands when the training exercise unexpectedly turns nasty. Happening across the remains of a butchered Special Forces unit, they are rescued just in time by environmental researcher Megan (Cleasby), and shelter in the only farmhouse within 50 miles. It's deserted, the moon is high, the wolves are baying. Directing his first feature, Marshall allows his cast to overplay the squaddies' hard-nosed attitude in the opening section; but he's on surer footing when it comes to action and suspense. The werewolves are impressively realised, and the damage they inflict will put you right off your sausages. The farmhouse siege is intelligently constructed to shut off idle hope, and what's left of the cast strike the right pitch of bleeding machismo. It may be barking, but this British underdog has teeth.