Horrors of War

Director’s Cut

Sonnyboo / ArbourAve.Films

R1 DVD

A group of soldiers working their way carefully through the French woods after D-Day are attacked by strange but deadly human-like creatures. They are fast, savage and very powerful. They are also very hard to kill. Most of the squad dies but Lt. Schmidt’s report isn’t believed. He is accused of getting his squad killed in a German ambush due to bad judgment and transferred to a punishment squad that seems to be given the suicide missions behind enemy lines.

When he returns from another mission that was also attacked, he finds other reports have come in about the creatures. He is now taken seriously and is given the job of kidnapping a German scientist who is believed to be behind this new weapon of Hitler’s. The weapon is now acknowledged to be a troop of werewolves and zombies, converted from local Frenchmen who were captured. There also appears to be a number of German soldiers who have been converted to zombies. He is given a lycanthrope soldier of his own and he will need him to combat these super warriors.

For a werewolf movie, a genre that has almost disappeared, this one is extremely well done. For a start much of the action takes place in daylight so for a change we can see who’s doing what to whom. Much of the action is outdoors which often gives a film a rather budget look, but here it is in context and works. The effects and makeup are good without being overpowering, and for an independent film even the actors are surprisingly good at their craft if a little rough inplaces. The movie was shot on film which may explain the excellent picture quality. Some stock footage is used but even that has been integrated well.

The film has been compared to the old B grade Grindhouse films but I think it deserves better than that. I would instead compare it with a film like 30 Days of Night that also did good work within the genre. It’s a good edge-of-the-seat film and I recommend it.

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