War Wolves

2008

Werewolf

Grizzly Peak Films

Monarch Home Video

Curb Entertainment

Peacock Entertainment 2009

Reviewer: Bob Estreich

A platoon of U.S. soldiers patrolling a village in the Middle East was ambushed by insurgents. During the gunfight they were warned by a local woman that they should not anger the “dogmen” in a house across the road. In spite of being armed and well-trained the soldiers, both men and women, were attacked one by one by people with superhuman speed and strength. Although badly savaged they were not killed, but were infected with a werewolf virus.

Now the soldiers have all been demobilized and have tried to forget what happened - unsuccessfully – as they have developed similar werewolf abilities themselves. Another small group of ex-soldiers are hunting the survivors, and they will kill them if they can before the entire United States is contaminated. The werewolf ex-soldiers are fighting back with their own hit squads.

One of the infected soldiers, Jake, is battling alcoholism and has not completely changed to a werewolf yet. He is being sought by both sides. Now he is recovering and the disease is becoming active. Erika, a girl in one of the small werewolf groups hunting him, is an ex-girlfriend and still has some feelings towards him. The other two girls in the group tend to follow Erika’s belief that they can coexist with normal humans. “Our survival does not have to mean their demise”. Her two girlfriends feel Jake would be better dead before he chooses sides, however, since he was the strongest of the soldiers. There is another male werewolf group that fully believes in the superiority of the werewolf. To them, humans are animals, just food. They see Jake as a potential threat who must be destroyed. As the change takes a stronger hold on Jake he must decide whose side he is on. He will soon be forced to fight one side or the other since he is becoming less human each day.

The old soldiers hunting down the werewolves are becoming no match for them. The werewolves are becoming stronger and more numerous and there is only so much a couple of elderly men can do. They have unlimited help from the military who do not want word of the werewolves to get out, but they can only supply equipment – they do not want more soldiers becoming werewolves. The old men are slowing down and some of the werewolves are escaping their carefully-prepared ambushes. Even by taking on the werewolves one at a time they are becoming outclassed by the werewolves’ superior physical abilities.

The film is a fairly conventional werewolves-take-over-the-world story, saved from being ordinary by some quite good action and acting and a concentration on plot rather than gore. There is even room for a little comedy as the local Alcoholics Anonymous group takes up arms (tennis racquets and cricket bats) against the werewolves.

I have to say, though, that the film is a little patchy. It starts promisingly enough with the war scenes beautifully done. It then degenerates a little and takes on a low-budget look. Director Michael Worth has done a pretty good job but it is sometimes hard to tell who is the hero. We have John Saxon playing the ageing soldier Tony Ford particularly well, and against his strong character Michael Worth (playing Jake, as well as directing) is a bit lost. The three girls (Natasha Alam as Erika, Kristi Clainos and Siri Baruc) also have strong roles. Even the venerable Adrienne Barbeau turns in a top performance in her inadequate part. Perhaps the problem is just too many good actors and not enough story for them to work with? That is not to criticise the film, but perhaps a little more money would have allowed each character more time to develop. That’s the problem with low budget films, I guess.

This is a better than average film in spite of the minor deficiencies. Good acting can always make up for lack of money. If you like werewolf shows, try this one.

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This review will appear in Volume 2 No.5 (2009) of the digital and print edition of Synergy Magazine.

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