Dog Soldiers

Don't be disheartened by the British film industry's dismal record with horror movies - this is as scary, funny and exhilarating as any Hollywood fright-fest of recent years. Its set-up is simple - a bunch of jaded British soldiers on weekend manoeuvres (and hence with limited live ammunition) stumble across the scene of a savage werewolf attack and hightail it to a secluded farmhouse, battling to make it through till dawn against wave after wave of lupine assaults. This is a quite sensational debut from writer/director Neil Marshall, which explodes into life in the first 20 minutes and rarely pauses for breath. Anchored by sturdy performances from Kevin McKidd, Sean Pertwee and Liam Cunningham, this low-budget film showcases Marshall's remarkable technical prowess, with knockout monster make-up (impressive even in full view), potent sound mixing and fluid camerawork. The knowing humour combined with gruesome gore adds further layers of entertainment, creating what is arguably the best genre crowd-pleaser since the Scream series.