Dog Soldiers Limited Edition 4K UHD/Blu-ray & Standard Edition 4K UHD & Blu-ray (2002) Review
During a routine training mission in the Scottish Highlands, a small squad of happy-go-lucky British soldiers, including Cooper (Kevin McKidd – TRAINSPOTTING), led by Sergeant Wells (Sean Pertwee – EVENT HORIZON, GOTHAM), plan to join a Special Operations unit… but when they arrive all they find is bloody remains – and only one survivor, C.O. Ryan (Liam Cunningham – HUNGER, GAME OF THRONES).
When the vicious perpetrators return, the group find themselves in mortal danger, but a mysterious zoologist, (Emma Cleasby – DOOMSDAY, LEWIS) miraculously saves them. Taking shelter in an abandoned farmhouse, with no means of escape, it’s only a matter of time before the attackers return…
When night falls and the full moon appears, carnage descends, and it’s werewolves versus soldiers in a battle for survival, as they face the unflinching terror of the Dog Soldiers. This unapologetically brutal and darkly funny horror will drive you barking mad with demented delight.
When Neil Marshall’s feature directorial debut DOG SOLDIERS was first released theatrically in 2002, it came in on the tail-end of the ‘Lad Culture’ of the late Nineties. By then I had my fill of what might now be considered ‘toxic masculinity’, so when I heard that there was a new British werewolf movie, with a cast made up primarily of men, I thought, here’s more of the same, boys being boys tailored for a lad audience.
However, with the critics raved and slobbered over Marshall’s comedy/horror and paying audiences also favourable with their opinions of the film, I suggested to my date that weekend that we paid the film a visit at the local cinema, alas her tastes did not lean to the brutal and bloody, so we saw BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM instead (the shame). I caught up with DOG SOLDIERS on home rental instead. I sat down to watch it, not thinking that I’d like it, only to end up charmed by its low budget aesthetic and the energy and gusto that the game cast brought to their performances.
DOG SOLDIERS was the first in what was a planned trilogy, with Megan cutting her hand as the intended set-up for a sequel. The idea of a first sequel – DOG SOLDIERS: FRESH MEAT was announced back in 2004, with a web series, entitled DOG SOLDIERS: LEGACY later announced in 2011. However, neither project moved forward with Marshall himself stating that they will ‘probably amount to nothing now’.
Jason Statham was originally targeted for the role of Cooper, based on his charismatic performance in Guy Ritchie’s LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS, however Statham opted to star in John Carpenter’s dodgy GHOSTS OF MARS instead (poor Jason) and Kevin McKidd stepped into the role instead. Elsewhere, the role of Spoon had been offered to Simon Pegg, who turned it down, wanting Edgar Wright’s then a few years off SHAUN OF THE DEAD, to be his first starring role in a movie.
Marshall had no rush to make a ‘curse of the werewolf’ movie, something he felt had been done to death (he’s right, it has), instead looking to the likes of ALIENS and PREDATOR for an action-horror template and he was right to do so, as it paid off in spades. DOG SOLDIERS is fast, furious, funny, delightfully bloody, and action-packed, and viewing it again now, twenty years later, it’s held up remarkably well. With nods to ALIENS, ZULU, STAR TREK II; WRATH OF KHAN, THE EVIL DEAD and THE MATRIX, there’s enough going on in DOG SOLDIERS to reward repeat viewings, and then some.
Special Features
A new 4K restoration from the Original Camera Negative approved by Director Neil Marshall and Director of Photography Sam McCurdy
Features 4K UHD and Blu-ray with bonus features on both formats
4K UHD presented in Dolby Vision HDR
Archive audio commentary by Director Neil Marshall
Archive audio commentary by Producers David E. Allen and Brian O’Toole
New audio commentary by writer and Associate Professor of Film Alison Peirse
Werewolves, Crawlers, Cannibals and More: a new 40-minute interview with Neil Marshall
A History of Lycanthropy: author Gavin Baddeley on Werewolf Cinema
Werewolves, Folklore and Cinema: a video essay by author Mikel J. Koven
Werewolves vs Soldiers: The Making of Dog Soldiers with Neil Marshall, Producers Christopher Figg and Keith Bell, Actors Sean Pertwee, Kevin McKidd, Darren Morfitt, Leslie Simpson and Emma Cleasby, Special Effects Artist Bob Keen and more!
A Cottage in the Woods: an interview with Production Designer Simon Bowles
Combat: a short film by Neil Marshall
Deleted Scenes and Gag Reel with optional commentary by Neil Marshall
Trailers and Photo Gallery
Optional English subtitles for the hearing impaired
Limited Edition Contents
Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Chris Malbon
108 page book with new essays by Craig Ian Mann, Alison Peirse, Zoë Rose Smith, Anya Stanley, exclusive interview with Neil Marshall by Matthew Thrift, plus Behind the Scenes photos
6 collectors’ art cards