DOG SOLDIERS (2002)

DOG SOLDIERS (2002)

In the highlands of Scotland, a small group of soldiers are on a routine training mission. During their excursion through the woods, they come across a destroyed military camp, and only one man, Ryan, still barely alive. As they begin to make their way through the woods, they are attacked by monstrous creatures, and only survive the ordeal when they come across a car driving on a nearby road. They make it to a nearby farmhouse, and there they make their stand. Megan, the woman who was driving, explains that what they are facing are indeed werewolves. Although the men at first do not believe her, least of all Cooper (Kevin McKidd, best known as Tommy from TRAINSPOTTING), once the werewolves catch up and begin their systematic attack, they soon discover the truth of what they are facing. And with six hours left till sunrise, no one may be live long enough to bring news that myth is indeed reality to the outside world.

Here in the debut from Neil Marshall (who would go on to bring us THE DESCENT), werewolves get a very much needed vault into the 21st century, and British horror gets another notch on the damn cool branch. Marshall's natural writing ability is on fine display here, and through the small talk and quips the soldiers have early in the film, their relationships are quickly set up, and you instantly care for them. These are just regular blokes, who would rather be watching football (that's soccer to you Yankee wankers) than defending the Queen. As the film transgresses into the claustrophobic horror and supernatural terror, they stay rooted firmly in reality, and react just as anyone probably would in their situation. And if you've been using English slang ever since watching the aforementioned TRAINSPOTTING, you'll probably pick up a few new words for your arsenal after seeing this.

Marshall's direction is also spot on. He uses wide and full shots while outside, and then brings the camera closer in as the action becomes cramped and contained, which emphasizes the closed in feeling the characters are dealing with. Even as the pace starts pumping, and the editing gets quicker, Marshall does not let the action become muddled. The characters' whereabouts in the house, and what is happening, is always under control and you can keep track of everything that is going on. Unlike many directors, he uses the editing to his advantage, and does not let it devolve into the flashy, shaky, one-cut-after-another style that is all too common now a days.

Another breath of fresh air, and a sigh of relief, is that the werewolves are all physical special effects, and there are barely any CGI enhancement in the entire film. Through a masterful combination of costumes and animatronics, the monstrous abominations are brought to life, and look just like what a real wolfman would probably be. They are vicious, remorseless, hungry, and tear their victims to pieces, and the gore that follows is unapologetic, with the blood and guts literally pouring out and arterial sprays staining the walls red. They also act as a pack (like real wolves), which is rarely used as an element in werewolf movies. Here it gives a fresh new element to what is arguably a limited subgenre of horror, and creates new difficulties in dispatching them.

Neil Marshall has easily marked himself as a new name in horror that should be closely watched, and any projects that he becomes attached to should be savored as a delicacy served to the world of the silver screen. On the cover of DOG SOLDIERS, JAWS, ALIENS and PREDATOR are used to entice the viewer to rent or buy a film that they otherwise might pass over. The comparisons are justified, though the film stands without needing the crutch of another film. Perhaps in a few years, and if the horror community is lucky enough, Marshall's efforts will be added to the elite list of cover blurbs, and future debut films will use the likes of DOG SOLDIERS and THE DESCENT to promote them.

EQUILIBRIUM (2002)

EQUILIBRIUM (2002)

In the 21st Century, in the aftermath of World War III, the leaders of world make the conclusion that mankind would not survive a fourth, and take the extreme measure of removing from man's life that might which provoke war - feelings, thought and emotion. A drug, Prozium, is invented to keep the masses at bay, and a new arm of the law, the Tetra Grammatron Clerics, is created to police sense crimes and destroy anything that might invoke said senses.

John Preston (Christian Bale) is a Senior Cleric, who follows his orders to the letter, kills those that are guilty of sense crimes without hesitation, and commands the destruction of anything illegal. That is, until one day when he accidentally breaks his daily dose of Prozium. That one missed dose is all it takes, and the sensory and emotional world he has fought so hard to destroy creeps into his mind. He begins a double life, continuing to be a Cleric by day, while seeking out the resistance that fights to bring down the controlling government at night. When he finally discovers the resistance leaders, they ask him to kill Father, the all-knowing, all-decision making head of the government, which will set off a chain reaction that will allow the resistance to take over. But with another Cleric already suspicious of Preston's activities, he may be arrested of sense crimes before he can start the coup d'etat.

The film's basic premise pulls from the themes and imagery from the great dystopian novels of the twentieth century, gladly borrowing from A Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451, and 1984, as well as the Nazi Germany's power of persuasion to bring the twenty-first century a new tale of science speculation and dystopia. Director and writer Kurt Wimmer has certainly done his homework, and spins a tale that, much like its inspirations, is just real enough and close enough, that it could happen if society lets it. Some of the more impressive nods Wimmer applies is the drug Prozium, a reference to A Brave New World's Soma, the burning of books and art a la 451,and the huge "big brother" video screens and the drab grayish uniforms of the common folk of 1984. Anyone familiar with these novels or their film adaptations are bound to see more similarities.

Societal constrictions are not the only element that is given a sinister overhaul. Organized religion and devout faith are also given a good muckraking. From the head-figure dubbed Father (a synonym for God) to the Clerics who enforce the social religion with pain and death against those who do not conform, to the unwavering faith that everything is being done in best interest of mankind. To paraphrase from the movie "whether we agree on what the Father says is not the issue, but our willingness to obey and to have faith in him is".

Christian Bale, who is in almost every scene of the movie and easily carries the film, is exceptional as John Preston. Bale plays the duality of the role perfectly, and uses his face to express everything the character is about. At the beginning, he is rigid and emotionless. His face is a blank slate. Once free of the Prozium though, he switches gears and even as he continues to show that rigidness, his slight changes shows the pain of having to willingly suppress his new found freedom of emotion. Bale also performs most of the demanding action sequences himself. It would be hard to dismiss that this movie was one of the main contributors to Bale donning the cloak and cowl in BATMAN BEGINS.

In the film, the Clerics use a martial art called Gun Kata, a form created entirely by Kurt Wimmer that incorporates guns, both as a projectile and physical weapon, into hand-to-hand combat. This weaponplay is brought into the movie several times throughout and adds from some exciting action set pieces that gives the viewer a breather from the oppressive government overtones. And here is where the main fault, if it can be called that, of the movie lies. The movie is marketed very much as a super-action film, and those expecting just that could be easily turned off by the heavy messages that take up a bulk of the film. Likewise, those who may be lulled in by the dystopian tale could find the action sequences a little too brutal.

Dystopian futures are one of my favorite genres, and for some same reason that I like westerns, though the build up is quite different. In each, all it takes is for one individual to take a stand against that which they see as wrong, and not only having the courage and determination to make things right in the eyes of that character, but the ability to be able to see those changes through. It may not be the best way, and many innocent lives are usually lost during that struggle, but it is a price I would gladly pay.

MAD MAX (1979)

MAD MAX (1979)

In the not-too-distant future, all Hell has broken out across Australia. Society is breaking down, the criminals and outlaws are getting more vicious, and the police in turn, must become even tougher. Of these officers, "Mad" Max (Mel Gibson in his leading actor debut) is the toughest. Dressed from head to toe in leather and padded armor, and driving a tricked out police car, no one can outrun him. Least of all is Nightrider, an outlaw who is part of The Toecutter's gang. When Max kills Nightrider on the road, Max and his friends becomes the target of the Toecutter's vengeance. After one of Max's friends is murdered, Max heads into the outback for some much needed vacation time, with his wife and baby. But close behind is the Toecutter, and if they push too far, they'll find out just how Max got his moniker.

In the late 70's, exploitation films that pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable in film were being churned out one after another. Although many of them became fodder for filling double-feature bills, a precious few were marked as something more, something powerful and raw. MAD MAX is amongst those films, and it is mostly in thanks to debut director and writer George Miller, for his anarchic vision of the future, and his DIY spirit that brought the film to life. Through death-defying camerawork (more on this in a moment), movie magic, pure adrenaline attitude, a few well used clichés, and the bleak wasteland backdrop of rural Australia, a terrible post-apocalyptic future is beautifully woven that is still just cool enough and habitable enough that you almost want to live there. And this is half of the makes this style of film memorable and successful.

The other half is having a character that you can route for and whose reinforced boots you want to be in. Stepping up to this challenge is a very young and still baby-faced Mel Gibson, who takes up the title role. The film follows Max as his last bits of humanity are slowly stripped away as he deals with balancing being in the most dangerous legal profession where ever second can mean life and death and raising a baby with his young wife, where every time they kiss goodbye could be the last time they see one another. Gibson handles what is notably some heavy emotions in an otherwise nitro-fueled action film. Gibson, with his limited acting experience at the time, does well enough, and perhaps a stronger actor could have handled the romantic scenes better. But when the film turns to the dark revenge sequences in the last reel, which are the most justified killings this side of the Punisher, Gibson's young features act as a stark contrast to the character's actions as Max's humanity is completely lost.

Mel Gibson aside, what this film delivers in spades is speed, speed, speed! George Miller sets up some incredible action sequences that will have any jaded chase sequence fan on the edge of their seats. You can almost feel the wind ripping across your face as the cars and motorcycle rip across the screen at 100+ kilometers per hour. Equal credit for this must go to cinematographer David Eggby, who put his life on the line multiple times during production to get as close to the vehicles and the asphalt as he could, and uses an almost documentary-style approach to bring the chases to life. What makes his work here the most appealing is that you do not see this kind of dangerous camerawork anymore, at least not without the aid of computers and digitized effects.

MAD MAX has gone on to collect a well-deserved following around the world, has helped to launch the career of Mel Gibson, and its low-cost production contains hints for upcoming directors short on cash, like if you don't have the money to buy a car to smash just use your own, pay your extras in beer, use nigh-abandoned factories for settings, use vinyl instead of leather for costumes, and if you want to give a lasting impression of gruesomeness don't show anything at all. Gibson, Miller and the rest of his crew would reteam for two sequel, THE ROAD WARRIOR and MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME. The three films create a long character arch for Max, as he loses, rediscovers and redeems his soul, and creates a much grander impression of the character than he was probably ever supposed to get. Here though, you'll just see him mad and burning to get even, so grab an oil can of Fosters, rev that engine into the red, and get ready to burn some rubber!