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Sarah (7798 KP) rated Dog Soldiers (2002) in Movies

Sep 11, 2017 (Updated Dec 24, 2018)  
Dog Soldiers (2002)
Dog Soldiers (2002)
2002 | Action, Horror
9
8.2 (26 Ratings)
Movie Rating
This is one of those small relatively unknown horror films that you watch with little to no expectations, and end up being pleasantly surprised. This is a hilariously funny take on a werewolf film, with a fantastic British cast, lots of blood and guts and is a great debut for Neil Marshall. The old school effects are also make for a refreshing change. There are some great one liners in this that are quotable for a long time afterwards. Sean Pertwee is a great actor and does brilliantly in this, alongside Kevin McKidd and Davos Seaworth himself, Liam Cunningham. This harks back to the days of trashy effects and a silly storyline, and doesn’t take itself too seriously either, giving a thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable 2 hours for the watcher.
  
Wildling (2018)
Wildling (2018)
2018 | Fantasy, Horror
Contains spoilers, click to show
Wasn't sure what I was expecting from this one but got more than I thought. At first glance I thought it was going to be more of a "psychological' horror flick. Turned out to be more of a "creature feature". There was some killing in it, but nothing too gory. Things literally got hairy in this movie. The actors all did a decent job and the cinematography was good. I'd have liked more of a "back story" on the main character but they filled in some of the gaps about her. Overall this was an entertaining movie. Not really scary at all, but held the interest well enough to watch it all the way through. Interesting take on the werewolf genra. Worth a watch if you're bored some night.
  
The Company of Wolves (1984)
The Company of Wolves (1984)
1984 | Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi
Curious British-made feminist werewolf movie retells the story of Little Red Riding Hood (along with various others). A young girl dreams of a fairy-tale world of wolves and dark magic, where some people are hairy on the inside and everyone has a bit of a beast in them.

One of those movies laden with a slightly ponderous symbolism; doesn't really make sense except as an allegory for something-or-other; quite what that is is a bit unclear. It's not that all men are wolves at heart, but something slightly more even-handed. Good cast, nice production values; some of the special effects have dated a bit, but not risibly so. In the end it is all quite impressive but at the same time wilfully oblique.
  
WolfCop (2014)
WolfCop (2014)
2014 | Comedy, Horror
7
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
B-rated movie lover's dream (0 more)
B-rated movie lover's dream (0 more)
Contains spoilers, click to show
Wolfcop is one of those movies that is really, really fun to watch and turns great if you've got a few beers in you (or, if like me, you enjoy a good b-rated movie that doesn't take itself seriously). It has a start that makes you wonder if you made the right choice, but it's outlandish and enjoyable enough to be a fun watch. It's a great take on the usual werewolf story. They've got some really great scenes in there, and the use of practical effects is admirable enough to warrant some serious props. No cheap CGI here, just some good ol' effects.

It was good enough to make me interested in the sequel, which is saying something for b-rated movies.
  
An American Werewolf in London (1981)
An American Werewolf in London (1981)
1981 | Comedy, Horror
Off-beat horror comedy. Two American backpackers travelling through Europe are attacked by a ferocious beast in the Yorkshire Dales; one of them is horribly slaughtered, the other is less fortunate.

In with a shout as the best werewolf movie ever, although this is partly because of the lack of serious competition. The story hits all the usual beats, but is elevated by a knowing sense of humour (and jokes which really land) and Rick Baker's still-impressive make-up effects (it's hard to know which sequence Landis seems more fascinated by, the transformation or Jenny Agutter in the shower). A fascination with the weirdness of British culture, along with a supporting cast of great character actors, also helps to make the film distinctive. Very funny, very scary, occasionally very gory; a great horror movie.
  
I have enjoyed every book in the Five Hundred Kingdoms series by Mercedes Lackey, and I eagerly waited for her to cover my favorite fairy tale, that of Beauty and the Beast. This book combines my favorite fairy tale with Little Red Riding Hood and a dash of Cinderella, all with its own unique twist characteristic of the series. While I had the ending predicted quite early in my reading, I still enjoyed following the character development and watching it all play out.
Bella is very much the modernized damsel in distress, as she finds a way to do her own saving, and chooses who she would rather fall in love with, rather than let the Tradition dictate her actions. As she learns about the manipulations of the Tradition, she also realizes her own way of unconsciously dealing with it and the power she has over it. I loved her intelligence and creativity in solving the daily problems that riddled her life, especially with the invisible servants at the Duke's residence.
Duke Sebastian is an interesting character -- a wizard werewolf with hermit-like habits -- he is the direct opposite of the type of character I expected to play the role of "Beast" in this fairy tale, but I like him all the same. His devotion to his craft makes him absentminded about everything else in his life, and except for when he is a werewolf, he likely would not hurt a fly. Bella's interactions with him draw him out and show him that he can have so much more in his life.
I also enjoyed Godmother Elena's part in the book, along with her mirror servant, as they cemented this book into the series and reminded me of some of the details that I had forgotten from previous books.
  
Shiftless (Wolf Rampant, #1)
Shiftless (Wolf Rampant, #1)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Terra is shiftless --- a werewolf uncomfortable in her own animal skin.
A decade after learning to squash her wolf and flee the repressive village where she grew up, the packless ache still gnaws at Terra's insides. But despite her yearnings, she struggles against being reeled back into her old life.
To Terra's dismay, her father and half a dozen of his henchmen finally ambush her and demand her return. Yet they do offer one way out --- hunt down her nephew Keith, teach him to shift, and bring the youngster back into the fold in her place.
Problem upon problem piles up as Terra strives to do her father's bidding. The female shifter has hidden from her wolf for so long that she finds herself unable to change back into canine form, and she also realizes that her nephew is too good-natured to survive for a minute walking in his grandfather's footsteps. Plus, there's an alpha standing in her way who's equal parts enticing and terrifying.
Will Terra be able to relearn her werewolf abilities --- and overcome her morals --- before her father steals away her hard-earned independence? And as that tantalizing alpha reels her in closer and closer, the question becomes --- does she really want to stay away?

This is the story of Terra Wilder who is 27 now; She left her home and wolf pack ten years ago.
Her father who is the Alpha of her old pack has tracked her down and given her an ultimatum.
Terra has made herself shiftless by locking away her wolf side in her mind for the past 10 years and now needs it.
This is definitely different from other shifter novels which I like about it.
Good plot, great characters and can't wait to see how they develop.
Really good story and can't believe it's a first novel.
Recommend reading.
  
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b.Young (97 KP) rated Keeper of the Wolves in Books

May 27, 2018 (Updated May 27, 2018)  
Keeper of the Wolves
Keeper of the Wolves
Cheree Alsop | 2013 | Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Fast-paced (2 more)
Unique twist on werewolves
Character development
Ending left much to be desired (0 more)
I found this book offered for free on Kindle and I love a good werewolf story, so I figured there was nothing to lose.
I was not expecting to be so enamoured by this tale as I was. I am not sure one would be able to properly convey the mental and physical battle of a wolf that is cursed to change nightly into a man, or a man cursed to change into a wolf every sunrise, but Cheree Alsop did an outstanding job detailing the thoughts and nuances of a wolf, combining them with the brilliantly elaborated thoughts and actions of the man that was that wolf!
This book is ultimately a love story, though it starts out as a tragic tale. I was immediately developing feelings of sorrow and pity for Victus and hatred and animosity towards the Cruel One who had imprisoned Victus and put him on display for his own personal gain.
I was rooting for Victus to escape or be rescued, and found myself sighing in relief that the girl with the beautiful blue eyes held the key to eveything Victus wanted, needed, and deserved.
There is much more to the story and many battles to be fought within. Not only for Victus, as he struggles with who or what he is, but for the blue eyed girl and her family as well as the entire Kingdom that relies on her.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys werewolf stories and is looking for a fast-paced, action-packed, unique tale about the discovery of ones self, loyalties, and love.
It is definitely a tale I will read more than once.
  
Sin Undone (Demonica #5)
Sin Undone (Demonica #5)
8
8.8 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
This one is Sin's - Sinead! - story, Lore(n)'s sister and the only female Seminus demon in existence.

We get to know her a lot more in this one and I feel sorry for a lot of the crap she went through. She tries to be this strong woman who can deal with everything but she doesn't want to be. So thank God for Con - who we met in Lore's book, Ecstasy Unveiled - and who Sin had sex with.

As a dhampire, a vampire/werewolf hybrid, Con is immune to the werewolf shifter virus which Sin unwittingly started in the last book and a great candidate to help start a vaccine against it by using his blood. The only downside to it is that as a dhampire, Con is susceptible to blood addiction if he drinks from the same donor too often yet he needs to keep drinking Sin's blood to fuel his resistance.

Feelings start to emerge beyond their physical attraction as the two are forced to spend so much time together and get to know each other. How he demands that she feel things instead of letting her body do it's physical pain release by bleeding. They'd both been through so much in their long lives and they deserved happiness.

They had a few ups and downs in this. Con had responsibilities within the shifter and dhampire communities and Sin was donating blood and trying to help those infected by the virus before they died and also to her assassin den.

And then let's not forget that last chapter! How cute was that with Lore? I've really fallen for this extended family. They all deserve happiness and I'm really glad they've all found it.

I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this series.
  
I'll be honest. Out of all the paranormal creatures out there, shape shifters are not high on my list of favourites. I find them hard to connect to but I obviously like something about some of them as I have two werewolf series in paperback--Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs and Shifters by Rachel Vincent.

This one took a little getting into. It had a very slow start, taking 50+ pages for Bryn to meet Chase, the boy who got bit by the rabid, and then another 50 or so for them to meet again under supervision this time and not without going through a lot of training to make sure she can outwit/fight Chase if things go south. Strangely, though, Bryn and Chase have a connection - a bond - something that keeps them coming together and they somehow mark each other, causing chaos in the Pack. There's also the little issue that the rabid that bit Chase is also the one that killed Bryn's parents when she was four. And that is what the rest of the book is about. Finding and killing the rabid werewolf.

It didn't really hold my attention. It was quite a lot of book for hardly anything happening. The final showdown with the rabid shifter took all of about 25 pages and seemed over far too easily.

I liked some of the secondary characters, for instance Devon. He's great; witty, protective and good in any situation. Lake was fun, if a little crazy with her guns. Chase, I haven't decided about yet. And then there's Callum. I liked him, he always had a plan.

That being said, I don't think I'll be continuing the series.