31 Days of Drafts and Darkness:

"Dog Soldiers" (2002)

Vampires and zombies have had their fun. Another classic Halloween icon has yet to make our list. When the moon is full, you'd better be packing silver.

The Plot:

Written and directed by Neil Marshall (who also wrote and directed "The Descent"), "Dog Soldiers" is a  story of man against beast.

In the highlands of Scotland, a British military unit is on special training. This band of troops is no typical lot of monster fodder. Each of these soldiers is a rough,well-trained fighter. And armed to the teeth with heavy weaponry. Though the woods are rumored to contain beasts, these troops couldn't care less. The only thing on their minds is beating the rival military team, a special ops unit also roaming the forest.

Shortly into their mission, they find the rival team. Torn to pieces.

Before long, they're attacked by the culprits: a ferocious band of werewolves. With their normal bullets doing little else than slowing the beasts, the soldiers seek shelter in an old cabin and attempt to stand their ground. The odds don't look good, but if these troops have to die, they're going out fighting. 

A few of them sustained bites, but I'm sure they'll be fine. They seem to be healing up a lot faster than normal, anyways. That can't be a bad sign. Can it?

The Flavor:

The plot of "Dog Soldiers" is about as straight-forward as it gets for horror films. Take a group, dump them into the woods, spice with foreboding, then let all hell loose. What makes the film unique is how its cast responds to the ordeal. Unlike a clueless band of teenagers, the soldiers don't lose their cool or panic. Rather, they keep their military discipline. You can tell they've been in rough patches before, as they're even able to crack jokes in between werewolf attacks. This difference in character attitude and competence provides three refreshing changes from your usual monster movie.

First, that these soldiers are organized and intelligent means they're not apt to make dumb decisions. Whereas lack of judgment among victims is a staple of scary movies, don't expect our heroes to walk blindly into the jaws of death. This makes them far more realistic, so even if each soldier isn't a fully fleshed-out character with arc and back story, their behavior still feels real.

Secondly, that the soldiers are capable and yet still seriously threatened by these werewolves shows just how dangerous the monsters are. Upon witnessing the unit's best tactics and weapons simply shrugged off by approaching werewolves, we realize they're basically tanks with fur. You respect the abilities of our main characters, so seeing their strength suddenly and savagely overpowered can't help but make you feel small. You ask yourself: if these guys are getting torn apart, what chance would I have? The werewolves of  "Dog Soldiers" are far more terrifying because of this.

Finally, the soldier vs. werewolf setup allows "Dog Soldiers" to showcase just as much action as horror. While there's no shortage of scares, the fight scenes between human and beast are absolutely adrenaline packed. Even when a character knows they're about to die, they make sure to give the monsters hell before their last breath.

Best Paired with:

"Dog Soldiers" should appeal equally to both horror and action movie fans. The werewolf siege on the cabin feels genuinely frightening. You never quite know from where a claw will erupt. In those same scenes, the determination with which the troops fight back and fortify their shelter will make you root for them the same way you would Arnold or Stallone.

Thus, "Dog Soldiers" makes for a fun watch either alone or with friends. There's lots of gore and foul language, so leave the little ones out of this. Those squeamish may also want to look away at times. While the violent moments are nothing out of the ordinary for werewolf films, that these beasts kill by literally tearing their prey apart should clue you in to how nasty things get.

Accompanying Brew:

 I almost feel like tonight's pairing brew is cheating, but it's too perfect a match to deny.

From Great Britain comes Newcastle's Werewolf Blood Red Ale. It's only in recent years that Newcastle's started putting out seasonal brews in the U.S., and Werewolf is the first I recall finding.

Pouring a dark amber shade, Werewolf initially looks like a slightly more crimson version of the classic Newcastle Brown Ale. When you take your first sip, you'll be reminded of the slightly sweet taste of a regular Newcastle, too. As the brew washes over your tongue, a bite of rye comes with it. The rye taste is mild, but certainly noticeable. Many people aren't used to this flavor in beer, and it can initially seem odd. I personally enjoy it, but will advise that the taste can be polarizing. If you're unfamiliar with rye-ales, Werewolf makes a great introduction, as the flavor is mellow.

In addition, the added malty character of the beer provides a pleasant nutty tone to the sweetness. It's almost as if Newcastle took their flagship ale and married it to a German Octoberfest. Their baby is Newcastle Werewolf. If you're a fan of Newcastle, you'll certainly enjoy this seasonal offering.

Both "Dog Soldiers" and Newcastle's Werewolf hail from the UK, the setting of the classic Universal "Wolf Man" film from 1941. This shared heritage makes them a great match to enjoy together.