Howl

AGAIN , yes it is a b movie with a good budget, all characters are exposed before the "hit", There are no questions about them when the "#@4T" hits the fan! Great writing for a b movie. We have all seen worse. Yes it is predictable to point. It deserves a viewing Would like to see a high budget Movie with this "schooled" Character build. and have Actors really work it, from the beginning! YES 7 for a "B" movie! need 10 lines? gonna get critical. the over top cam was abit over used on the train. the tension between the 2 "lets save our selves " could have been pushed abit more- using others adding conflict. the fuel line break was just silly as they are run in side a cased frame logic for a break would have been Electrical or jumped rail, Which still happens today!

Joe, a ticket-collector, is riding the last train out of London with a small group of passengers. When the train brakes violently and comes to a sudden halt deep in the middle of a forest, it seems they have hit something on the line. But when the driver ventures out to investigate he never returns, leaving the passengers in a state of panic – particularly when Joe sees the driver's mutilated body outside the carriage. Realising there's something dangerous lurking in the forest, Joe tell the group to secure themselves in the carriage but soon the creature is stalking the train, picking them off one- by-one. During a vicious battle they manage to kill the creature, revealing it to be a lycanthrope. However, celebrations are cut short when they hear more howls coming from the forest Horror films like this, where it features a confined space and a small cast, always have the same, predictable set up. The 'hero' of the film has just failed on something or lost something, and is having a peerage problem. But they always have an ally with them, and usually it's the girl of their dreams. Then we are introduced to the rest of the characters one by one, and here, Joe May as well been handing them tickets saying 'you'll get killed', because it's handled pretty clumsily. But it's a trope that features in all 'small groups in peril horrors' so I'll forgive its shortcomings. What is important in films like these is the mid section, the moment after the scene where it's all quiet for a moment, and then the first victim meets their maker, what happens then on is the meat and potatoes of the narrative, and here it's a lot of fun, but as I've said before, you can more or less guess who's going to get it next. We have the older couple who won't leave each other's side, the abhorrent teen in the phone, the selfish mother, he rich sleazy snob, an overweight lager lout, a studious nerd, the one who played Eragon who never made it famous because the film flopped, and of course, everyone's favourite, Sean Pertwee. So for a good hour, it's aware of nerves between the group, whilst we hear the campest howl in the background getting closet and closer. The cast all play their parts well, the characters make some really stupid choices, but it only adds to the fun. It's a mix of Snakes On A Plane, Dog Soldiers, Creep, with a little bit of Snowpiercer thrown in. But the best thing about Hyetts film, is that it doesn't take itself seriously, it's pretty much self deprecating for the majority of the second act, but keeps it semi serious. The biggest flaw with the film is the ending, it's doesn't know how to conclude the story, so it just finishes, and it's quite surprising. But all in all, it's a fun ninety minutes, and it keeps that feeling of claustrophobia you'd expect in a film like this throughout.

Howl had all the right ingredients, a train cutting through a dark and rain swept night, a monster lurking in the woods and a group of unsuspecting travelers. So why is this film so ordinary? Howl fails for so many reasons but chief amongst these, for me, is a throughly unlikable cast of characters. The trains occupants are a cynical, selfish, rude, nasty bunch. As a result, its hard to empathize with the plight of the travelers, which in turn robs this film of any sense of tension and suspense, as you quickly stop caring what happens to them. In most other respects, Howl is clichéd fare but, to a degree, that's forgivable. Pretty much any horror scenario you care to name has, to one degree or other, been done before. Howl is no exception. Howls sets are good, the mood reminiscent of an older generation of horror films, and the monster effects convincing. The acting is reasonable too, its a shame so little care went into the overall characterization. I rate Howl a five out of ten. Its not dreadful but its hardly a masterpiece either.

There is some development for story line and character purposes that is slightly painful to get through but it is not as excruciating as certain ritalin addicts would have u believe. The irritable characters r truly annoying and u really enjoy the scenes when they die horribly. I particularly enjoyed the death of the pre period mouth piece, although it is quite a 180 from the seasoning house. The ticketmaster plodded along and kept everyone in line until the time came to take command which he managed to do admirably. The creatures were very well done, not as good as underworld but better then crap like wolfcop or the ewok looking fuzzies from wolves. I am not sure where all the hate is coming from but this was a decent horror film sure it was no American werewolf in London but it still entertaining for the hounds out there, British included.