Malcolm R
Senior HTF Member
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2002
- Messages
- 25,231
- Real Name
- Malcolm
Paul Hyett (best known for FX in films such as The Descent, Attack the Block, Doomsday, and Werewolf: The Beast Among Us) dives back to the lycanthropy pool to direct this tale.
Joe (Ed Speleers), a guard (conductor) on a public transit train, has just found out he's been passed over for a promotion and the jackass who was promoted has assigned him to a double-shift taking care of a group of passengers on a late night train across the English countryside. About halfway through the journey, the train comes to a sudden stop in the dark woods between stations. The engineer (Sean Pertwee) goes out to investigate what has happened and does not return. As the passengers disembark to begin the walk to the nearest station, they hear rustling in the woods...then the howls begin.
Not much of a plot here, as this is a "moment in time" story. There's no real insight into the origin of the creature, and there's no postscript to the event once it's over. But it is a fairly gripping and scary tale with largely practical FX and a creature design that's a bit different from the standard werewolf tropes. With a relatively large cast (about a dozen), and short-ish running time (92 mins), we don't get to know the characters well. But you learn enough to get invested and either dislike them (the smarmy, adulterous lawyer) or root for them (Joe and his co-worker, Ellen, on whom he has a crush).
Currently on blu-ray/DVD (I found it at Walmart). It was a blind buy for me, and I was happy with it. Recommended to those who enjoy old school creature features.
Note: Also, currently on sale at Amazon for $9.99 (noticed it listed in Kevin's price drop thread).
Joe (Ed Speleers), a guard (conductor) on a public transit train, has just found out he's been passed over for a promotion and the jackass who was promoted has assigned him to a double-shift taking care of a group of passengers on a late night train across the English countryside. About halfway through the journey, the train comes to a sudden stop in the dark woods between stations. The engineer (Sean Pertwee) goes out to investigate what has happened and does not return. As the passengers disembark to begin the walk to the nearest station, they hear rustling in the woods...then the howls begin.
Not much of a plot here, as this is a "moment in time" story. There's no real insight into the origin of the creature, and there's no postscript to the event once it's over. But it is a fairly gripping and scary tale with largely practical FX and a creature design that's a bit different from the standard werewolf tropes. With a relatively large cast (about a dozen), and short-ish running time (92 mins), we don't get to know the characters well. But you learn enough to get invested and either dislike them (the smarmy, adulterous lawyer) or root for them (Joe and his co-worker, Ellen, on whom he has a crush).
Currently on blu-ray/DVD (I found it at Walmart). It was a blind buy for me, and I was happy with it. Recommended to those who enjoy old school creature features.
Note: Also, currently on sale at Amazon for $9.99 (noticed it listed in Kevin's price drop thread).
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