Dog Soldiers

Neil Marshall's feature debut is a brilliantly scrappy siege film: a squad of British soldiers on a training exercise in the Scottish Highlands finds themselves under attack by werewolves and barricades inside a farmhouse for a night of brutal survival. Sean Pertwee and Kevin McKidd lead an ensemble of soldier characters who feel authentic and likable — you actually care when they die. The werewolf suits are impressive for the budget, and Marshall stages the action with a kinetic energy that belies the film's tiny resources. Dog Soldiers is the best werewolf film since An American Werewolf in London and launched Marshall's career toward The Descent.