Howl

Horror

Available on VOD: 4 oktober 2016

Director: Paul Hyett

Cast: Ed Speleers (Downton Abbey, Alice Through the Looking Glass, Eragon), Shauna Macdonald (The Descent, Filth), Holly Weston (Assassin), Sean Pertwee (Gotham)

Joe, a young ticket-collector, is riding the last train out of London on a dark and stormy night along with a meager bunch 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 tells the passengers to make barricades to secure themselves in the carriage but soon the deadly creature is stalking the besieged train and smashing through their defences, picking them off one-by-one. Joe rallies his 'pack' of passengers to fight back. During a vicious battle they manage to kill the creature, revealing it to be a hideous mutated fusion of human and wild animal - a werewolf. However, celebrations are cut short when they hear more howls coming from the forest...

Reviews

• Britflicks.com: With HOWL Director Paul Hyett keeps the drama visually interesting and entertaining despite the very contained location of a train – a long sausage of a space to work with. He also absolutely delivers on the key action sequences when the hapless passengers go toe to toe with his creature.
• DerekWinnert.com: a good script, good characters and good monsters. It's well acted and well made.
• Flickeringmyth.com: Howl is a brilliant example of how to get a monster movie right. Werewolf movies have been done a million times before, but Howl brings something slightly new to the table. Hardcore werewolf lovers might be upset by Nick Ostler and Mark Huckerby flagrant disregard of the rules set up by other stories, but Howl is the best werewolf horror in years.
• Horrortalk.com: Like Dog Soldiers, this is more action flick and black comedy than it is straight horror, although it does get shockingly gory at times. The train is well packed with a fun cast of horror movie and public transport archetypes alike, from the slobby drunk to the Carter Burke-like asshole prepared to throw everyone else under the bus (or train) to ensure his own survival. The lively cast and sharp writing make almost everyone seem likeable and sympathetic, allowing us to care whenever one of them is knocked off or ripped up. And oh, what ripping! There's a fantastic level of splatter to the violence, particularly during one climactic encounter with a beast and its terrified would-be victims.
• Thehollywoodnews.com: A tense game of hunter and prey that chugs along nicely.
  Ukhorrorscene.com: Howl is a perfectly awesome addition to the British Werewolf film genre. Watch this as soon as you can!
• Radiotimes.com: even those well-acquainted with the genre should find enough to enjoy in the stylish set-pieces that feature plenty of bloody action.