The Pack

The movies of 2010 still live
jonbly
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The Pack

Post by jonbly »

Really good fun, this one... though the ending didn't convince (nor is there any answer to the probably related question of why the brothers didn't kill her). Great make-up for the brothers.

8/10
daveroughcut
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The Pack

Post by daveroughcut »

Thanks jonbly for all your insights. Has kept me going despite not being there. Really looking forward to The Pack suppose it'll be on DVD by next August Frightfest (which I will be at!)
fiddleford
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Re: The Pack

Post by fiddleford »

I wouldn't get too excited waiting for the DVD, this film was very, very poor save for a few decent shots and the odd piece of mildly amusing humour. Don't read on if you want to avoid any spoilers.

1 - The acting of the bike gang was just awful, trying too hard to appear crazy and unhinged and instead came across as just silly and pretentious.

2 - A lot of the plot didn't make sense, I mean why lure the girl to the truckstop then disappear in the hope that she will stick around and wait till after dark and when the place is closed break in to look behind a sealed door which she accidentally found in the hope that she might find her hitchhiker even though she hardly knows the guy. Also when the biker gang and the two main characters were in the cabin why did they barricade themselves in when they had so many guns, why not just go outside and shoot the mother (which they ended up doing anyway) before dark and then just walk away. Of course film requires the suspension of disbelief but not the absolute suspension of any critical thought.

3 - The 'creatures' were really pathetic and the make up was so bad that they couldn't quite bite into their victims but sort of awkwardly smear their faces against them. Not scary, not gory, not impressive in anyway.

This film wasn't scary or gorey or interesting or fun, it was just stupid and dull.

More power to you if you liked this film (and giving it an 8/10 I would assume you did) but I though it was just rubbish and deserving of no more than a 2/10.
Eddie Krueger
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Re: The Pack

Post by Eddie Krueger »

I really enjoyed this film. I felt it was well paced, and was good fun from start to finish. The lead character was likeable and not overly stereotyped. Just when I thought I had the film worked out, it shifted in a different direction. The female villain was great too.

With respect to Fiddleford, I liked the creatures - they were well done, a good blend of zombie and vampire.

I'd give that film a 7/10.
fiddleford
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Re: The Pack

Post by fiddleford »

Obviously don't want to take anything away from anyone's enjoyment of this film and not meaning to belittle you if you liked it, different strokes and all that. I'm just finding it so hard to love any horror films these days, try as I might. I went to Frightfest full of hope that I would see something that really amazed me and would reignite the passion I had in me for the genre when I was at high school and swapping illicit copies of Argento, Bava, Fulci and Deodato films and revelling in their gory, creepy and highly affecting brilliance. Or when I first saw Dawn of the Dead and even Day of the Dead, though those memories have been somewhat sullied by the turgid wankbag of Diary of the Dead and Survival of the Dead (two of simply the worst films of any genre ever made).

Nothing seems to do it anymore and sadly nothing I saw at Frightfest changed that view, sadly it was just reinforced.
Eddie Krueger
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Re: The Pack

Post by Eddie Krueger »

I hope you find what you are looking for soon my friend :)

Did you see the Short Film Showcase? I thought there was plenty of promise for the future there.
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The Soapmaker
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Re: The Pack

Post by The Soapmaker »

I really wanted to like this. The elderly policeman, La Spack and her bizarre machinery (what the fuck was it for?) gave it a hint of Jeunet & Caro. I thought the miner-zombies were pretty cool. But it was all such a terrible mess.

The bikers should have been funny but were just stupidly cartoonish, the pacing was all over the place and everyone behaved so inconsistently - the cop was sharp one moment and an idiot the next, the son never seemed to know which side he was on and just drifted through the entire film with the same blank expression on his face.

Please Mr Director, take it away and re-edit it.
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Re: The Pack

Post by Wolfshade »

While I kind of agree with some of the above criticism, I still really loved this film, I guess it's one that's very enjoyable to watch, but perhaps doesn't stand up to rigorous analysis.

This was a real surprise for me, I really wasn't expecting anything from it, but it turned out to be the film of the day for me (although I didn't see The Loved Ones), I liked the way the story unravelled - first I thought it'd be them 2 against the biker gang, then it looked like it was going to be a film about imprisonment and escape, then supernatural elements came in. Thought the monsters were good, quite original and different - reminded me a bit of the skinny man from Pan's Labyrinth. Also loved the humourous touches to the first - the bikers being called Bazooka Joe and Chainsaw or something, the cop having the I Fuck On The First Date t-shirt, etc.

Really nice shots to end the film with as well - the close up of the growling monster and the girls vision slowly turnng red. Nice.

This is why it's worth going to see all the films and not chancing missing any, cos you discover little gems like this.
GeorgeCaplin
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Re: The Pack

Post by GeorgeCaplin »

fiddleford wrote:I wouldn't get too excited waiting for the DVD, this film was very, very poor save for a few decent shots and the odd piece of mildly amusing humour. Don't read on if you want to avoid any spoilers.

1 - The acting of the bike gang was just awful, trying too hard to appear crazy and unhinged and instead came across as just silly and pretentious.

2 - A lot of the plot didn't make sense, I mean why lure the girl to the truckstop then disappear in the hope that she will stick around and wait till after dark and when the place is closed break in to look behind a sealed door which she accidentally found in the hope that she might find her hitchhiker even though she hardly knows the guy. Also when the biker gang and the two main characters were in the cabin why did they barricade themselves in when they had so many guns, why not just go outside and shoot the mother (which they ended up doing anyway) before dark and then just walk away. Of course film requires the suspension of disbelief but not the absolute suspension of any critical thought.


3 - The 'creatures' were really pathetic and the make up was so bad that they couldn't quite bite into their victims but sort of awkwardly smear their faces against them. Not scary, not gory, not impressive in anyway.

This film wasn't scary or gorey or interesting or fun, it was just stupid and dull.

More power to you if you liked this film (and giving it an 8/10 I would assume you did) but I though it was just rubbish and deserving of no more than a 2/10.
Wasn't the woman going to get her earlier but the policeman started to bang on the door.
halloweengirl
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Re: The Pack

Post by halloweengirl »

I love the French and their bonkers films! This had great mad characters and a grubby feel and very attractive toothy mole men - what's not to love?
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Re: The Pack

Post by streetrw »

Well, it was alright, but not great. I actually liked the monster look - the seemed to have a bit of a Predator look to the jaws. Wouldn't rush to see it again, though.
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narcan
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Re: The Pack

Post by narcan »

Another great surprise this one; such a mess of odd elements - dirty bikers, maniac farm frau, blood guzzling mole men and Phillipe Nahon in his 'I fuck on the first date' t-shirt all added up to really fun flick. Great stuff.
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Reanimator
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Re: The Pack

Post by Reanimator »

Nice film and a good start to the day
lupogirl
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Re: The Pack

Post by lupogirl »

Thought it was a interesting film. Like the earth creatures and scary teeth. Shame about the confusing ending!
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Alex J
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Re: The Pack

Post by Alex J »

Entertaining and quirky Gallic horror with some bizarre characters and a sense of humour. Loved the female lead, while La Spack was a good villainess. Good fun way to start the day. 7.5 / 10
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