THE Pack (aka La Meute) ***

Directed by Franck Richard, Starring : Yolande Moreau, Emilie Dequenne, Benjamin Biolay, Philippe Nahon. Horror, France/Belgium, 2010, Approx. 84 minutes.

Released in the UK on DVD by Icon Home Entertainment on 4th July 2011.

When broken hearted Charlotte Massot (Emilie Dequenne) is driving across the French countryside, after a run in with some bikers, she picks up attractive hitchhiker Max (Benjamin Biolay). Not asking him any questions, they keep driving until eventually stopping for refreshment at a remote cafe run by a middle aged lady called La Spack (Yolande Moreau).

Settling in for coffee (and a good joke by the way which is worth remembering), the bikers from before arrive and are up for trouble. They overpower Charlotte and Max, but before they can do any real damage, La Spack pulls out her shotgun and warns them off. When Max goes to the toilet to freshen up however, he never returns. Charlotte, clearly smitten with Max, decides to hang around until nightfall to investigate further. Big mistake, as when she breaks into the cafe, La Spack is waiting and knocks her out.

When Charlotte wakes up things aren’t looking great. She is locked in a cage, with a man in a separate cage next to her who only says John Wayne!! Fortunately Charlotte manages to find her phone and calls local cop Chinaski (who she had briefly met earlier and wears a T-shirt I must remember to buy!) just before she is knocked out. When she wakes, she is branded with a hot iron, and threatened with the Chair (an interesting device designed to drain her blood!).

Sadly, things don't get any better for Charlotte and John Wayne, as next stop is being taken to the local slag pit, and hung up on some chains. When La Spack cuts her foot and the blood starts pouring into the ground, 'The Pack' is revealed, and they don't look pretty.

First shown in the UK at Film4 Frightfest in 2010, The Pack could be loosely described as ‘Calvaire’ meets some zombie mutant creatures. Whilst not especially original, the small cast are excellently played and the script moves along nicely transforming neatly from its more humble beginning into an effective creature feature.

With an atmospheric setting and some decent action and horror in the second half, this is a very good little movie that is well worth tracking down to watch.

Bonus Features: The Artist at Work: Creating The Pack, Trailer

Dino Marabese

GORE IN THE STORE
REVIEWS BY FANS FOR FANS
5 STAR FAB - 1 STAR RUBBISH