Deathwatch (2002)

Plot Outline: Nine English soldiers caught behind enemy lines in World War One suddenly find themselves seeking refuge in a network of seemingly abandoned German trenches. But they soon find out that they are not alone down there and it's not the Germans that are after them.

The Review: With modern horror now seeking to mix genres in order to conjure up original and scary horror films, it comes as no surprise to learn that Deathwatch is a combination of both a war film and a horror film. And to be honest, it works better as a war film. The story of having a group of people trapped in a confined space and being killed one-at-a-time isn't original and this attempts to put a spin on that plot by setting it in some disgusting trenches during the First World War. This is where the war side of the film works. The sets are superb and the cinematography is excellent. In Saving Private Ryan-esque gloom, the trenches are harrowingly brought to life once again. They are full of rats, rotting wood, lots of water and even more mud. But this is where the real horror ends because the rest of the film is as soggy and messy as the trenches it's set in. Constant use of fog isn't a good way to generate atmosphere and when little happens, it's about the only scary thing here. There are a few good moments and effects such as the first sighting of the "barbed wire" bodies but little else happens from the "evil" trench. The rest of the film is just the characters killing the characters which reeks of lack of creativity. We don't understand much as to why the soldiers are being killed off one-at-a-time anyway, even at the conclusion of the film which does clear a few things up. But if you've seen another horror film with Bruce Willis and a shocking ending, you know where I am going. I could read the set-up as once the film's title hit at the 5 minute mark and the characters were suddenly in a different place. Characters also suffer from a lack of creativity and most of them drift into stereotype territory with the psycho, religious guy, etc. Only Andy Serkis (or Gollum from Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers) brings some zest into his psycho character and he's a real hoot to watch. Shame that can't be said about the rest of the film.

Final Verdict: The Bunker was guilty of having a decent set-up and atmosphere but practically doing nothing worthwhile with it. Deathwatch suffers from the same sin. It's not a bad horror film, it's just that there are better efforts out there if you look hard enough.

Rating: