大象传媒

A group of college buddies hit an 'uninhabited' island for a weekend of frivolity, but find they have some not-so-cuddly canine company in The Breed. The result is an effective, if formulaic, killer dog frightener from the Wes Craven stable. Among the pedigree chums is Michelle Rodriguez, who listlessly goes through the motions as the outdoorsy object of affection for two rival brothers. The appearance of a seemingly harmless pup signals the end of their idyllic break and they're suddenly surrounded by "scary-ass lassies" baying for blood.

It doesn't take long before the kids figure out they're not welcome on the island and start planning a hasty retreat. These are no ordinary hounds though, but a genetically enhanced, intelligent breed from a nearby training centre. Territory marked, a numbers game begins, and there are no surprises as to who gets mauled and in which order. The question quickly becomes not: who will survive, but do we actually care?

"A BIT OF A DOG'S DINNER"

Riddled with horror clich茅s, much of the film feels incredibly laboured. One of the group just happens to be at vet school, another is a mechanical whizz and Rodriguez's character is, conveniently, a climbing champion. The script is at times, laughable, and generally it's the four-legged actors putting in the best performances (these German Shepherds are pretty damn scary). That said, the pace is mercifully swift and there are some genuinely jumpy moments. But as horrors flicks go though, The Breed is ultimately a bit of a dog's dinner.

The Breed is released in UK cinemas on Friday 27th April 2007.