Ninetoes vs. Dead Howling

Ninetoes got a screener for an Australian horror movie. How does it fare against American horror?

A werewolf hunts zombies after losing his family. He meets two humans seeking sanctuary and joins their quest, protecting them with his powers. Their journey grows perilous as zombies start evolving.

Directed by John V. Soto

Written by James Pickering and John V. Soto

Starring Temuera Morrison, Ryan Kwanten, Joel Jackson and Tea Heathcote-Marks

Run Time: 1 hour 43 minutes.

Hey there, movie lovers! It is your old pal, Ninetoes, coming to you from Ninetoes HQ. Today I am taking a look at Dead Howling. I have popcorn in my system, and my thinking cap on, so let’s get to it!

This movie opens with news of a widespread zombie outbreak. Great, ANOTHER zombie movie. I thought there were going to be werewolves, or at the very least, one werewolf! I want the werewolf! Where is the werewolf?…oh, there it is. We have an uncle (Temuera Morrison…you know, Boba Fett) with his niece and nephew. They are searching for Sanctuary…basically chasing a dream for survival in a world turned upside down. Enter the zombies; the uncle draws them away as a helpful stranger comes in to help. Soon, he is overwhelmed, but there is a difference…he can change into a werewolf with an injection. The kids are saved! Roll credits, the end…

…but the kids still want to find Sanctuary. The man in question decides to get them there. Between point A and Point B is a horde of zombies that are hungry! Will they reach Sanctuary? Will anyone be there? Most of all, is it a safe zone?

The story was well written. Zombies and werewolves are like chocolate and peanut butter. It works! I expected it to be beyond campy, but it actually worked well. I believed in these survivors and the place they wanted to get to. The fact that the man who is the werewolf has a dark history he would love to forget with the help of some booze makes his character all the more real. The addition of the brother and sister cemented him in the here and now.

The acting was better than I expected. I am not saying I am biased towards American-made films, but I know American actors. I am more than happy to have my horizons broadened. There was only one actor I was aware of, Ryan Kwanten (True Blood); the rest were new to me, and actually helped their own.

One aspect I was grateful for was the amount of blood, gore, guts, and goo. For a horror movie, it was not over the top. They really could have done it, and much to the creator’s credit, it was done tastefully. Some was left to the imagination, and that is a hard trick to pull off effectively. It is either too little or too much. But for the story to put it in your head without seeing it is a master stroke!

If you are into the end-of-the-world zombie movies, this one is for you. If you like werewolves, this one is for you. If you like horror that is not American-made, this is for you.

I give this one 4 popcorn buckets out of 5!

Darren “Ninetoes” Perdue is a book and media reviewer. When he is not reading, he is watching true crime shows, cooking for his family, or working on a plan for universal domination. If you see him on his porch, say hi. He does not bite…much.

PLEASE NOTE: The views and opinions of the staff of Memento Mori Ink do not necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or Crystal Lake Publishing, nor do the views or opinions of Crystal Lake necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or its staff. Thank you for understanding.