It's OK to make a film about a murderous male monster-race who rape and plunder innocent females on a weekend of cave (uterus) exploration — but apparently you can't have it the other way round.
Doghouse tries to wind up women, so some critics made a move to discredit it on the grounds that 'it borrows heavily from Shaun of the Dead!' You've got to love people who get the concepts of plagiarism and inspiration so horribly mixed up.
What such cutting edge journalism fails to recognise is that Doghouse is actually a successful parody of anti-male ball-stompers like The Descent.
Now I'm not silly enough to ignore past patriarchy (it has been around since the beginning of time) but I was brought up to respect girls and I have the right to laugh at them in a film. It's no different to girls laughing at Owen Wilson getting hit in the nuts with an American football, or whatever. It's the same thing.
So, Doghouse sees a group of mates take main character Vince to a country village for a debauched weekend of boozing and birds, the perfect remedy to his recent messy divorce. During the opener, the male protagonists leave for Moodley against the behest of their angry significant others — putting them in the 'doghouse', clever.
If feminist alarm bells aren't ringing already, then a moaning tribe of blood-thirsty female zombies should do the trick. Moodley, conveniently in the middle of nowhere, has fallen victim to a virus that only affects women. And no, it's not bird flu.
Anyway, without revealing too much of the plot, it's a good story with a standard horror narrative and nods towards the now classic Resident Evil Umbrella corp scenario.
The influences and homages are plenty, and come in the size of 6 foot Evil Dead posters and 'groovy' weapon gestures. The man on woman combat is Bruce Campbell versus the dead, complete with the make-up, contorted grimaces and a 50 per cent tempo increase.
Danny Dyer does his usual turn while Noel Clarke is entertaining as 'nice Noel' from Doctor Who rather than 'nasty Noel' from Kidulthood. Stephen Graham plays Vince, the alpha male leading the fight against the she-zombie horde. Oh, and if you don't know who Stephen Graham is, you'll know his face. He's that Scouse actor who turns up like a bad penny in every British production with a modest budget.
Amongst the film's tongue-in-cheek sexism, there is actually some hidden respect for women. The characters express regret at having to off the man-munching birds and they also, boyishly, 'appreciate' the opposite sex. If all that sounds like a disclaimer it's because it is.
There is superb gore and well-crafted comedy. When Doghouse isn't being funny, it'll warm your heart with that certain brand of lad camaraderie found in pubs and on footy terraces.
What such cutting edge journalism fails to recognise is that Doghouse is actually a successful parody of anti-male ball-stompers like The Descent.
Now I'm not silly enough to ignore past patriarchy (it has been around since the beginning of time) but I was brought up to respect girls and I have the right to laugh at them in a film. It's no different to girls laughing at Owen Wilson getting hit in the nuts with an American football, or whatever. It's the same thing.
So, Doghouse sees a group of mates take main character Vince to a country village for a debauched weekend of boozing and birds, the perfect remedy to his recent messy divorce. During the opener, the male protagonists leave for Moodley against the behest of their angry significant others — putting them in the 'doghouse', clever.
If feminist alarm bells aren't ringing already, then a moaning tribe of blood-thirsty female zombies should do the trick. Moodley, conveniently in the middle of nowhere, has fallen victim to a virus that only affects women. And no, it's not bird flu.
Anyway, without revealing too much of the plot, it's a good story with a standard horror narrative and nods towards the now classic Resident Evil Umbrella corp scenario.
The influences and homages are plenty, and come in the size of 6 foot Evil Dead posters and 'groovy' weapon gestures. The man on woman combat is Bruce Campbell versus the dead, complete with the make-up, contorted grimaces and a 50 per cent tempo increase.
Danny Dyer does his usual turn while Noel Clarke is entertaining as 'nice Noel' from Doctor Who rather than 'nasty Noel' from Kidulthood. Stephen Graham plays Vince, the alpha male leading the fight against the she-zombie horde. Oh, and if you don't know who Stephen Graham is, you'll know his face. He's that Scouse actor who turns up like a bad penny in every British production with a modest budget.
Amongst the film's tongue-in-cheek sexism, there is actually some hidden respect for women. The characters express regret at having to off the man-munching birds and they also, boyishly, 'appreciate' the opposite sex. If all that sounds like a disclaimer it's because it is.
There is superb gore and well-crafted comedy. When Doghouse isn't being funny, it'll warm your heart with that certain brand of lad camaraderie found in pubs and on footy terraces.
Covert intelligence and genre awareness make this film the best Brit horror-com since Shaun of the Dead. Ownership of a penis is recommended, but not essential.
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