Giles Alderson’s British thriller, Wolves of War, is thoroughly formulaic. Scheduled to be released on VOD and digital platforms on September 13, it takes place in Germany in 1945 during the dying days of World War II.
The plot could not be more straightforward.
British commandos are parachuted over Bavaria to rescue an American scientist who has been compelled to work for Nazi Germany’s nuclear program. They must hurry because the Nazi regime has made considerable progress in building a nuclear bomb. And they must get there before the Russians.
Three commandos, plus an American scientist, reach the ground safely after their airplane is hit by German anti-aircraft fire. A fourth commando is killed by flak.
The group is led by Norwood (Matt Willis), a tough-as-nails army officer. His second-in-command is Wallace (Ed Westwick).
From almost the moment they regroup in a forest, they are attacked by fanatical Nazis who cannot accept the looming defeat of the homeland. As they creep around the countryside, they witness the execution of two civilians who apparently have been accused of treason.
They receive intelligence and logistical support from Elsa Schlesinger (Eva Magyar), a Hungarian who has turned against the Nazis. She helps them find Hopper (Rupert Graves), the American professor, and his daughter.
The film is utterly conventional and predictable. The commandos engage the Nazis in sporadic firefights and always win. Except for a stereotypically cruel and strutting German officer, the Nazis remain nameless, voiceless beasts who richly deserve oblivion.
Wolves of War, though workmanlike in terms of production values and casting, makes no lasting impression.