agentorange [Celluloid 03.18.08] post apocalyptic movie review apocalyptic horror



Year: 2007
Director: Mark Young
Writers: Mark Young
IMDB: link
Trailer: link
Order the DVD from: Amazon
Review by: agentorange
Rating: 8.1 out of 10

Wow, I don’t know what the heck people are smoking over at IMDB, but they quite obviously got their hands on some bad stuff because their judgment is seriously impaired on this one. Sorry, but it’s the only way I can reasonably understand some of the vitriol spewing from the keyboards concerning Mark Young’s new post apocalyptic horror outing Tooth and Nail, a film that, in every respect, feels and looks like a trend setting piece of lower budget genre work. That's low budget mind you. Amatuer? Ha! I laugh in the face of your criticisms. If anybody claims that the stills below look like the work of an amateur I'll eat my shoes for dinner tonight. In fact, in the interest of sharing how much I loved even the look of this film I kind of went a little still happy in this review with a whole batch of images still littering my desktop.






But before we dive headlong into the film, lets first clear the air about what Tooth and Nail is, what it's not, and why it works. Mark Young has made a horror film plain and simple. In the vein of other 'under siege' classics like Assault on Precinct 13, Night of the Living Dead, or most recently The Mist, Tooth and Nail follows survivors of a worldwide apocalypse who hole up in an abandoned hospital only to end up fighting for their lives against an unimaginable terror. And while the film may not be after any earth shattering commentary on the world's dependence on gasoline or indeed anything about the end of the world, it is still apocalyptic on every level. This is very much a world that's all about survival of the fittest; a world of eroded morals, no law and order, and intense blood lust where the strong prey on the weak and you can't trust anyone. Sound fun yet?





I mean horror should be fun too right? Well that's where Michael Madsen and Vinnie Jones come in. These two actors have made a career out of playing charismatic baddies you love to hate and in Tooth and Nail you can't help but relish their scene chewing even as they scare the living crap out of you. I mean, just imagine meeting a cannibalistic Vinnie Jones in an apocalyptic alley. Utterly terrifying.

The film also offers horror fans gore galore without sacrificing the fear factor. There are no thrill kills here people. No teenybopper money shots meant to titillate the senses. You never ever secretly want Michael Madsen's axe to find its mark, and when night finally falls on the hospital and the eerie shrill of that crazy terrifying horn bleats its cannibal call, you prey for daylight.





And did I mention the amazing look of the film? Gregg Easterbrook's photography is constantly inventive and evolves to suit the mood of the scenes. And as the film becomes more intense so too do the color pallet and direction evoke complete and utter chaos.

My only real complaint is that Young isn't quite sure how to approach the characters in the cannibal hoard. Questions are bound to pop into people's minds like; why are Michael Madsen and Vinnie Jones so articulate when the rest grunt and groan like lobotomized apes? I think it's because, for Young, these are monsters and not men. Symbols of the evil that lies within mankind but that lays dormant, repressed by all the codes of conduct taught to us through years of civilization.





But anyway, I loved this film and feel confident in recommending it to horror and PA fans alike. Let's hope that with Doomsday fever gripping the horror nation right now, Tooth and Nail finds an audience ravenous for more apocalyptic mayhem.

Our previous post with trailer

Cyberhal (3 years ago) Reply

Dude, I have to see this movie, sounds brilliant.
Any movie with Vinnie, rocks. I feel the same about Christopher Walken, for different reasons.

Ulises (3 years ago) Reply

Wow...me too, me too! This sounds like something that could be required viewing for all PA fans ^^;;

quietearth (3 years ago) Reply

I just finished watch it and the bad reviews are BS.. it's a simple movie, but it's definitely enjoyable.

Anonymous (3 years ago) Reply

Enjoyable is the right word here. Won't make you think but its pretty fun.

lb (2 years ago) Reply

From a preposterous premise to a shitty ending, this wasn't enjoyable at all. Good on you for being one of the 5 that enjoyed this but for those who haven't seen it by now? Stay clear. You'll be glad you did.

mark (1 year ago) Reply

thanks for the nice review... always good to find passionate people who love truly film!

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