In 2012, we run out of gas. Civilization collapses and gangs of "Rovers" roam the cities looking for food - people. No, this isn't Soylent Green, they're cannibals!
The movie follows a gang of survivors boarded up in a hospital, led by an older man named Darwin. When some of them find a wounded girl and bring her back to the hospital to recover, their world comes crashing around them as they discover she was being followed by a gang of Rovers. The formerly peaceful group must fight to survive.
Dakota - Nicole DuPort
Neon - Rachel Miner
Darwin - Robert Carradine
Viper - Michael Kelly
Ford - Rider Strong
Nova - Emily Catherine Young
Torino - Alexandra Barreto
Written and Directed by - Mark Young
Man, I am in love! Not only do I get another Horrorfest entry with Miss Rachel Miner, who I could watch all the live long day (she was the only reason I didn't throw myself out of a window after watching Penny Dreadful at last year's fest), but also in this movie we have a one Nicole DuPort, who looks like a young Julianne Moore and kicks ass like Roger Moore! Ok that might be a bit much but still, I hope to see more of her.
Anyway, Tooth and Nail has a high concept premise and manages to deliver for the most part. It appears on the surface to be preachy, but the 'running out of gas' bit merely serves as a cause for the collapse of society - hinting that the idea of our human nature hangs on such a delicate thread that the slightest change could send us spiraling into chaos.
Some of the twists and turns of the plot are easy to see coming, but this didn't kill the movie for me. With post-apocalyptic stories the main focus will be on people, and how they act, and Tooth and Nail is no different. The regular-folk "Foragers" as they're called are well fleshed out, and most interesting to note is how useless the males in the movie are. I'm assuming the message here is men caused the fall, and continue to act as if they run things. The gang of Rovers is a bit thin, only there really to get a body count going. In this they are slightly zombie-like, representing either pure human survival or the sickness of man. Note how barbaric and Neanderthal-like they are; on one hand an easy visual choice to make them scary, on the other just showing you how regressed people became.
The movie mainly relies on ambiance and atmosphere to keep it going, and did so for the most part. The end sequence seemed a bit rushed and anti-climactic, and some viewers might have trouble with the slow beginning.
There should be no problems with the acting - like I said, I can watch Rachel Miner all day, DuPort as a Mother Fox type is fun to watch, especially near the end when she goes apeshit and gets painted up like some warrior princess. Rider Strong holds his own as a dickhead mercenary type, and the rest of the cast is decent as well. Actually the only person I had a problem with was Robert Carradine as the leader and narrator of the tale. I think it was his voice - just didn't suit the purpose.
Surprisingly, for a cannibal movie there isn't a boatload of gore - the film really relies on the atmosphere to deliver the chills. Not to say there isn't blood, however; one unfortunate victim crawls along the floor as they get chopped up by Michael Madsen's cannibal Jackal, showering blood over the hallway.
Tooth and Nail is definitely one of the highlights of this year's Horrorfest, so you should definitely run and check it out. Also, note the year civilization collapses - 2012. Mayan calendar reference much?
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Man, I am in love! Not only do I get another Horrorfest entry with Miss Rachel Miner, who I could wa ...





