Tooth & Nail Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
How far would you go to survive?
The end is here.
A group of people in a post-apocalyptic world fight to survive against a band of vicious cannibals.
| Michael Madsen | Jackal |
| Vinnie Jones | Mongrel |
| Rider Strong | Ford |
| Robert Carradine | Darwin |
| Rachel Miner | Neon |
| Michael Kelly | Viper |
| Nicole DuPort | Dakota |
| Alexandra Barreto | Torino |
| Emily Catherine Young | Nova |
| Beverly Hynds | Victoria |
| Patrick Durham | Shepherd |
| Jonathan Sachar | Wolf |
| Frank Aptacy | Lobo |
| Keith Bullard | Black Dog |
| Garrett Ching | Pug |
| Mark Young |
6.00 out of 10 (135 votes)
Visitor Reviews
An effectively grim and grisly end-of-the-world sci-fi/horror outing
posted on 21 Aug 2009The time: the immediate near future. Society has fallen apart as the direct result of a sudden and unexpected gas shortage. A ragtag group of survivors led by the wise and kindly Professor Darwin (an excellent performance by Robert Carradine) seek refuge in an empty and abandoned hospital. Said group find themselves in considerable peril when a deadly band of savage nocturnal cannibals called Rovers attack the place on a nightly basis and pick them off one at a time. Writer/director Mark Young depicts a plausibly bleak and brutal vision of the future that might be right around the corner. Moreover, Young relates the absorbing story at a steady pace, builds a strong sense of dread and plenty of nerve-wracking tension (the Rovers' attacks on the survivors are quite vicious and horrifying), maintains a properly bleak and desolate tone throughout, and further spices things up with a few nice lashings of gore (gruesome highlights include a bloody throat slicing, a meat cleaver in the head, and an especially nasty acid facial). Better still, there's no silly obtrusive humor to detract from the severity of the harsh survival-of-the-fittest premise. In fact, the plot makes a potent and provocative central point about the fine line between civilized beings and wild barbarians. The sterling acting from a sturdy cast helps matters a whole lot: Rachel Miner as the spunky, resourceful Neon, Rider Strong as the mean, selfish Ford, Nicole DuPort as the humane and sensible, yet tough and resilient Dakota, Michael Kelly as the surly, malcontent Viper, Alexandra Barreto as Ford's timid girlfriend Torino, Emily Catherine Young as the mute, fragile Nova, Michael Madsen as the calmly malevolent Jackal, and Vinnie Jones as the feral Mongrel. Gregg Easterbrook's shadowy, prowling cinematography makes the most out of the dark and claustrophobic setting. Elia Cmiral's shivery, rattling, hard-rocking score likewise hits the bull's eye. A solid and satisfying movie.
B movie actor in a D minus film
posted on 07 Aug 2009Michael Madsen is a B movie actor and is appearing here in a D minus movie. Another B actor is Robert Carradine who along with Madsen appear less than five minute in this so called movie. They are both quickly killed off and leave the film to be carried by a group of true amateurs. Speaking of amateurs the entire cast and crew combined have less talent than a shoe. The film fails on all levels. Even areas where horror film normally excel, special effects, are diminished here due to poor choice of camera angles and sloppy editing.Special note must me given to the director who aspires to be the next Orson Welles but this film shows that he is a failed Ed Wood. The budget for the film is listed at 4.2 million dollars. They should have spent some of this money on sending the director to a screen writing class. There is no story here: a group of survivors are living in a hospital and a group of marauders who look like a bunch of rejects from a Mad Max casting call kill and eat them one by one. There is no dramatic tension, no character development. There are shots of the bad guys walking across the parking lot and then they appear in the hospital hallway. Don't they have the doors to this placed locked? They must have had access to just this one hallway to shoot this film.The only other named actor in the film is Rachel Miner who has turned in some good performances in other films but here turns in a very wooden performance. I hope that Ms. Miner will be more selective of her projects in the future.The director must fancy himself a creative fellow by naming all of the characters after cars. I was waiting for an Asian character to show up named Toyota! The lead actress, who must be the girlfriend of the director since she also stars in the directors only other film Southern Nights which never even received a DVD release, has all the screen presence of a pile of wet cement, she sleeps walks her way through the film. The only other survivor is a mute girl who failed to showcase her talent through pantomime but instead just roller skates in each scene. Obliviously the director must be a fan of Boogie Nights.The director, who is also credited as the editor fails once again by failing to pace the film. One scene in particular when the lead actress is captured and thrown into a holding cell. We see an exterior shot of her pushed into the cell, a switch to the cells interior shows an empty cell and a good two seconds elapses before the girl hits the floor.In addition to the dismal screenplay, the director can't even properly frame a shot, plus the DP armed with a low end camcorder screws up the color balance in each shot so that every scene has a sickly green tint to it. They obliviously skipped color correction during post since they wanted to cut their losses on this dog.I could go on for hours dissecting this train wreck, but let me finish up by saying that the audience is not the biggest loser in this film it is the investors who were hoodwinked into putting their hard earned money into a project run by producers who have no idea what they are doing.
Solid with a few mild flaws
posted on 05 Aug 2009"Tooth and Nail" is a very entertaining and enjoyable film with a lot of good points.**SPOILERS**After the end of the world, survivors Dakota, (Nicole DuPort) Ford, (Rider Strong) Viper, (Michael Kelly) Torino, (Alexandra Barreto) Nova, (Emily Catherine Young) Max, (Kevin E. Scott) Yukon, (Zack Robidas) Victoria, (Beverly Hinds) and Professor Darwin, (Robert Carradine) manage to find fellow survivor Neon, (Rachel Miner) amongst the ruins of civilization and invite her to stay with their group. When her acceptance starts to wear on the others, she tries whatever she can to be accepted, even though all don't trust her. Starting to realize their numbers are shrinking, she reveals she has been followed by a group of cannibals called Rovers, and that they have been targeted by them. Trying to stay alive during the relentless attacks, out-numbered and with their numbers shrinking still, they try a last ditch effort to escape from the bloodthirsty group.The Good News: There was some good stuff to this one here. One of the best features is the incredibly well-done setting for the film. The hospital here is incredibly well-done, looking effectively abandoned but at the same time capable of holding the group. The fact that there's a lot of different areas in here for them to hide in, complete with the kitchen, surgical rooms and the general meeting quarters all being quite well-designed and built around generating some scares and tension when it gets to that point in the later half. Those are also really enjoyable, as the film manages to feature some incredible stalking scenes in here of the Rovers going after the survivors inside, with the huge cavernous locations providing some potentially-fun places where they're all trapped together. Those are the best entries in the film, as it gets really enjoyable during those parts where it's incredibly tense and thrilling waiting to see where it goes, both in the Rover's attacks and the survivor's means of defense or escape. That we get two huge, extended set-pieces in this tradition is what really works well, since both are quite fun and really worthwhile, from the sheer randomness of the first one that manages to work so many good stuff into it, including all the violence and gore plus the stalking, and is then amped up into an actual series of defenses in the second one that work just as well, and that they're the main part of the film with a lot of time devoted to it is where it really scores so much good stuff. There's not a whole lot of down-time during these scenes, and they remain quite fun. That also manages to provide the film with a lot of really enjoyable kills here, as there's some wicked stuff here. There's a lot of arrows being shot into body parts, a smattering of slit throats, a broken glass jar slicing up the face, gunshots, amputations, slicing across most of the body, knife stabbings and then a great acid meltdown, all of which are nice and brutal with plenty of bloodshed. The last plus is the appropriately creepy look of the group, which is quite nice and looks really creepy. These here are the film's good points.The Bad News: There really wasn't much wrong here, and this ended up having only one really big flaw. The big one here is that there's an incredibly long build-up to the good stuff here, almost so much as being difficult to really get into. Most of the beginning to this one is taken up with the introduction from the group and her acceptance into them, followed by several days worth of time showing them getting into a grove with how to go about their lives. This goes on pretty much for the first half-hour, and without generating even the slightest hint of suspense or that something will happen later, and it just makes these scenes just drag on-and-on endlessly, making for some labored times during the beginning when it's trying to get started. The only other thing that could be construed as a flaw is the late-film twist that manages to change-up the allegiances between everyone, which some will say is a good shock, while others it needlessly complicates the film for no reason. This isn't bad for the film at all, but the slow beginning is the only thing that really hurts this one.The Final Verdict: As there's some really good stuff here and only a few minor points, this one is highly enjoyable and gets a lot right about it. Highly recommended for those who enjoyed the others in the series, fans of the creative side or are into these kinds of films, while those who aren't that big should heed caution.Rated R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language and a clothed sex scene
Nothing to sink your teeth into.
posted on 24 Jul 2009Imagine that you are one of a small community living in a huge abandoned hospital after the fall of civilisation.Do you a) fortify a section of the building to protect against attackers and methodically search for useful supplies, weapons and food? or b) elect a useless leader (who is happy to spend his day banging his woman), leave all the hospital entrances open, and not worry too much about food and weapons, since you have plenty of tasteless army rations and at least two guns and a handful of bullets in case of an emergency?If you answered 'a', then you fully deserve the 'Max Rockatansky Award for Successful Post-Apocalyptic Survival; if your answer was 'b', then pray that civilisation never crumbles: you're clearly not built for life in a world thrown into utter chaos.Now imagine you're a member of group of survivors that have been driven to cannibalism due to a lack of food. You and your pals have several people trapped inside a large building; they are outnumbered, poorly armed, unorganised, and ripe for the picking.Do you a) storm in there, take them all alive (to keep the meat fresh), and cart them off to your lair? OR b) devise an elaborate plan to get one of your people to infiltrate the group, then wait until nightfall, when the building is plunged into total darkness, and take just one victim, leaving the rest for another night-time visit at a later date?If you answered 'a', then congratulations—you have the makings of a successful (and well-fed) cannibal; if you answered 'b' then you're as stupid as the bad-guys in Tooth and Nail, and fully deserve to have your own ass handed to you on a plate.Full of annoying characters incapable of making a decent decision, Tooth and Nail is a dreary piece of dreck that struggles desperately for a sense of realism, but only manages to bore in the process. Whereas recent post-apocalyptic effort Doomsday revelled in its sheer cheesiness but suffered somewhat due to a lack of a thoughtful plot, Tooth and Nail proves to be the 'anti-Doomsday' of the genre, taking itself far too seriously and severely lacking any sense of fun.Writer/director Mark Young's script is extremely weak, with it's 'undercover cannibal' plot device being neither particularly convincing nor totally unexpected, and there is plenty of banal dialogue to bog down proceedings even further. The direction is also rather uninspired, and with much of the action taking place in the dark, the film is a real strain on the eyes (and one's patience); it also makes seeing what might've been some half-decent scenes of gore almost impossible to make out.I rate Tooth and Nail a disappointing 3.5 out of 10. Normally, I would round this up to 4 for IMDb, but thanks to a ridiculous final shot of a cannibalistic Vinnie Jones gurning maniacally through a window, it gets rounded down to a 3!
This my be the final nail in Madsens' coffin
posted on 08 Jul 2009Michael Madsen is a fine actor, even though he's the same guy in every single role, but his association with this mega bomb may finally, have done him in. The dialog in Tooth and Nail is so poorly written, that I was laughing out loud at scenes that were supposed to invoke pathos. The premise of this movie is so stupid, that even an eight year old would find fault in its logic. It's kind of a pity to see guys like Madsen and Jones in a piece of crap like Tooth and Nail and makes you wonder who the hell talked them into it. The only redeeming aspect of this film was the DVD cover design, which was misleading at best. 8 Films to Die For, whose choices included some great, quirky horror in the past, has lost credibility in my book (of the undead of course).
i was pleasantly surprised
posted on 06 Jul 2009no oil = no electricity, no business, no fresh food source...just hunters and gatherers of the most primary and Darwinian nature.there is nothing wrong with this premise. most of the comments aboutthis film seem to come from adolescent minded critics who only wantgore and sex of the kind dispensed by most horror and fright films. they are so transparent in their scripts and special effects, that they offer few surprises, and absolutely NOTHING to think about.tooth and nail is a fable of a possible future...what would we do?what would i do? which side would i be on?WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
Real potential wasted...
posted on 08 Jun 2009In the barren landscape of a post-apocalyptic America, a small group of survivors (largely teenagers/young adults, conveniently) find themselves up against a group of cannibals who kill seemingly at random and who seem to only come out at night.Good news: Robert Carradine is always watchable in his underused character, and character actors Vinnie Jones and Michael Madsen are fun if completely underutilized. Some nice, messy kills and a few scenes with passable suspense.Bad News: So much potential, the film tries in it's final minutes to be more clever and intelligent than it is, forgetting the cardinal rule to horror movies in this category: Stay tongue in cheek, stop pretending like the audience hasn't seen this done before...and much better, too.
What's the point of being a carnivore if all we can eat is rabbit food?
posted on 02 Jun 2009Normally when I sit down to watch a movie with cannibals, it is one of the video nasties that were banned in Britain in the 80s. Here, we have a new movie, one of The 8 Films To Die For, that features this touchy subject.It is a post-apocalyptic world. We ran out of gas, and we are trying to survive. Things seem nice at a local hospital where a group has managed to survive for a year. Sure, there's some conflict between The Professor (Robert Carradine) and Viper (Michael Kelly), and people are nervous when a new girl (Rachel Miner) appears, but they are trying to make do.Things soon go to hell when Jackal (Michael Madsen) appears with an axe, and blood starts flowing copiously. Soon Darwin (Carradine) is gone, then another. Soon Neon (Miner) comes clean about the Rovers.Soon it is only the women who are left to fend for themselves: Neon, Dakota (Nicole DuPort), Torino (Alexandra Barreto), and Nova (Emily Catherine Young). One's a child, and apparently autistic.Then things get interesting. We meet the creepy cannibals and one is filing points on his teeth.Unfortunately, things do get predictable from here on out. A traitor and a surprise appearance. And things get a little silly at the end.It was nice gore when pointy teeth got his. Unfortunately the modern cannibals roast their humans instead of the video nasty way.
Neither scary nor interesting, so what's the point?
posted on 02 Jun 2009Tooth and Nail is a horror movie that is neither scary nor interesting. So what's the point of watching it supposed to be? A few guys dressed up in costumes that make them look like rejects from Michael Jackson's old "Beat It" music video amble through a hospital. Occasionally open their mouths to show big fake yellow teeth whilst grunting and groaning. The leaders, Michael Madsen and Vinnie Jones, ham it up in a couple of brief scenes a bit more than the "standard" "Beat It" rejects, and while that is marginally entertaining for about 5 seconds, it hardly makes for a worthwhile movie. They have such dialogues as: "We can do this the easy way, or we can do it the hard way. I don't really care which way. But by sunrise, I'm gonna be gnawing on your bones!" ; and; "Let's play a game. Hide and seek. You hide, I seek. And if I find ya, I'm gonna eat ya!!!" When one character tells a cannibal "I am going to kill you", the cannibal replies "Not if I eat you first."Clearly the dialogue of Tooth and Nail is abysmal. There's isn't anything else going for it either. The acting ranges from terrible to mediocre. Madsen is a great actor but there isn't really anything he can do to get any mileage out of such terrible dialogue and a dire script.The whole movie takes place in about 3 different rooms in a hospital and a few connecting hallways. Therefore, there isn't anything interesting going on visually.Tooth and Nail looks as if it is a real-life film student's home made class project and sounds as if it has dialogue written by the student's younger sibling after the student partied too much the night before it was due to be able to write it himself.The main characters are completely uninteresting and stupid. You probably won't care at all if any of them live or die. You may even find yourself rooting for the cannibals, because at least their hammy performances hold a small degree of comedy value in a "This is Uwe Boll-level bad" kind of way. The main characters, aka Foragers, have no redeeming qualities to make them worthwhile in the least bit.Tooth and Nail is one of the worst horror movies there is.
A great cast wasted on a mediocre film
posted on 15 May 2009In a post-apocalyptic world, a world destroyed by our running out of gas, a group of survivors take in an injured woman after finding her boyfriend murdered. Soon after, a gang of murderous cannibals attack their hospital seeking a new food source. With what is probably the best cast of either years of the After Dark Horrorfest, Tooth & Nail stars Rider Strong, Robert Carradine, Michael Madsen, Michael Kelly, Rachel Miner, and Vinnie Jones. The story isn't anything special: A group of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world fight for their lives against a gang of murderous cannibals. Been done. A lot. But, hey, it's a good concept that, if properly executed, can make for a hell of a film. And Mark Young doesn't do too bad with the execution. He converts my home state of Pennsylvania into a convincing apocalyptic landscape. . . doesn't say much about my home state, eh? Though his direction was apt, the writing left a lot to be desired. Funny, yes, that they used car names for the characters in a movie about the world's oil running out. . . but, that's about where the good writing ended. The dialogue didn't work well with the characters, nor did it fit many of the incredible circumstances. It wasn't bad writing, really, just wasn't very good. Many of the actors (including the 'bigger' names) seemed to lack proper timing, especially Rider Strong whom I usually trust to deliver at least an appropriate performance. The timing with his dialogue was way off at times and would throw off the scene quite a bit. Michael Madsen and Vinnie Jones, two of the biggest badasses in the business, were great even though Vinnie was DRASTICALLY underused. Beyond the acting, there was plenty of bad: the pacing is not the best and I occasionally became bored with it; the characters often made extremely idiotic decisions (let me throw down my bow & arrow and fight this 6'5", 300 lb. viking barehanded!); the so-called resourceful group of survivors weren't really very resourceful at all (let us only rely on the pre-made weapons and not try to do anything creative. . . like using some rubbing alcohol to make Molotov cocktails or something). I did, however, like the heroine's resourcefulness at the end. But the 'final shot' seemed very. . . cheap haunted house to me, if that makes sense. Coming together, the film is pretty much entirely mediocre. As an After Dark Horrorfest film, yes, it's one of the higher end ones. . . but, in the end, it's nothing really special.Final verdict: 5.5/10. Worth one watch, but not much else.
Umm, they had a rifle, and the cannibals lined up outside....
posted on 13 May 2009This movie was "okay". It is passably amusing to see Michael Madsen basically being "Mr. Blonde" with an axe. The actress who plays Dakota also seems reasonably talented and probably deserves better things.There's a few really terrible gaps in logic. The first of which is of course why a group of post Peak Oil/societal collapse survivors would find cannibalism such a strange prospect. If they were alive that long after things fell apart, you'd think that they'd have been a savvy bunch and probably armed to the teeth. They were neither.There's an interesting scene where the mind sort of boggles. The bad guy cannibals all line up outside and show themselves. The folks inside have a rifle. It apparently never seems to enter their minds to simply shoot the guys outside while they're standing there looking menacing...It's also an odd tactic for a supposedly successful group of cannibalistic hunters to do something like that, as again, simply shoot them when they're all lined up.Eh. Turn your brain off and this is an okay film.
"We simply ran out of gas."
posted on 03 May 2009~Spoiler~Quite ironic that a post-apocalyptic film about the loss of gas runs out of gas itself all too soon. Tooth and Nail, part of the After Dark Horrorfest 2007, is missing one essential element that makes all of the 80's, Italian "apoc" movies classics: Fun. This movie is just not fun. It takes place in the near future where, because of the gas shortage, society has broken down into the peaceful foragers and the cannibalistic rovers. When one group wants to eat the other, there's naturally going to be conflict. But it's the most boring conflict ever. The character's simply hide in one of two sets and wait to be killed. If you're seeing this because of the great cast, again, don't bother. Here's the screen time breakdown: they probably had Michael Kelly and Robert Carradine for a week, Vinnie Jones for three days, and Michael Madsen for less than a day. That leaves Rider Strong, who is not playing the lead, and Rachel Miner (who after last year's Horrorfest entry I really don't care for). I don't know what is going on with Madsen and Jones, they are capable of much better. And another thing, don't name your characters after cars. Turino and Viper...ridiculous.
Post-apocalypse lite
posted on 15 Apr 2009I'm a sucker for post-apocalypse movies, so when I saw this title at RedBox I had to check it out.I won't go into a plot synopsis as that's already been done, but it reminded me a small bit of Doomsday and Mad Max. Nothing was over-the-top about 'Tooth and Nail', not the acting, violence, gore, sex, etc. but, it was decent and watchable.The interaction between the characters trapped in the hospital was tense, although formulaic. You do get a sense of the emptiness in their world and the struggles of day-to-day existence. Time moves very slowly, like people waiting to die.Like I mentioned, there was gore, but nothing spectacular. The sex scenes were appropriate for a PG-13 movie as there was a distinct lack of nudity. My wife and I figured out who the 'wolf in sheep's clothing' was early on and if you watch it, you don't need CSI to determine who it is.Anyway, I give it some props for being a good distraction on a Saturday night. Although 'Tooth and Nail' isn't what I'd call an action film, wait until the ending... it's really cheesy and fun.
Boring and Awful
posted on 11 Apr 2009This movie is horrible. It's a bunch of boring people sitting around a room talking and talking about boring stuff. It's like being stuck in someone's horrible poli sci college class or something. I almost walked out, and then like twenty minutes in, one of these guys gets his throat cut. And I was like, wow, maybe stuff will happen now. But no. They went back to the room with the boring stupid talk. By the time the bad guys finally show up, you're just praying for all these losers to get it.The script is one of the worst I've seen in awhile. The sets couldn't be more boring than if you took a cam corder down to your community college. The cast cannot save this film. If I hadn't seen some of them in other movies, I'd swear they couldn't even act. I guess they were slumming it with this thing. Don't waste your time or money. It's not even worthy of a Saturday SciFi Channel showing.
Not Horrible, Just...Okay
posted on 03 Apr 2009The apocalypse has occurred, only not due to nuclear war or global warming-we just ran out of oil. Anyways, A group of survivors find a girl(Rachel Miner), and take her in. Unfortunately, they have also found themselves under siege thanks to a gang of cannibals (which include Vinnie Jones and Michael Madsen) who look like they just walked off the set of "The Road Warrior." Best described as "The Hills Have Eyes" meets a "Mad Max" knock off, "Tooth & Nail" is a mixed bag that can best be described a a movie that doesn't live up to it's full potential. While the acting is good (Who knew Rider Strong would turn out to be such a good actor?), and the kills and gore are impressive, the movie suffers from some poorly done twists. Okay, the twist at the films conclusion isn't too bad, but the other twist in the film can be seen miles away.Another problem is the way that it wastes Michael Madsen, Vinnie Jones, and Robert Carradine in their roles. Watching the movie, you feel like you should have gotten more of these guys. A shame really.In the end, "Tooth & Nail", in spite of a few scares, some good acting, and nice gore, is hurt by a sense of wasted potential. It's not a horrible move, or even a bad one, it's just an okay movie.
An Interesting Survival Tale With a Message
posted on 03 Apr 2009In the near future (roughly 2012), petroleum production comes to a screeching halt and people turn to killing each other for it, as electricity stops and we are reduced to animal instincts.One group in Philadelphia is holed up in a hospital, which seems to be going fine until there is a breach of security.If you saw this film at the After Dark Horrorfest, what probably drew you in was the cast. Michael Madsen ("Reservoir Dogs") and Vinnie Jones have smaller roles as cannibals, while the hospital crew includes horror veterans Rider Strong ("Cabin Fever") and Rachel Miner ("Penny Dreadful"). If I wasn't already planning on attending all the films, this would have been my reasoning. And it would pay off, because just like "Penny Dreadful", Rachel Miner continues to be a very strong actress and I hope we see more of her in leading roles.Alright, horror fans... if you came for sex and blood, you'll get one of the two. The sex scenes are all clean (sorry) but there's plenty of blood. Ax-wielding maniacs, guns, bow and arrows, and a torso slowly roasting over a fire. A broken bone (yuck) and the most disgusting noise I've ever heard involving teeth. There's mild humor (a trumpet player cracked me up) and a really solid plot. Survival horror is a subgenre I've always enjoyed, and I think they really hit the nail on the head with this one. You have a small group of people who really have no chance at all of surviving.What I enjoyed, beyond the excellent acting, moderate gore, and a very well-thought plot (there's actually layers, thank goodness) was the political and, philosophical and social commentary put in subtly and sometimes not so subtly. There's the obvious call for alternative energy sources (we could run out of oil at any time), but they took it to the next step by explaining where it would lead. There's the social aspects of what happens to people when civilization breaks down, and what the importance of a leader is (we have Professor Darwin at one point, Neon at another, no leader at another point and we see how the leadership or lack thereof differs).The philosophy aspects have a Nietzsche-inspired undertone. Are we better to be sheep or wolves? Which one is more the moral principle? Safety in numbers or strength through independence? This is explored time and again throughout the film. And what I liked about the exploration is the way it was never really decided one way or the other, a least not obviously. here are strong groups and some strong individuals. One could write a paper on this, and I would if I wasn't so bogged down with other projects.I expect this to be one of the better films in the 2007 Horrorfest. If any are better (and one or two may be), they're going down in history as some great ones, because this was already a winner. Don't be fooled by the Madsen and James cameos (they're small) if you think that's the reason to watch this. They could easily have made this film without them and lost nothing in the process. This is just solid script-writing, pure and simple. Check it out when you get a chance.
Great concept...but needs better pacing
posted on 25 Jan 2009This film makes 3 major points:1. Peak oil will destroy us all. 2. Women are often stronger and smarter than men in the face of adversity. 3. You never know what you'll be capable of until the feces hit the fan.If I were going to change anything, it would be the following:1. The characters' faces should have been dirtier, especially the Rovers.2. The film's pacing should have been tighter and faster - exposition is great, but too much detracts from the tension (IMO).Other than that...it's a pretty solid piece of work!
Only 94 Minutes??? It seemed like hours...
posted on 28 Dec 2008The world goes to hell after the oil supply runs out. A scrappy group of survivors holes up in a Philly hospital to try and rebuild society, but when their security is threatened by a roving band of cannibals, they must fight "tooth and nail" to survive.First off, even though the run-time is listed as 94 minutes, this thing dragged on forever. Second, the performances were pretty bad, almost a sense of time-delay on some of the character reactions to other characters. There are plot twists, but they're easy to spot from a mile away. And when one character paints herself up in tribal warpaint, you know it's gone from bad to worse. I should have known better, since it's one of the 8 Films to Die for. And why are Michael Madsen and Vinnie Jones slumming it here? There are a few decent bloody scenes, so that's why I'm rating it so generously with a three.Overall, the idea of society collapsing in on itself when the oil supply runs out was a pretty interesting conceit. Make that movie instead.
Not very good.
posted on 22 Dec 2008I'm astonished that some people are rating this movie a 9 or 10. It really just isn't that good. Sadly, it had all the tools to be successful, including an interesting premise, a wealth of experienced acting talent, a great filming location, and convincing effects (although this being 2008 you can't really give much credit for the latter anymore).Unfortunately, they still managed to screw it up. The villains' actions didn't make much sense, neither did the protagonists', for that matter. They consistently made really stupid decisions, presumably to create tension and a "stalking killers" feel, except the killers weren't scary. The "twist" was predictable and lame. Dialog was passable, but nothing to write home about. I did feel the actors all delivered the best performance they could with what they had, but there just wasn't much to work with.The script really needed a couple of critical rewrites before going into production, I actually laughed out loud at the cliché "dramatic face painting in preparation for war" scene near the end. The ending is frankly boring and unsatisfying. Instead of this movie, you could just watch Mad Max and Doomsday while completely hammered, then take the resulting mess of memories and remove anything entertaining or intriguing, it will be the same experience but far more fun.
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Waste of actors...and a story for the kids
posted on 27 Aug 2009OK, so let's cut it short.Apocalypse. I understood that part. No petrol. OK, i dig that too. No electricity without fuel ? My intelligence points fingers to the hydro energy, and eolian one. But, it's a movie, so i step over it. Random city - fine with me. They don't have what to eat - mmm, well it was summer and humanity managed to live ~ 4000 years without those specific sources too. Pick the f***ing apple in the tree ??????? Yet again, i'm indulgent, considering it just a small error in brain functioning maybe. OK, monsters kick in (big & stupid kind of human monsters, the message passed to the audience. They are big & got muscles, but that's all, probably). They line up like Australia rugby team. The good guys got a rifle and a gun, yet the rifle isn't used once in the movie. Pretty much sums it up. Awful waste of time with this movie.The acting wasn't that bad, but the script is just plain awful. Every single action is predictable. I wonder how the directors find the necessary money for movies as bad as this one.Waste of talented actors.