Night Teeth

Night Teeth follows Benny (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.), a college student moonlighting as a chauffeur who gets pulled into Los Angeles' hidden vampire underworld when he picks up two mysterious women, Blaire (Debby Ryan) and Zoe (Lucy Fry), for a night of club-hopping that turns out to be a bloody power grab. The film succeeds in establishing a visually striking aesthetic, with neon-soaked cinematography that transforms Los Angeles into a nocturnal playground of palm trees, luxury cars, and underground raves, creating an atmosphere that feels like a vampire story by way of Collateral or Drive. The main three give compelling performances; Ryan and Fry develop an enticingly hazardous connection as vampire besties with opposing allegiances, while Lendeborg Jr. brings relatable nervous energy to the character of an average guy entangled in otherworldly politics. A wider universe than the immediate narrative explores is suggested by the world-building, which alluded to an intriguing mythology including vampire kingdoms, truces with human criminal families, and power conflicts between old clans.

The movie, however, has serious pacing problems; it takes too long to set up its idea before skimming through a finale that conveniently settles its main conflict. Although at times stunning, the action scenes are hampered by shaky editing and dark lighting that makes the choreography difficult to see, and the horror parts seem sanitized—despite the R-rating, the violence is uninspiring, and the vampires never seem truly menacing. The romance plotline between Benny and Blaire follows formulaic rhythms without deserving of its emotional reward, and the supporting characters—such as Sydney Sweeney's fleeting cameo and Alfie Allen's vampire lord Victor—are so underdeveloped as to feel like wasted casting. Additionally, the film's attempts at social commentary regarding wealth inequality and exploitation feel heavy-handed and undercooked, grafted onto a narrative that functions more effectively as pure genre entertainment. While Night Teeth offers enough style and charismatic performances to sustain a casual viewing, its failure to capitalize on its promising setup or deliver memorable set pieces leaves it feeling like a missed opportunity in the crowded vampire genre.

Staff:

Directed by: Adam Randall

Written by: Brent Dillon

Produced by: Vincent Gatewood, Ben Pugh, and Charles Morrison

Starring: Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Debby Ryan, Lucy Fry, Raul Castillo, Sydney Sweeney, Megan Fox, and Alfie Allen.

Cinematography: Eben Bolter

Edited by: Dominic Laperriere

Music by: Drum & Lace and Ian Hultquist

Production companies: 42 and Unique Features

Distributed by: Netflix

Release date: October 20, 2021

Running time: 108 minutes