Teeth (Mitchell Lichtenstein, 2007)

[flyonthewall2983]

Trailer.

[Orphic Lycidas]

Is this a joke? Don't most males get over this phobic fantasy when they're 13 or something? Jeezus... this looked stupid.

[Dylan]

From what I hear, beyond being poorly-written, it basically only uses the concept as a springboard for an idiotic Eli Roth-tinged version of "I Spit on Your Grave." Yawn.

I'd like to hear the pitch the filmmaker gave the investors, though.

[Jeff]

I've seen the film. That trailer is really misleading. The film is 100% intentional comedy even though they play it pretty straight. I thought it was a lot of silly fun. Believe it or not, it's not sexist at all. In fact, I'd call it feminist.

[Murdoch]

I'm really surprised this film hasn't received more responses. I just saw it on netflix and it was a very well-made horror movie with overtones of feminism. The film is equally disturbing and hilarious as it shows Dawn come to terms with her affliction and use it as a source of power, at first afraid, but then she transforms into someone who realizes how much control she now has. The vagina dentata is not this pointless weapon thrown into the film to give it blood and gore (although it provides that in buckets), but a symbol of how sex is viewed by society, as a sort of monster. The gore in it was definitely over-the-top but it never became gore for the purpose of gore as in Hostel, but instead the violence marked this girl's progression as someone who goes from serious abstinence supporter and someone unsure of their own body to someone comfortable with their own sexuality. The film does well to point out the hypocrisies of how sex is portrayed and perceived in modern society, juxtaposing the excess with the mundane, and provides an interesting social commentary.

As someone who loves movies that deal with restrained sexuality like Repulsion I enjoyed this film for its unrelenting showcase of a girl who originally fears sex, then uses it to her own advantage. I may be reading into it too much, but I do think that the film itself functions more as social critique than simple torture porn. I really hope this role gives Jess Weixler, who played Dawn, some good attention because she played her role very well.

This review pretty much sums up my views on the film. Anybody not easily grossed out should give it a chance, it's easily my favorite film so far this year.