Vampires haunt modern-day Los Angeles in director Adam Randall’s Netflix horror film Night Teeth. Sprawling with glamour and style, the city of angels is on display in this fast-paced, campy thriller. There aren’t many scares here, and it doesn’t cover any new ground, but it makes up for that with a grounded story full of high tension and likable characters.
Vampires tried to take over the city of L.A., but Boyle heights (a historic neighborhood in Los Angeles), fought back against a Vampire take over, so humans and Vampires formed a truce. This was supposed to be a lasting Truce until Victor (Alfie Allen), a vampire middleman, started to kill off Vampire leaders. Stuck in the middle of this war is Benny (Jorge Lendeborg Jr) is your typical single, awkward, not too bright college student with nothing going for himself except his love of music. His mysterious brother Jay (Raul Castillo), leader of the Boyle heights Vampire resistance, is looking for his missing girlfriend, who he is sure was kidnapped by Vampires.
Then there is Zoe (Lucy Fry) and Blaire (Debbie Ryan), two hellions working for Victor to carry out his plan for complete domination of the city. Benny, Zoe, and Blaire cross paths when the two women need a chauffeur for the night. They expect it to be Jay, but instead, they get the other brother who has no idea vampires exist. Jay wants to get to Victor to get his girlfriend back, Zoe and Blaire need Jay to bring to Victor, and Benny is clueless and in the center of it all. The night follows a comedy of errors as Benny gets deeper into the vampiric coup, and Stockholm syndrome kicks in as he finds he has a soft spot for Blaire and the feeling is mutual. As all warring parties converge, poor Benny will have to choose a side, or one will be chosen for him.
The Vampires in Night Teeth are beautiful, menacing, strong and highlight this movie. While Megan Fox and Sydney Sweeney make only cameos, Lucy Fry and Debbie Ryan hold this film together. With a devil-may-care attitude, the duo roams the city killing anyone who gets in their way. There is more chemistry between them than whatever romance is developing between Benny and Blaire as characters. Ryan, in particular, is enjoyable to watch as she provides the most laughs throughout. Her line delivery is quick, witty, with a hint of sarcasm.
As women are the center of the story, one question that popped up repeatedly while watching is why is there a lack of prominent roles for Women of color. Night Teeth takes place in one of the most diverse cities in the world, why are they missing from the narrative?
Netflix has been on a Vampire bender lately with Vampires vs. The Bronx, and Blood Red Sky, and now Night Teeth, a film that takes on the city of Los Angeles. L.A. always knows how to put on a good show, but cinematographer Eben Bolter makes it look enticing and decadent as the green, red, and blue hues make the setting pop. While the film isn’t exciting enough to warrant a sequel, it’s executed well enough to be a fun, entertaining watch if there is nothing else to do at home on a Friday night.
