Name: Night Teeth
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Action
Released: 2021-10-20T00:00:00+00:00
Cast: Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Debby Ryan, Lucy Fry, Raúl Castillo, Alfie Allen

The opening shot of Night Teeth is a neon-soaked Los Angeles skyline, the camera slowly flipping upside down as Benny’s skateboard hits the pavement. It’s a showy, stylish moment that promises a fresh take on vampire lore, but director Adam Randall’s film never fully delivers on that initial intrigue.

What Night Teeth is, at its core, is a familiar vampire thriller with a modern twist: vampires and humans have coexisted peacefully for centuries, feeding only by consent. Benny (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.), a quirky college student moonlighting as a chauffeur, picks up two mysterious women, Blaire (Debby Ryan) and Zoe (Lucy Fry), for a night of party-hopping across LA. What he doesn’t know is that they’re vampires—and their bloodthirsty intentions quickly turn his evening into a fight for survival.

Where the film excels is in its visual style. Randall makes the most of his night-time LA setting, bathed in neon blues and greens, with dynamic shots that keep the action engaging. The soundtrack by Drum & Lace adds an electronic pulse to the proceedings, heightening the tension during chase sequences and claustrophobic confrontations. There’s a kinetic energy to these moments that makes Night Teeth feel alive, even when the script stumbles.

And stumble it does. The premise is intriguing—a vampire underworld hidden in plain sight—but the execution often feels listless. The script by Brent Dillon struggles to balance its themes of consent and power with the more traditional action-horror beats. The pacing drags in the middle act, as Benny discovers the truth about Blaire and Zoe and becomes entangled in a larger conflict between vampire factions. The film’s attempts at social commentary feel tacked on rather than woven organically into the narrative.

The performances are a mixed bag. Lendeborg Jr. brings an endearing charm to Benny, making him a relatable everyman caught up in forces beyond his control. Debby Ryan and Lucy Fry hold their own as Blaire and Zoe, but their characters often feel one-note—vampires with a conscience versus vampires without. Raúl Castillo and Alfie Allen have more potential as Jay Perez and Victor, respectively, but their roles are underdeveloped, reducing them to archetypes rather than fully realized characters.

The film’s climax, where Benny transforms into a vampire and the brothers go their separate ways, is both its strongest and weakest moment. It’s visually striking, with sunlight streaming through shattered glass to kill off the villains, but the emotional weight of Benny’s transformation feels undercut by the rushed pacing. The ending sets up a potential sequel, but it leaves too many questions unanswered.

Night Teeth isn’t without its merits—it’s stylish, well-acted in places, and has some genuinely exciting action sequences.