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Created Jun 18, 2008 09:14PM PST • Edited Jun 18, 2008 09:14PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Very Good 3.5

   Teeth spurs its’ story through the mythology of vagina dentata that is believed by many cultures around the world. All of these tales feature women having toothed vaginas, as a warning against sex. Teeth takes this myth and applies it to a young confused girl, who isn’t quite sure whether this is a curse or a blessing.
   
   
   Dawn (Weixler) is a teen who is a promised virgin until marriage. She does public speakings to encourage her point of views on others, particularly the younger crowd who haven’t made that decision yet. Dawn even wears and hands out promise rings as well as shirts that declare her decision. When she moves to a new school there is a lot of mockery towards here. One person that seems to be standing up for her more though is Toby (Appleman). Immediately there is a strong mutual attraction between the two of them. Dawn is pleased to learn that Toby is a virgin too, well a born again virgin anyway. Soon Dawn finds herself fantasizing about him and craving him only to have the nightmare of her teeth harming him. In fear that she will either become too tempted by him or that she will hurt him, Dawn decides that they both need to just stay away from each other. This doesn’t last long though. When they end up spending the day together, Tobey takes advantage of their alone time. Things quickly escalate and go too far. Dawn repeatedly says no to Tobey, telling him that she doesn’t want to have sex. He pretty much just ignores her though and takes what she won’t let him have. However, the teeth inside her won’t let that be the end of it, as they bite, castrating Tobey, and slowly killing him.
   
   
   Dawn becomes horrified with what she just did as Tobey’s death causes great guilt and grief. She researches her conditions and comes to the conclusion that she might be suffering from vagina dentata, a typically mythical trait that has been attributed to woman worldwide. Dawn goes to a doctor, desperate to get some confirmation that against her fears, she is alright. This visit ends in blood and detachment, only giving Dawn the confirmation she didn’t want, that she is lethal and a great harm to men. As her problem gets worst, not knowing what else to do, she goes to Ryan (Springer), a schoolmate who has a crush on her. She tells him about it and says she has to go to the police, since she is responsible for killing at least one person. Ryan is much more concerned with setting the right mood with Dawn, since he figures now might be his only chance to get somewhere with her. Dawn learns that there might be a line between pleasure and pain and that line might be what determines whether the teeth bite back or not.
   
   
   

4. Acting

   Great 4.0

   Jess Weixler terrifically portrayed Dawn, a character that goes through many drastic changes from being innocent, focused, and confident to confused, fearful, and dangerous to vengeful, powerful, and in control. Weixler dealt with each of these stages very accurately, giving the audience an overwhelming admiration and connection with her. We have an understanding of Dawn from Weixler and some of her reactions to what is going on around her are truly priceless. Hale Appleman was very convincing, putting us in the same position as Dawn. At first, he seems like he might be the one person who has a good understanding of her, yet he is just out to deceive her because of her reputation. When he turns on her, we feel the same rage that Dawn feels. John Hensley is another stand out as Dawn’s brother and on of the more twisted characters. The sub-plot with his character, Brad’s, lifelong desire of his step sister served as a very interesting and warped part of the story. Brad had a strong attraction to her and was furious when their parents got married, making her his sisters. As he tried to make a pass, even at such a young age, he felt the consequences of the teeth. This caused a fear of traditional sex positions with women, always associating it with the bite that scarred him so badly. As large of an impact this had on him, he still never gave up on his fantasy of Dawn, certain that he was the one that he was saving herself for.

5. Male Stars Great 4.0

6. Female Stars Great 4.0

7. Female Costars Great 4.0

8. Male Costars Great 4.0

10. Film

    Great 4.0

    Throughout the film, there is a power plant constantly shown. It is never really developed, but it is safe enough to assume that it played some part in Dawn’s mutilation. Dawn’s mother later in the film also gets very sick, which could be a cause of this as well. The role of woman hood and sex is portrayed in a very interesting way. Through Dawn at first being abstinent, it is first shown through something desirable but only in the right situation: marriage. Then it turns to something painful for her and deadly for those who inflict the pain upon her. She learns that it can be enjoyable and in that case it is almost like Dawn is no different from any other girl. When she learns this it gives her the power. Basically, it boils down to, no harm no foul. Dawn has a weapon inside her, that will be unleashed only when she is being harmed.
    
    
    

11. Direction Great 4.0

12. Play Great 4.0

13. Music Great 4.0

14. Visuals Great 4.0
15. Content

16. Edge

    Horrid 4.2

    Teeth is a very controversial film though. A lot of the things in the film, the viewer, depending on who it is, will see it one way or the other; misogynistic or empowering, repulsive or a display of blood ridden manhood, a mess or a successful blend of many different genres. The blood in it really isn’t too excessive, it is just in the shots where the teeth have left a mark on the men, particularly stubs of cut of penises, which are shown closely and repeatedly. Those are the only shots that need the blood though so all the blood and grotesqueness is used there. There are many sex scenes that lead up to this bloody mess and the films doesn’t care about who it might offend.
    
    
    Some people might see the film as misogynistic or degrading since sex is the way Dawn fights back every time. However, there is really only one time she even consciously does this; the last time when she seduces Brad to get back at him, blaming him for a tragedy in her life. The first times it happens, she is actually just as horrified herself as the predators/victims are. It is really an automatic thing, that is controlled by her physical and emotional pain. When she feels a sense of normalcy only to learn that she was just used for the purposes of a bet another is castrated, her reaction is more an “oh, not again” type of thing. As much as these men have hurt her, she does not mentally become the predators that they were towards her, but her instinct takes over and does the fighting for her. Even if it was intentional every time though, why should she switch weapons? In most horror film, the killer uses the same weapon throughout. That doesn’t mean that the filmmaker is saying that is the only weapon they or others are capable of using. It is just one example of a possible way to fight and in Teeth, the story of a young, wronged woman with a toothed vagina, that automatically takes revenge upon those who had wronged her, it is just logical that that would be the thing to fight back with in that case. After all, that is something that has a mind and actions of its’ own, qualities that few other weapons could be capable of.
    Another thing Teeth did right in my book was that it took time with the story. It didn’t jump straight in to the castration, because that isn’t all this movie was about. It unraveled the story, giving us time to know Dawn and the confusing state that surrounded her. Every minute of this film was enjoyable and ended up giving us a stronger connection to Dawn. As she was our victim turned villain. this sympathy and understanding was needed to moralize the revenge. By getting to know her like this, we also get to feel a certain scale what Dawn does, through each character she is wronged by. When it was over, it was almost hard to believe since the consistent energy almost had you wanting more. Looking back at it though, it stopped at a good and logical place to wrap the story up, it just did so with a likeability that spurred enjoyment.
    
    
    The comedy was very subtle in the film, but worked very well. It was mostly through Weixler as Dawn. Just some of her facial expressions and how she reacted to the situations displayed this better than anything. From her complete shock to her brother referring to their parents as “those assholes” in the beginning to her annoyance to chomping off yet another guys balls without meaning to, as if it has become a hassle like some ordinary, but bothersome thing, the reactions are thoroughly entertaining to see. Teeth uses a serious situation and story to critique a lot of difficult elements of society and the people who populate it, with a vengeful spirit directly related to feelings rather than mentality, with great characters, performances, and interesting relationships, balanced with comedy where suitable.

17. Sex Lewd 4.2

18. Violence Savage 4.2

19. Rudeness Nasty 4.2

21. Reality

    Surreal 2.5

    It is based on a known, but as far as we know mythical condition. That is not to say that this couldn’t be true. More of the realism comes through what the film is critiquing. With all of the harm that she does end up going through, it almost makes her abstinence decision in the beginning seem like the smartest one. With so many people out there who are either just taking what they want or tricking the sex in to being consensual, it paints the picture that there is so much deception and wrong doing out there, you have to constantly question what people’s motives are. In Dawn’s case, everyone who wanted to have sex with her only did wanted this so they could be the one who “broke” the virgin girl, to build up their manhood. The only exception, and the one person who seemed genuinely loved her was Brad. What kind of a crazy world is this when the only genuine possible love mate, is your step-brother, who you have grown up with since you were a kid? In a place so broken, demented, and harmful, defense is clearly needed. All of this is a societal critique to sex especially for young people who are making that decision or are having that decision made for them for the first time. It is also a much broader criticism on just how untrusting, selfish, and cruel people can be.

22. Circumstantial Surreal 2.5

23. Biological Surreal 2.5

24. Physical Surreal 2.5