NAILBITER (2012)

Directed/Written by Patrick Rea
Starring Erin McGrane, Meg Saricks, Sally Spurgeon, Joicie Appell, Emily Boresow, Michelle Davidson, Jason Coffman

I absolutely loved this indie treat which takes elements of early Speilbergian “children in peril” films and then plunges deep into the deep end of horror. NAILBITER introduces us to a troubled family consisting of three girls and a mother. The family is not perfect. Mom is an alcoholic and trying to cope with her husband overseas in the military. The oldest daughter couldn’t be more disconnected from the rest of the family and shuns the affections of her two younger siblings who look up to her. But things are looking up as the family takes a trip to meet their father at the airport returning home from the war. Though there is a storm prediction in the forecast, the family sets out in the trusty SUV to pick up pop.

Everything from the way the kids interact with each other to the inspirational music feels like an Amblin film. There’s a down-home family vibe that fills the entire first half hour and for the first half of the film, I was wondering if this was going to be one of those toothless scary movies where no one really dies or gets hurt and it ends with the family persevering despite insurmountable odds.

Then NAILBITER bore its teeth and chomps my expectations to little bite sized chunks.
This Amblin family wanders into a full-fledged nightmare and despite the uplifting music in the beginning, no one is safe.

The pacing of this film written and directed by Patrick Rea is impeccable. It is one of those films that draws you in by seeming to be innocent and then attacks. As the storm turns into a tornado, the family is forced to take shelter in the basement of a seemingly abandoned home. Of course, it’s not so abandoned.

Not only is the premise and tone a winner, the monsters in NAILBITER are unique in their ambiguity. Though some might be frustrated by the lack of a concrete description of the beast (or beasts), I found the dialog to be truly horrific. Simple lines like “The storm effects all of them differently.” is enough information for me and all the more terrifying, though some may not be as satisfied by that clever and all-encompassing line of dialog.

Though the effects aren’t the best, Rea smartly only shows glimpses of our monsters and amps up the threat immensely because of it. Rea has crafted a big budget-looking film with blockbuster scares on a small scale. The attention to character is there and there are some fantastic emotional beats that really resonate. The ending, as well, is a powerhouse. Multiple endings and fades to black throw the viewer off guard into thinking the show is over and the lights will go up, but Rea plays on that by bringing the scares back or an emotional payoff to make this a completely satisfying fright fest. Currently travelling the festival circuit, if you have a chance to catch NAILBITER, do it. It’s a whole lot of fun, reminiscent of a lot of films we all hold near and dear.