PopHorror Let's Get Scared
After the success of the first film, Demon Squad (2019), and a Kickstarter (Read about the Kickstarter) campaign, director Thomas Smith is back to bring the “Demon Squad” to tackle their greatest foe yet. When a string of brutal killings is linked to a werewolf, paranormal investigator Nick Moon (Khristian Fulmer: Demon Squad 2019) goes on the hunt. Battling supernatural forces, he uncovers a dark conspiracy that must be stopped before the monster strikes again.
From the beginning moments, it becomes apparent that Demon Squad: Tooth and Claw invokes the aura of a live-action Saturday morning cartoon. The opening starts strongly as it focuses on the crew investigating a paranormal situation. The tone quickly establishes that there is fun to be had as it blends camp, horror, and fantasy.
Werewolves aren’t the only enemy on display as the film’s biggest villain is the runtime. No matter how charming the film can be, the effect can only last so long before the 97-minute runtime can be felt. Character interactions no longer entertain as much as they become an annoyance. No matter what is happening, Nick and Daisy (Erin Lilley: Demon Squad 2019) act as though they’ll explode if they don’t indulge in sarcastic banter.
There was passion for this project, just not the skills necessary to make a fully realized film. While the film’s scope aims for a larger-than-life world, it had to settle for a couple of living rooms. There aren’t really sets, as much as rooms that could fit a couple of actors and a camera in. While the locations feel lived in, they feel as though they’re inhabited by people who have no connection to the film or the characters in the world. Other than Chari Divine’s (Victoria Antonelli: Exceptional Beings 2023) space, there is no personality to any of the set dressing.
When everyone isn’t aimlessly wandering, most of the film features characters telling rather than showing. Scenes with extended dialogue feature bizarrely wooden acting that feels barely a step above a first-look table read. Daisy appears to be the most self-aware character, as even she doesn’t find anything she says to be funny.
Demon Squad: Tooth and Claw can be categorized with one phrase: Millennial Cringe. Every instance of humor reeks of early 2010s Tumblr comedy with a reliance on awkward dialogue and tongue-in-cheek wordplay. Not even the wardrobe is safe as characters wear the stereotypical clothes associated with cringe: fedoras, vests, catchphrase shirts, and more. While this might not be everyone’s preferred style of humor, it is sure to get a couple of chuckles out of the viewer.
It’s harmless fun that relies more on humor and jokes than violence and nudity. Most interactions between the characters feature quippy banter, with Daisy contributing most of the humor. The makeup and effects are fun and do a great job of portraying the fantastical elements of the script. There is an audience for this type of film, but like the film itself, it appears to be niche.
Demon Squad: Tooth and Claw is on Prime Video and is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.
