Tina’s
creature looks like a cross between E.T. and Gollum, but he is symbiotic and
perhaps supernatural—or psychosomatic. Of course, she might be dead already, so
it wouldn’t matter. Yet, she still must contend with peer pressure and social
media shaming in director-screenwriter AKIZ [Achim Bornhak]’s The Nightmare (trailer here), which releases
today on DVD from KimStim/Icarus Films.
Tina
was one of the mean girls, until that fateful pool rave. Her bad trip starts
when one of the drug-snorting sons of entitlement shows her a viral video of a
woman getting mowed down by a speeding car. Shortly thereafter, that video
plays out in real life, with Tina facing the business end of the hit-and-run
bumper. One life-flashing-before-her-eyes later, Tina comes to after supposedly
fainting. Things get weirder still when she hears a slimy critter that would
not look out of place in the Ghoulies franchise
knocking about in the kitchen. Naturally, her white bread parents see and hear
nothing, but when the imp cuts himself, she shares the blood and pain, like a
Corsican Brother.
Consequently,
everyone starts to assume Tina is crazy, because that is how she is acting. Inevitably,
this leads to mockery and ostracization at school. It also might lead to institutionalization,
since nobody else can see her personal demon, except during the times when they
can.
AKIZ
fuses together a bunch of elements that would not ordinarily look like they
went together, sort of like a cross between Before I Fall and Bad Milo! played scrupulously
straight. The fact that it works at all constitutes a minor miracle. The
intentionally and effectively disorienting style certainly helps. AKIZ
literally pumps up the volume and unleashes the strobe effects to immerse
viewers in these club kids’ milieu. With its flashy look and pulsating
soundtrack, Der Nachtmahr could also
be thought of as the pouty teen spawn of Tony Scott’s The Hunger.
Regardless,
Carolyn Genzkow falls apart pretty spectacularly. She definitely nails the
Polanski-esque creeping madness vibe, but it must be said, she also looks
distressingly thin. As is happens, Tina is already in therapy even before she
maybe dies and meets a monster, so perhaps we can speculate eating disorders
were an issue. In any event, she might start feeling better with a little
nutrition. She and her BFF co-stars, Lynne Femme and Sina Tkotsch perfectly
balance snarky cattiness and hypocritical kiss-kiss sisterhood. Frankly, they will
make you glad you are not a German teen girl, circa 2015.
