Horror is the hardest genre to sucessfully create. The hallmark of any enjoyable horror romp rests in its characters, its story, and of course, the amount of fear it can instill in its audience. Striking the right balance between all three is much more difficult than people tend to think. More often than not, we see two out of three qualities attained, with one elusively vacant. As such, most contributions to the genre are forgettable and lackluster. The truth is, one hardly hears of any unanimous critical acclaim for horror stories.
As much as I am resistant to being scared to the extent of a bowel movement, even I can attest that horror is a cerebral art form that is difficult to design for a widespread audience. However, with the emergence of Image’s new horror thriller Nailbiter, critical reception might still very well be possible.
A dark mystery hangs over the town of Buckaroo, Oregon. While most towns are known for their distinctive locales or foodstuffs, this one has the distinction of bringing to life 16 serial killers, each one more terrifying than the last. The story follows a suspended Army Intelligence Officer, Nicholas Finch, who is invited to Buckaroo to aid an FBI profiler, Eliot Carroll, in the investigation of the macabre town.
Upon Finch’s arrival, Carroll goes missing. Finch proceeds to track down the leading suspect to his colleague’s disappearance: acquitted serial killer Edward Warren, a.k.a. The Nailbiter. As Finch searches for his lost friend, he finds himself coming closer to the truth behind the Buckaroo Serial Killers — a truth some will kill to keep undiscovered.
Nicholas Finch is an overly aggressive lead who entertains audiences with his unpredictability. With the reasons for his suspension alluded to only in passing, Finch is just as interesting a character to delve into as the mystery of Buckaroo itself. Edward Warren serves as a spiritual analogue to Hannibal Lecter, albeit more charmingly sarcastic than cultured and cannibalistic. Among the leads are an array of supporting characters with their own personal agendas and endgames; these secondary characters aid in providing the plot with twists and turns to make every page engaging.
The artwork of Nailbiter is a grisly array of ominous scenery and blood-soaked violence. Mike Henderson renders scenes that would be hair-raising for even Freddy Krueger himself. Scenes of Edward Warren biting nails are among just some of the more ghastly sights to behold in this story and are enough to make readers grips their nails protectively while reading.
One of the charming aspects of Nailbiter lies in its darkly humorous references to Silence of the Lambs. At times, Nailbiter treads familiar story beats as a classic thriller, but instead of distancing itself, it admits to its similarities with tongue-in-cheek, often synchronous breaks between horrific brutalities.
I am often hesitant to brand a story with the label of being a very original work. However, Nailbiter is story which earns this distinction. It is an accessible story to both casual and uninitiated scream queens and gore lords. It pays homage to other works, but never to the extent that it sacrifices its own uniqueness. Contrary to its title and gruesome visuals, Nailbiter is a delectable work that will leave you hungry for more.
