Tamara (DVD)

Just a few months after its release in limited theaters, Tamara is out on DVD. It's a pretty good horror movie, but this is definitely where it belongs — with the price of movie tickets costing as much, if not more, than the cost of a disc, it makes more sense to rent or buy this Carrie-styled gore-fest and enjoy it at home.

It seems perfect-timing for a DVD release, what with all the "hot for teacher" court cases involving statutory rape going on right now — Tamara (Jenna Dewan) is a shy but pretty high school student who has a major crush on her handsome and distinguished English teacher, Mr. Natolly (Matthew Marsden). She has sexy, erotic daydreams about him, but is far too young and inhibited to turn his head. Besides, he's married to a pretty blonde (Claudette Mink) who wants to have his baby. How can Tamara compete? Witchcraft, that's how!

Things go terribly awry however, and the mousy Tamara winds up dead. But she's far from gone… her true spirit, now tarted up and bent on the destruction of those who caused her death, is on the warpath and it's not pretty. Hell hath no fury like a witch scorned, and the bullies are subjected to terrifying, bloody cat-and-mouse games.

Tamara is sort of like Carrie-meets-The Craft if you want to put a label on it, but at least it's inventively done, and while they're mostly unknowns, the actors are up to the task and the director doesn't skimp on the gore factor. I enjoyed the grisly, over-the-top death scenes and watching every baddie get their comeuppance in the worst possible ways. The cinematography, props, set design, music, etc., were all pleasing to the eye and ear (even the cheapie CGI is tolerable), so the movie is well worth a spending a spell with.

There's no doubt Tamara does start to drag and fall apart in the third act, but it's still a solid rental for fans of revenge-horror.

The lead actress's barely-there wardrobe notwithstanding, the DVD is surprisingly skimpy on "extras". There is a jovial commentary featuring director Jeremy Haft and writer Jeffrey Reddick, but that's about it.

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Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson