A non-sci-fi horror by the Re-Animator crew, who deserve credit for getting Corbin Bernsen for this, and for basically delivering the goods: The Dentist has the gruesome, graphic torture-porn scenes that a hardcore horror movie about dentistry calls for. They are genuinely cringe-worthy. The script, however, is utter crap, and the "good" parts only start halfway through - the first half plods and struggles unsuccessfully to create plot coherence.

While it plays on most people's fear of dentists, I found it to be a bit slow

Yuzna's directorial style -- strong shot composition cast in an oddly soft focus -- is more befitting the supernatural fare he usually tackles. When applied to a schlocky psychological horror like this, it lends an unintentional and distracting serio-comic quality to the whole affair. Oh yeah, and the ending is just terrible.

Painful to watch, in more ways than one.

Is it a good movie? No. Is it amazingly uncomfortable to sit through? You bet your molars. I watched this with three high school footballers and we all screamed like girls.

24.375

So poorly done - it's almost amusing.

crap

Hard to watch if you have a problem with dentists.

Total B-movie feel, and I can never look at Coebin Bernsen seriously again. However, this movie is twisted...in a good way. The visuals alone can help you overlook the poor acting, corny dialogue, and the large gunshot sound that is Bernsen's career committing suicide.

This movie is harder to watch than your regular B movie because if you have a psychological fear of dentists, this is definately not a movie to watch. The movie is poorly done but for knowing how to get under the audience's skin easily, it gets a higher rating than usual.

Corbin Bernsen pulls the entire script out of B-movie banality.

yeah, lousy movie

Given the premise, I thought this would be a black comedy, but the filmmakers evidently really think "a rampaging dentist" is a scary idea

The handiwork of _Re-Animator_ alumni Gordon, Paoli, and Yuzna, this is a must for devotees of *way* over-the-top, tongue-in-bloody-cheek terror. The sound FX alone when Feinstone puts his various drills, needles, and forceps into play may be enough to send fainter-hearted viewers screaming from the couch. This is best watched with plenty of novocaine and nitrous oxide nearby.

Much better than I thought it would be. Dentistry has never even remotely frightened me but the effects still look pretty novel and gross even if they're less than realistic. Iffy direction and acting but the plot's reasonably engaging.