Hellbender
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJohn Adams
Zelda Adams
Toby Poser
Written byJohn Adams
Zelda Adams
Toby Poser
Produced byToby Poser
StarringZelda Adams
Toby Poser
John Adams
Lulu Adams
CinematographyJohn Adams
Zelda Adams
Edited byJohn Adams
Music byJohn Adams
Production
company
Wonder Wheel Productions
Distributed byShudder
Release dates
  • August 14, 2021 (2021-08-14) (Fantasia Fest)
  • February 24, 2022 (2022-02-24) (United States)
Running time
86 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$67,474

Hellbender is a 2021 American horror film directed by, written by and starring John Adams, Zelda Adams and Toby Poser. The story follows a mother-daughter metal band living in an isolated woodland home, whose relationship is challenged when the daughter encounters other teenagers.

Plot

Izzy and her mother live a simple, peaceful existence in the woods, spending most their time creating metal music. After a chance meeting with a mysterious fellow teenager, Izzy begins to uncover the dark history of her family and their connections with witchcraft. Her relationship with her mother becomes increasingly strained as she deals with the darker revelations about her own budding interest in magic.

Cast

  • Zelda Adams as Izzy
  • Toby Poser as Mother
  • Lulu Adams as Amber
  • John Adams as Uncle
  • Rinzin Thonden as AJ
  • Khenzom as Ingrid

Production

John Adams and Toby Poser are married, and Lulu and Zelda are their children.[1] Inspired by the musical project H6LLB6ND6R they had formed two years earlier, the family devised a film exploring parenting, witchcraft and matriarchy.[2][3] The filmmaking family shot the film in their home in Catskill, New York[3] during COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, taking turns as the film crew.[1] Many scenes and dialogue in the film were improvised.[2]

Release

Hellbender premiered at the 25th Fantasia International Film Festival on August 14, 2021.[4] It was released on Shudder on February 24, 2022.[1]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 97% of 67 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The website's consensus reads: "Hellbender stirs a boiling cauldron of adolescent angst, serving up a coming-of-age story with dark horror overtones."[5] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 70 out of 100, based on 9 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[6]

Leslie Felperin of The Guardian awarded the film three out of five stars, praising the film's script, visual effects, and cinematography, calling it "[a] highly original exercise in folk horror".[7] Katie Rife from The A.V. Club scored the film a grade B, commending the film's cinematography, visuals, editing, and performances, while also noting the films' low-budget special effects.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Hellbender review – trippy folk horror is engaging family affair". the Guardian. February 22, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  2. 1 2 Wilson, Lena (February 24, 2022). "'Hellbender' Review: The Family That Preys Together". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  3. 1 2 Lyon, Joshua (October 30, 2021). "Their Family Movie Nights Can Get a Little Bloody". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  4. ↑ de la Fuente, Anna Marie (August 5, 2021). "Shudder Snaps Up Hellbender Ahead of its Fantasa Fest Premiere". Variety. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Hellbender". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Hellbender". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  7. ↑ Felperin, Leslie (February 22, 2022). "Hellbender review – trippy folk horror is engaging family affair". The Guardian. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  8. ↑ Rife, Katie (February 23, 2022). "Hellbender review: This horror drama is a family affair". The A.V. Club. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
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