by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
What do you get when you mix a horror film about witches with a coming-of-age story? You get the latest flick coming your way on Shudder, Hellbender. The scene is set with a classic period piece type of scene about witches, before jumping to modern times. Deep in the woods and isolated, a young woman lives with her mother. She has no friends and no connections outside of her mother. Her mother hides her from the world due to her young daughter’s illness. But what is this illness? Is there more to the story? But it is not a bad life. They jam out in a band together (the titular Hellbender). But there is a lot more to this story than you might think.
Hellbender is a collaborative effort between a trio of talents, John Adams, Zelda Adams, and Toby Poser. How do they pull this small budget horror film together? The trio star in, write, and direct the film. The cast is small, and the setting is scenic in the woods. The budget can be seen at times, but there are some shocking and disturbing images that elevate the film. These creepy visuals help build tension and help the audience get lost in this haunting experience. The tone is something special as well. The film can balance its relatable coming-of-age elements with its slow descent into horror and witchcraft.
With these two major elements, how do these three writers thread through this narrative? The film begins as an intimate affair. Most of the time is spent on developing the mother-daughter relationship. The rest is spent on a budding friendship that our protagonist, Izzy (Zelda Adams), develops with a trespassing young woman, Amber (Lulu Adams). The chemistry in both relationships is genuine, and there are enough complexities that make things interesting. When Izzy’s true nature begins to take over, her relationship with Amber becomes strained. Themes of being different help anchor the film as something that the audience can connect to. The relationship between Izzy and her mother (Poser) is full of mystery and intriguing that helps bridge the film into its second half.
How do the young Adams and Poser bring these two characters to life? Adams is unassuming and sweet towards the beginning of the film. When she is rocking out, she can show some more life. She is awkward in her initial interactions with Amber and things certainly get weird when Izzy begins to get a little… witchy. As the film goes on, Adams can show more confidence and honesty becomes a scary presence. Poser’s performance does the opposite by channeling a genuine and convincing shift in power dynamics.
Does Hellbender deliver on this mashup of genres? It goes to crazy places in its third act by delivering shocking and creepy visuals, as well as tense and shocking interactions. The ending might not be satisfying enough for some, but it is indeed a shockingly poignant end to an impressive film full of potential.
Grade: B
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