Hellbender (2021) Review by Phil Newton
Hellbender (2021) Review by Phil Newton
In March 2020 I came across a music video for the song ‘Falling In Love’ by the band Hellbender, the musical project of the multi-talented DIY film-makers the Adams Family – couple John Adams and Toby Poser and their two daughters, Zelda and Lulu. Their mix of grungy guitars and shoe-gaze vocals instantly appealed, and I was delighted to see the band’s music feature heavily in their latest film, also titled Hellbender.
Izzy (Zelda Adams) is a 16 year old girl who lives in a remote mountain home with her mother (Toby Poser). Isolated from a young age, and suffering from an auto-immune disorder that prevents her getting close to others, Izzy has been home schooled and spends her free time donning face paint and making music with her Mum. One day while out walking in the forest, Izzy comes across her neighbour Amber (Lulu Adams) and the two strike up a friendship. Desperate to have more friends and experience normal teenage things, Izzy sneaks out to a party, much to her mother’s disapproval.
“We’re not like them, we don’t need them…”
As has been established from a pre-credits scene of the townsfolk attempting to kill Izzy’s grandmother, the women are in fact Hellbenders – a cross between a witches and demons that feed off other people’s fear. Mother has set out to protect Izzy, raising her to be a good person and hoping to keep her predatory nature under control so that she can lead a normal life. However Izzy’s awakening and the ability to cast her own spells puts the mother/daughter relationship under pressure and threatens everything that Mother has been trying to protect…
The follow up to the excellent The Deeper You Dig (2019), a breakout hit on the horror festival circuit, Hellbender builds on that success with its potent mix of folk horror and the occult. Having real life mother and daughter play the two lead roles brings an authenticity to the performances that just can’t be faked, you totally buy into the relationship between these characters as their bond is tested.
I am somewhat in awe of the Adams Family and what they’re able to accomplish on a modest budget – they’re responsible for nearly everything on Hellbender, from writing, directing and acting, to editing, costumes and music. You can really see the progression in skill from film to film, especially the cinematography which is particularly impressive here. One collaborator who does deserve a mention is Trey Lindsay whose visual effects (black smoke, and a particularly nightmarish sequence where the women are tripping on maggots they’ve ingested) really enhance the storytelling.
Overall this latest Shudder Original release deserves to find a wider audience; it’s an unsettling and gripping tale peppered by some arresting images, coupled with convincing performances from its leads. It also showcases the amazing talents of the Adams Family whose work and can-do attitude continues to impress and will hopefully inspire other film-makers to go out and achieve their dreams.
