Hellbender

 

Hellbender

2021

Director- John Adams, Zelda Adams, Toby Poser

Cast- Zelda Adams, Toby Poser, Lulu Adams, John Adams, Rinzin Thonden, Khenzom, Shawn Wilson, Judy Rosen, Rob Figueroa

            Izzy is a teenage girl, home schooled by her single mother in a remote house in the wilderness. She is forbidden from having friends or going into town because she has a rare immune deficiency (or so she has been told).

            During a chance encounter with another girl, Izzy decides to make a friend which leads to the inevitable invitation to a party. A drinking game that ends with Izzy eating a live worm results in a brief psychotic break where she realizes that her mother has been lying to her about her illness and a whole lot more.

            Izzy’s mother is the latest in a long line of women called Hellbenders, zoophagous witches that power their spells through the consumption of the life force of living creatures, obtained by eating those creatures alive (which begs the question, are they witches or vampires). Izzy wonders, if the eating of a mere worm could grant her powerful insight into her mother, what power might be gained from eating something larger?

            After an awesome opening, the film moves pretty slowly through the first half but stick with it and you’ll be rewarded. It has a very tiny cast so there is plenty of opportunity to get to know the characters. There is infrequent but well done gore. Probably the highest compliment that I can pay the film is that it did not go in the direction that I was expecting and I was pleasantly surprised.

            The movie looks good with some artistically framed shots. The film’s two principal actors turn in convincing performances. Most importantly, its occult mythos seemed intelligent and informed. It sticks its toe into a little bit of Folk Horror, if you’re a fan of that genre.

Forget the name which sounds like either a bad Image Comics character from the early 90s or a speed metal band, Hellbender is a pretty clever, independent horror film. Recommended for fans of withes and witchcraft.