Acorn Media, out now

 

Mother really doesn’t want Izzy to leave the house… With good reason…

The Adams Family movies are becoming a benchmark for strong independent horror, and Hellbender is no exception. The interaction of parents and children in the making of these movies, from acting to directing to running the camera to music and beyond, gives them a distinctive tone, no matter the particular subject matter they’re turning their hand to. Sure, we’re seeing the same players as in previous movies, but it’s like watching a familiar repertory company – the nature of the storytelling means that you buy instantly into whichever characters they’re playing today.

No matter how bizarre.

And we do get a bit bizarre in Hellbender, with Zelda Adams’ Izzy and Tobey Poser’s Mother sharing a secret that you may well guess a little before it’s properly revealed but which is played to the hilt when Izzy meets neighbour Amber (played by her sister Lulu) and encounters a stranger (her father, John). No, that’s not that they play in a rock band…

At its core, Hellbender is a coming of age story – one involving gore, witchcraft, more gore, more witchcraft and some trippy moments – that’s also an examination of nature vs nurture. If you didn’t catch it on Shudder, then make a date now.

Verdict: A dark movie centred around a mother and daughter and the bonds that both tie and break them. 8/10

Paul Simpson