Hellbender

Tethered closely to the emotions and artistic sensibilities of the tight-knit family that created it, Hellbender is a can’t-miss foray into folk horror. Unabashedly creepy yet perplexingly comforting, it will inevitably remind audiences of the most eccentric aspects of our upbringings.

From beginning to end, Hellbender is an impressive, at times shocking, and enthralling triumph.

Like “The Deeper You Dig,” Hellbender gets better as it gets more surreal, but this one has a nice balance to the out-there imagery in Zelda’s grounded, coming-of-age performance. I love the movies she’s making with her family, but I’d also really like to see what she could do with another director too. She’s got the range and potential.

If there’s a lesson to be taken from Hellbender, it’s this: Underestimate the small and unassuming at your own peril—whether that be the character of Izzy, the film’s real-life creators, or the movie itself.

Hellbender, a coming-of-age movie from a family that’s built their own indie horror house, is a captivating, smart, and delightfully witchy tale.

While the result is a mostly-compelling tale of matriarchal megalomania, occasionally this group composition feels more like a jumble.

Although made on a tiny budget, this highly original exercise in folk horror punches well above its weight with snappy dialogue, trippy visual effects and impressive camerawork.

Although I found their previous film, The Deeper You Dig , more rewarding, the directors of Hellbender cover their budget disadvantages with a very immersive atmosphere. The Deeper You Dig wasn't really satisfying for me, but of course I'll give it credit for what it does well, mostly because I like it when directors work and exploit their resources with an ingenuity that doesn't seek to satisfy those looking for the cheap scares they've become accustomed to with too many Blumhouse films.

Um filme que a todo instante implora para ser cult, criando cenas lentas e com enquadramento mais próximo o possível de seus atores, mas é nítido o esforço e o desconforto d está representando algo tão sem graça. Não falo do roteiro grotesco, antes fosse. E sim da tentativa do roteiro em criar algo medonho soando apenas superficial. Isso porque, ao se basear somente na estética, o filme esquece de criar uma conexão maior com o espectador, apresentando pessoas estranhas que passam a sensação de serem apenas pessoas desinteressantes. Sem um vínculo emocional, já que o roteiro é superficial, não é um cabelo desengonçado com algumas falas toscas que fará com que você se importe. As menos de 1 uma hora e meia de duração passam arrastadas, então caberia um espaço para ao menos apresentar de forma menos superficial os personagens, para que nos importemos com eles. Mas como isso não é realizado, o terror fica insípido. Ao menos a locação e a fotografia foram acertadas aqui, e a cena com os meninos ficou interessante. Mas o resto é pura baboseira e feita para impressionar, mas são apenas aborrecidas mesmo.

The word to best describe the film would be cringeworthy. The teams previous film The deeper you dig was at least watchable. I really have to question the motives of critics giving this high scores as this is complete trash. Some visual effects were acceptable but acting, dialogue, story, script were absolutely atrocious. The segues to garage band music videos at random points in the film were excruciatingly cringeworthy to watch.

Biggest disappointment of a movie in recent memory. Incomprehensible that this movie garnered such high scores. You've been warned.