Starting on February 24th, genre fans are going to be treated to a very special little horror picture called HELLBENDER as this much-buzzed-about movie will finally make its debut on the streaming service Shudder following a very successful film festival run. In fact, a very lucky St. George, UT audience was fortunate enough to see it on the big screen as HELLBENDER served as the opening night film at the HorrorFest International Film Festival this past October. It should also be noted that this awesome flick went on to win Best Feature as well as acting honors at this same festival. Now, everyone can see what all the buzz is about!
This creative, thrifty, and immensely entertaining witch-centric coming-of-age story weaves its tale around Izzy (Zelda Adams), a teenager with a gift. This loaner of a teen spends most of her time rocking out with her hip, adoring, and slightly mysterious mother (Toby Poser), but as the days go on, Izzy becomes more and more aware of said gift. Before long, certain revelations suggest that, perhaps, there’s more to this individual than meets the eye.
As a woman discovering her true identity and attempting to fully embrace that identity, a wonderful Zelda Adams hits all the right notes, particularly in the final act. Likewise, Poser is outstanding as a mother who always has her daughter’s best interests at heart. Together, Adams and Poser bring the magic which is of great benefit to HELLBENDER because beyond the horror elements, beyond the dark humor, and beyond the central theme of identity, this is, first and foremost, a mother/daughter story. It should also be noted that Toby and Zelda are mother and daughter in real life and their genuine chemistry makes for a film that’s all the more authentic.
In fact, HELLBENDER as a whole is a full-on family affair. Both Zelda and Toby put this film together alongside John Adams (who also delivers a memorable cameo in the movie) with an assist by Zelda’s sister, Lulu (she appears as a woman Izzy befriends along her journey of self-discovery.) No matter how sinister or how offbeat this film gets, that true sense of family can be felt throughout.
It should also be noted that the Adams family make films on the cheap and on their own terms but that certainly isn’t to imply that HELLBENDER feels cheap. Far from it. As mentioned previously, from a technical standpoint this is a very creative film and it bristles with a cheeky if a tad dark sense of humor. Look no further than the closing moments of the movie in which a final exchange between mother and daughter serves as the perfect ending to this rock n’ roll-tinged (can’t wait to get a hold of the supremely badass soundtrack!) gem of a horror movie.
The Adams Family are good people and as it happens, they’ve made a fantastic movie in HELLBENDER, particularly if you’re a genre fan. Be sure to give it a watch when it drops on Shudder on February 24th.
