Hellbender Review: Coming-Of-Age Occult Horror Is Shocking, Impressive Triumph

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Hellbender is not for the faint of heart. The creative trio of Toby Poser, Zelda Adams, and John Adams — who wrote, directed, and produced the film — return with this modern-day folk horror about a mother-daughter duo's dalliance with hell. From beginning to end, Hellbender is an impressive, at times shocking, and enthralling triumph.

Hellbender — with its clever tagline that reads “Growing up is hell” — follows 16-year-old Izzy (Zelda Adams) as she begins to question her way of life. Due to a rare illness, she has lived in isolation with her mother (Toby Poser) in the mountains of New York, away from the rest of civilization. Izzy begins to question her reality and rebels by befriending a girl (played by real-life sister Lulu Adams) who lives in the area. However, Izzy’s coming-of-age is derailed after she eats a live worm as part of a juvenile game and finds an insatiable and violent hunger awakened within her. Izzy then discovers the dark secrets of her family's past and the ancient power in her bloodline.

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Filmed on a shoestring budget, Hellbender is a hellish endeavor that pushes its audience to the brink. With an opening act that will surely weed out those with a weak stomach, Hellbender pulls from the long-standing horror subgenre to tell a personal story about a mother-daughter’s relationship being tested by the latter’s coming-of-age journey. While its production limitations are obvious, the Poser-Adams clan have perceptible control over their craft, which is restrained in parts and ambitious in others. The Catskill Mountains make for a brilliant backdrop with clever cinematography and the rugged landscape providing the perfect