Hellbender

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1:53

Hellbender

2021

1h 26m

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

97%

Tomatometer

66 Reviews

56%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

A teen and her mother live simply in a home in the woods, spending their time making metal music. A chance encounter with a fellow teen causes her to uncover a connection between her family and witchcraft, which causes a rift with her mother.

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Critics Consensus

Hellbender stirs a boiling cauldron of adolescent angst, serving up a coming-of-age story with dark horror overtones.

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Tim Cogshell

FilmWeek (LAist)

A wicked little movie -- with a lot of good music, too.

Mar 12, 2022

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Mark Kermode

Kermode & Mayo's Film Review

Mad and interesting stuff...it's a coming-of-age story on the one hand and a feminist parable, but it's all that and so much else.

Mar 9, 2022

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Lena Wilson

New York Times

Some keen editing by John Adams and special effects by Trey Lindsay elevate this into formidable genre fare, with psychedelic sequences that are remarkably polished.

Feb 24, 2022

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Bee Delores

B-Sides & Badlands

The Adams Family unravel a delectable and devilish yarn; it’s a witchy punk-rock acid trip with some of the most potent, ghastly, and frantic imagery you’ll find this year.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jul 11, 2024

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Hector A. Gonzalez

Loud and Clear Reviews

Hellbender (or H6LLB6ND6R) uses DIY horror aesthetics to deliver a hallucinogenic and bloody entertaining mother/daughter story revolving around witchcraft.

Rated: 3.5/5

Feb 10, 2024

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Nadine Whitney

The Curb

Hellbender is a wicked and thrilling horror film that also canvasses questions about identity and destiny.

Sep 6, 2023

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Miguel N

The beginning of this film was off to a slow start and the visual effects could have been a bit better but I’m glad I stayed for the plot. The actresses who play both mother and daughter play great in their roles and the story unfolds well. Seems a bit low budget but I’d recommend a watch for sure.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/22/25

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sunny s

Wow this is a masterpiece of folk horror. I found it on a subthread list and just. Wow. I was really digging it and the acting was so clean and authentic—so I started looking into more about it and it’s made by a family during Covid, which is so shocking because you really wouldn’t know it’s so well done. Great script, editing, beautiful cinematography and b-roll, music is perfect. That hemlock forest… just chef’s kiss. The story is about a mother and daughter who seem to be witchy and then it goes deeper into something that I’ve not seen before. Hellbender for the win.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/22/25

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Connor S

Starts off out in some forest with poor context, I turned this off after I witnessed the worst practical effect I've ever seen in film before about 10 minutes in when she jus turns a guy into smoke , completely god awful , do not waste your time

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

08/24/25

Full Review

Dan S

Hellbender is a slow-burning, atmospheric tale with a unique voice. It doesn’t rely on jump scares or gore but instead builds dread through mood and metaphor. A rough gem of indie horror—raw, imaginative, and quietly powerful.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/25/25

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Minna S

I was spellbound and mezmerised. A banger soundtrack, a wonderfully woven story and brilliant actors created an experience to remember. Lovely wicked witches

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/20/25

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Tom T

A true mother-daughter bond can only be formed after you take turns vomiting blood into each others faces. Look it up.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/18/24

Full Review

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John Adams

Director

Zelda Adams

Director

Toby Poser

Director

Zelda Adams

Izzy

Toby Poser

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Hellbender: Trailer 1

1:53

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Synopsis

A teen and her mother live simply in a home in the woods, spending their time making metal music. A chance encounter with a fellow teen causes her to uncover a connection between her family and witchcraft, which causes a rift with her mother.

Director: John Adams, Zelda Adams, Toby Poser
Producer: Toby Poser
Screenwriter: Zelda Adams, Toby Poser, John Adams
Production Co: Wonder Wheel Productions
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 24, 2022
Runtime: 1h 26m

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