Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | Final Verdict
The Story:
Hellbent is a gay slasher movie about a group of friends being stalked by a bare-chested, masked killer.
The film opens with two guys making out in a car when a tall, muscular, shirtless man in a black horned mask carrying a sickle murders them.
The next day, Eddie (Dylan Fergus), a police technician, is told to distribute flyers warning people about the killer. Since it’s Halloween, Eddie dresses up as a police officer while distributing the flyers. He later meets up with his friends, and they head off to the West Hollywood Halloween Carnival.
While cutting through the park, they spot the masked killer and think he’s cruising for sex. They tease him, then go off to the festivities. While Eddie and his friends dance, drink, and flirt with men, the killer stalks them and the killing continues.
Some Thoughts:
Hellbent is a low budget gay slasher film that knows how to entertain. The murders may not be inventive, but the opening scene is memorable, and there’s a good amount of blood and gore. Also, since the backdrop is a gay venue during Halloween, it’s almost reasonable that the killer could walk amongst the participants and not be noticed as anything other than a sexy man. Just don’t think too much about the bloody sickle.
Writer/director Paul Etheredge-Ouzts understands how a slasher is made. The killer doesn’t just walk into rooms to kill people, he hides in stalls, closets, around corners, etc… He watches his target, and at times we get to see things from the murder’s perspective. Because of this, there are suspenseful moments.
Hellbent came out in 2004 on a low budget, so the effects are practical. Being someone who grew up watching horror from the ’70s and 80s, this was a welcome change from the CGI so often used today.
The film isn’t without some dark, campy humor. After all, this is a movie that knows what it is and isn’t afraid to poke fun at itself. Although the killer doesn’t have a backstory, the rest of the film plays out like a typical slasher.
Final Verdict:
If you’re looking for some campy Halloween thrills and chills, Hellbent will fit the bill. Etheredge-Ouzts knows how to put together an entertaining slasher.
