Hellbender (2021)

Author: Old Mother Hubbard

“Hellbender” (2021) is another film by the Adams Family and Wonder Wheel Productions (read my review of “Where The Devil Roams” (2023) to find out more about the Adams Family production team). “Hellbender” receives lavish praise from critics but it is my least favorite film I’ve seen from Wonder Wheel Productions so far.

Izzy and her mother live in a house on a mountain (it’s the same gutted house that was in “The Deeper You Dig” (2019) post renovation). The duo are also a rock band called “Hellbender.” It starts out pretty good. Mom is a witch who does super weird shit and she murders a lost hiker after tasting his blood for reasons unbeknownst to us. Later we discover that Izzy is a witch too only she doesn’t know it at first. Izzy gets a little out of control with her power and suddenly her witch mother becomes all nice with a heart of gold. The story I found to be on the weak side and the film drags in spots and becomes somewhat boring.

One thing that I found troublesome was the mother and daughter eating live worms, caterpillars and maggots. An Australian teenager, Sam Ballard, who ate a slug on a dare in 2010, contracted a severe brain infection called rat lungworm disease, spent 420 days in a coma, was left paralyzed, and tragically passed away eight years later in November 2018 at the age of 28. I only recommend eating live slugs, worms and maggots if you are jealous haters of OMH. By all means, if you hate OMH, eat some live slugs you little assholes.

Anywho, I wasn’t crazy about “Hellbender.” All the Adams Family team’s films so far have really good production and stuff but “Hellbender” was just not hitting the mark for me story-wise. I’m sure it was a great bonding experience for Zelda Adams and her mom Toby Poser. 2 and a half stars.