Another solid effort by the Adams Family. This is a quite inventive micro-budget coming-of-age folk horror that tackles some interesting themes surrounding nature vs nurture in a fun and twisted way. There’s something very endearing about this little film. Similar to their previous film The Deeper You Dig, there are lots of insanely striking hallucinatory visuals to sink your teeth into, with an emotionally charged central relationship at its core. Toby Poser and Zelda Adams being an actual mother and daughter in real life definitely helps make it work. The soundtrack is quite fun and their approach to black magic is very creative and unique. The effects are also pretty neat considering their resources. Great stuff.

Visually stylish and chilling to behold after an initially slow buildup. Recommended for fans of folk horror.

What is _Hellbender_? This is a psychedelic indie horror. Equal parts coming of age, and witchcraft; the movie isn't exactly like any other film I have ever seen, but if I had to draw comparisons, they would be: _The VVitch_ (2015), _The Lords of Salem_ (2012), and _Hagazussa_ (2017). The story is pretty simple: a mother lives with her daughter in an isolated house in the woods. The two live a very strange life together, foraging for their simple meals, and playing grunge/doom metal songs. In true indie fashion, most of the story unfolds in artistic shots that prioritize style over anything else. While nothing here is truly scary, there are a few gory moments. However, the real focus is a kind of neo-folk horror. That is to say, while there is a supernatural element here, the crux of the story is the mother/daughter relationship. What did I like? Well, you give me two hippy chicks playing sludgy rock and I'm down. I love the cold, natural setting. I love the lighting during the dark moments. I love Zelda Adams in her bikini. What didn't I like? Even though I wouldn't call this slow, the pacing needed some help. That is to say, a little less time talking and eating bugs could have been used to show the plot moving forward. Above all else, the ending was the biggest problem; It felt very rushed and anticlimactic. Would I ever watch this again? No. Would I recommend it? Yes. If you like indie horror, if you want art instead of blood and scares, you will probably dig this.

The story is simple but effective, managing to involve in its essence. The cinematography highlights natural environments, which vary between beauty and gloom, and some scenes are quite striking and sinister. The performances are excellent, and the two main characters are captivating, presenting an engaging dynamic and great dialogues that arouse curiosity about their stories. However, the movie doesn't delve too deeply into this aspect. The soundtrack is excellent, with powerful music that perfectly complements the plot.

It was a pretty good story.