Hellbender Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Hellbender Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman September 15, 2025

There's a kind of Carrie adjacent feeling suffusing Hellbender, and not just because the film focuses on an insular mother and daughter, with the mother seeming to be trying to prevent her scion from developing "special powers", and a rather spectacular emphasis on blood. No, there's a more basic, if frankly weird, tether between the two: hairstyles. Piper Laurie as Margaret White in the film based on the Stephen King tale and the unnamed mother portrayed by Toby Poser in this film evidently both visit(ed) the same salon, as their "look" is so similar it hardly seems to be a coincidence. In fact, while Hellbender probably can't help but evoke not just Carrie, but any number of other films where teen-ish girls suddenly come into some kind of unusual power and/or knowledge, though Hellbender tries fitfully to develop a whole mythology to support a somewhat wobbly underpinning. The film has a really unique visual style, though, along with some interesting (if frankly derivative) visual effects which may help to hold interest even when the narrative may stumble.

Izzy (Zelda Adams) has been kept away from other humans by her mother due to a supposed autoimmune disorder (another element kind of weirdly seen in other horror adjacent outings), but an opening vignette has already documented that good ol' mom might be part of a coven, or something similar. Mother has been home schooling Izzy and trying to "socialize" her by joining her in two person jams with a kind of metal aspect, something of course Margaret White would have never considered doing with Carrie. Izzy's questioning nature of course gets the better of her, and when she starts exploring out in the woods, she makes contact with the outside world. Suffice it to say hilarity does not ensue.

Hellbender has an undeniably spooky mood, something that may help sustain interest for some viewers, though the film never indulges in outright shocks or, frankly, real scares. Instead there's a slowly mounting sense of dread that itself is really never completely resolved due to an ending that may have been fashioned to provide room for a sequel. It may be salient to mention this is another "family affair" from the Adams', with parents John Adams and Toby Poser handling a lot of the production side along with daughter Zelda. Lulu Adams (Zelda's sister) is also on hand as a "normie" Izzy meets when she's out foraging through the woods.

Hellbender Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Hellbender is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Arrow's insert booklet provides the following generic information on the presentation:

Hellbender is presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio with original lossless stereo audio.

The high definition master was provided by AMC / Wonder Wheel Films.

That last bit may allude to the fact this was streamed on Shudder, and in fact the entire film has a kind of lo-fi made for television look that in this case is quite evocative. While I found some interesting interviews with the Adams where they discussed getting a Steadicam and drone for the shoot, I haven't been able to dredge up what actual camera they utilized, but this is a digital capture that doesn't shy away from the glossy surface appeal of the technology. (The behind the scenes footage clearly shows some kind of small Canon model, which I'm assuming was used for the bulk of the shoot.) What sets the "look" of the film apart is some near high contrast and some rather interesting grading choices that can make the forest scenes almost tinged with a purplish undertone. Some of the hallucinatory special effects are quite effective as well. Detail levels are generally great, though fine detail can be affected by both dim lighting (some of those aforementioned interviews with the Adams actually mention how they prefer "flat" lighting) and some of the grading choices.

Hellbender Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Hellbender features LPCM 2.0 audio, and about the only complaint some may have is that there's no surround track on this disc to support both a lot of ambient environmental effects out in those spooky woods, but also the glut of head banging music that accompanies the film. Otherwise, though, the stereo track provides clarity and excellent fidelity throughout, with scoring and effects reverberant and well mixed. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Hellbender Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary


• From the Forest She Rises (HD; 12:37) is a visual essay by Jennifer Handorf.


• Black Magic Tricks (HD; 10:13) looks at the visual effects created by Trey Lindsay.


• Behind the Scenes Footage (HD; 6:54)


• Fort Worden (HD; 00:58) is a (very) short film by Zelda Adams.


• Music Videos feature the Adams Family's band H6LLB6ND6R.

Hit & Run (2024) (HD; 3:20)




Drive (2021) (HD; 2:03)




Lovely (2021) (HD; 2:42)




Black Sky (2020) (HD; 2:24)

• Trailers

Hellbender (HD; 1:53)




The Deeper You Dig (HD; 2:14)

The insert booklet may be of particular interest to fans, since it includes a "filmmakers' statement" from Toby Poser, along with two other essays. Packaging features a slipcover.

Hellbender Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I frankly couldn't help but jokingly wonder if Izzy was off to experience some nearby high school prom as this story reached its not exactly decisive conclusion. There's a lot to appreciate here, including a palpable mood and some extremely striking cinematography, and those pluses may help to elevate a slightly stale narrative. Technical merits are solid (within the "DIY" context of the family's production ethos), and the supplements very appealing. With caveats noted, Recommended.