Merolliv
I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.
Billie Morin
This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows
moonmonday
Billed as 'the first gay slasher film', Hellbent basically takes every genre trait it can and tries to combine them into a singular movie. It works in some ways, mainly as a pastiche with a twist since it's not the usual straight sex-crazed, drugged-out teens that have been served up as fodder for decades.Unfortunately, it doesn't work in a number of other ways, and that's a real shame. I think the biggest way that it fails is that no-one really brings up the concern of a hate crime after the double-murder at the beginning. In reality, that would be all over the place, people would have heard about it, and it's very unlikely things would go on exactly as planned with a brutal double-murder the night before Halloween, especially when it was not even two blocks away from the centre of West Hollywood. Sorry, but I don't buy it.It seemed like the makers wanted to avoid stereotypes, but in so doing also managed to avoid realistic-feeling characters. Instead, the characters came off as pretty heavily stereotypical...just in different ways than is usually seen in gay-oriented entertainment, and at the same time included almost no recognisable figures that one would really encounter in a place of such a concentration of the gay community. Basically, like they were trying way too hard to 'normalise' gay men and gay culture, to the point where it just looks like obnoxious 20somethings at funky clubs on Halloween. The characters are all fairly ridiculously fit, though, which isn't really clever enough to be ironic.It didn't deal well with the mysterious killer, who is never explained and has no real gravitas. It's just some bodybuilder in a mask, that's it. Nothing more is ever really explored. For that matter, the other characters were largely not that great, aside from the genuinely likable Chaz, which may have been due to the actor's own charisma. The main protagonist was awful, as was his unbelievable and obnoxious female friend; they also didn't really explain what he was doing working for the police since it was stated numerous times he failed his exam.This said, though, the big flub of Hellbent is that it kills off the much more likable and interesting characters, does it far too soon in the story, and doesn't even do it well. The more annoying characters stick around, the story goes nowhere, and it ends about as you'd expect. The story doesn't make sense -- after encountering a weird, potentially dangerous guy at the scene of a murder less than 24 hours previous, they say nothing to anyone and aren't that surprised when he follows them?! The whole hate crime element is not really touched upon, and it's conspicuous by its absence, but it's not something that the viewer can really avoid thinking about.Maybe that's the reason why Hellbent is one of a tiny few in the 'gay slasher' genre...because it's not really fun, and usually slasher films are kind of supposed to be. It tries too hard, and it doesn't try hard enough. It's basically just really depressing, and by the end of it all you aren't even fulfilled by a satisfying resolution. If it had been just another 'straight teens go partying on Halloween and there's a killer' film, not a single person would have cared. It doesn't have a sense of humour really, so you can't even say it's a black comedy. It's just sad.
melvelvit-1
A gay "slasher"?? Well, what did you expect when West Hollywood's annual Halloween Carnival is the backdrop? HELLBENT is gay-themed "mainstream" horror (from the makers of HALLOWEEN and NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET) that doesn't pander to a homosexual demographic and "fun for the whole family" despite its R-rating, if you know what I mean. A serial killer who collects heads is interrupted by a group of friends on their way to a Halloween parade and he relentlessly tracks them down one by one over the course of the night...I was surprised to find myself actually caring who'd make it out alive but what's even more amazing is the potent blend of sex & death in the form of the supernatural (?) killer. Even behind his horned, three- quarter mask, "The Devil" is brutally handsome, the homo fatale embodiment of a demon lover one would surrender to willingly ("seasons don't fear the reaper -nor do the wind and the sun and the rain"). He also takes good head but be that as it may, this was wholesome entertainment compared to something like Peter de Rome's THE DESTROYING ANGEL.
Coventry
Quite a lot of people around here are referring to "HellBent" as being a genuine throwback to the 80's horror sub genre of slashers, but it isn't one, really. Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't the whole point of slasher-movies the guessing along for the killer's identity and the search for a link between him/her and the people that got killed? Well, at least mostly that was the point, unless the culprit was Jason Vorhees (Friday the 13th) or Michael Myers (Halloween) who just massacred teenagers because it was in their genes. With his debut "HellBent", writer/director Paul Etheredge-Ouzts entirely disregards this operating routine, but not necessarily for the better. The film profiles itself as the very first gay slasher movie (although that's debatable) so that's exactly what happens! Queer boys are butchered and that's it…period! The maniac is an athletic type of guy wearing a devil-outfit and his chest is perfectly waxed. He dwells around the places that the homosexual crowd of West Hollywood considers to be paradise, like the park, dark bathrooms in clubs and the annual Halloween parade. After murdering a couple of boys in their car, he focuses on a group of gay roommates that anxiously look forward to a Halloween night full of wild parties, kinky costumes and – of course – meaningless sex with handsome strangers. Whose is the face hiding behind the mask is anyone's guess, as the script doesn't attempt much to provide this handsome devil with motives for his truly sick – he chops off and collects his victims' heads – killing spree. Is he a homophobe gone crazy? Is he a homosexual himself but too scared to come out of the closet? Did Michael Jackson assault him? You're not meant to know and, frankly, it doesn't matter because "HellBent" delivers exactly what it promises: bloody murders and a wide variation of eccentric characters. The players are all stereotypical characters that always appear in slashers, only they're all gay this time – duh! The main star is a yummy "scream-queer" who's friendly and looking for true love, while his friends circle contains the typical macho, the sex-addict and the overly shy and emotionally vulnerable virgin. Oh well, I'm really not in the mood to nag or complain too much about the weaknesses in this film. It's short and funny, the soundtrack is excellent and every cast-member is a fresh-faced youngster that plays his role with a lot of enthusiasm. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend "HellBent" to any horror fan that isn't too shallow.PS (and SPOILER): Although "HellBent" is technically the first horror film with an all-gay cast, the formula of a homosexual murderer was used already once, namely in the long-forgotten and truly abysmal 80's flick "Hide and Go Shriek".
jvlcr
I can't deny that this movie had its problems, but I really did enjoy it. They managed to make me really care about the main characters so then when one of the guys is getting stalked I'm routing for him REALLY hard. They did great things to heighten the tension... I was FREAKING OUT in a lot of parts. Also, despite what the other guy on here said, I think they did some cool things with the directing and the shots. Actually the ONLY thing that made me really angry was the lack of reveal and discovery at the end... kind of aggravating, but altogether I'd say, if you like slasher flicks, this one's got tension and blood galore! Rent it, what've you got to lose? ... 3 bucks?
