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Hellbent
4/5
R E V I E W   B Y   R I C H   C L I N E dir-scr Paul Etheredge-Ouzts
with Dylan Fergus, Bryan Kirkwood, Hank Harris, Andrew Levitas, Matt Phillips, Nick Name, Wren T Brown, Nina Landey, Baron Rogers, Luke Weaver, Samuel Aarons, Kris Andersson
release UK 1.Apr.05 llgff,
US 16.Sep.05
04/US 1h25

Not the best position: Fergus

kirkwood levitas etheredge-ouzts

London L&G Film Fest

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Hellbent This throwback to 1970s horror has a hilariously queer twist that makes it one of the most enjoyably crowd-pleasing fright flicks in ages. Writer-director Etheredge-Ouzts clearly knows his audience, and his film pushes all the right buttons.

Eddie (Fergus) is a young guy who works in the West Hollywood police station and is planning a night out at the Halloween carnival with his buddies-- virginal cutie Joey (Harris), sexy slut Chaz (Levitas) and muscle boy Tobey (Phillips), whose blonde wig, high heels and glittery gown was perhaps the wrong choice of costume. There's a killer preying on gay men, but in this sexually charged atmosphere warnings go largely unheeded. And it doesn't help that the murderer is a shirtless hunk.

Etheredge-Ouzts sets up the plot and, ahem, executes it brilliantly. This is a proper slasher film, in which we actually get to know the characters rather well before they start wandering haplessly into harm's way. Each of them has a back-story and also some sort of hope for the future--either a long-term relationship or Mr Right Now. So as guys start dropping one-by-one, it actually means something. Not that this is a serious film! It's deeply, blackly hilarious--in the witty dialog, sharp characterisations and ironic situations. And its references to classic horror movies are refreshingly subtle.

The fresh-faced (and bodied) cast is both believable and likeable. We root for them to succeed in both personal challenges and romantic liaisons. Fergus' Eddie is especially engaging, as is his tentative flirtation with bad boy Jake (Kirkwood). And as the carefully structured plot puts each guy into situations that are both sexy and gruesome, we're completely gripped. Etheredge-Ouzts makes up for his low budget with astute visuals and a superb use of locations (including an actual Halloween carnival). And there's a clear desire to shatter gender stereotypes, along with a gleeful willingness to pander to the audience with all the defined, bare chests and corny-sexy Village People-style costumes. There's also just enough camp humour to keep us giggling in between the terrifying set pieces. This deserves to be a cult classic all its own.

cert 18 themes, violence, gore, language 13.Aug.05 llgff

R E A D E R   R E V I E W S
send your review to Shadows... Hellbent jacob, new york: 4/5 "Terrific movie. Was sort of amazed at how straightforward and uncheesy it is. It never devolves into camp, even while maintaining a sense of humor and cleverness throughout. And the guys are stunning." (8.Sep.05)
© 2005 by Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall
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