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Hellbent

Hellbent

When the night belongs to the Devil, the party goes to hell.

200484 minRMidcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
Director
Paul Etheredge
Starring
Dylan Fergus, Bryan Kirkwood, Hank Harris, Andrew Levitas

A night filled with beautiful people, music and dancing at the West Hollywood Halloween Carnival turns deadly for four gay friends. When two men are found dead, the friends find that they are the killer's next target. No one knows who will survive the night. A wild, relentless ride filled with unexpected surprises and shocking scares.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Hellbent?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Hellbent streaming on Here TV via Prime Video.

Subscription

via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Hellbent?

Hellbent earns 3 badges, led by Indie breakout and 10× return.

  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Hellbent worth watching?

Hellbent's Midcredits score is the 36th percentile of all films, from 7.9K ratings across 6 sources. 39% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

36th percentile

Better received than 36% of films

78th percentile among Horror35th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)36th
Approval (how many liked it)36th

57 /100

36th percentile of all films

80th percentile among Horror35th percentile among 2000s

Critics 45 · Audience 59

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.8 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

39% liked it

36th percentile of all films

77th percentile among Horror34th percentile among 2000s
39% rated it 7–1061% rated it 1–6

Critics 49% · Audience 42%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

75th percentile

7.9K ratings across platforms

73rd percentile among Horror67th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 16% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$45K
Domestic gross$183K
Worldwide gross$183K

38th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both fans and detractors agree that Hellbent is a formulaic, low-budget slasher with a gay twist and a killer whose motives are never explained.

Fans praised

  • believable gay characters, not stereotypes
  • fun, suspenseful tone with plentiful gore and set pieces
  • beautiful cinematography and strong Halloween atmosphere

Detractors panned

  • one-dimensional characters and unoriginal formula
  • unrevealed killer motive feels lazy and unsatisfying
  • humorless and lacks tension or scares

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive70

fun Halloween festival setting, spooky and sexy

CinematographyDivisive70

beautiful visuals and stylish shots

Effects and spectacleDivisive65

plentiful gore, well-done set-piece murders

ActingDivisive60

decent cast, some uneven performances

PacingDivisive60

quick pace, no bogging down

CharactersDivisive55

some well-rounded gay characters, others one-dimensional

Originality55

first gay slasher but otherwise formulaic

Plot and storyDivisive40

formulaic slasher structure, no killer motive

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is Hellbent like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
ThrillingTenseAbsurd
Heaviest: late
Dark humor
Register
PlayfulCampy · 4% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its slasher formula with a knowingly fun, camp energy — gory and tense but never self-serious, inviting the audience to enjoy the ride.
The rideThe film maintains a tense, fast-paced thriller mood through the carnival chase, with campy absurdist moments and the heaviest scares and bloodshed toward the final act.
StructureA conventional one-night stalking story told in order, moving from setup through escalating kills to a late-night climax.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

The answer rests on this: FunRousing · 10% of films
Why it leaves you this wayA gory, fast-paced entertainment that leaves you grinning and buzzing rather than shaken.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% (this title) · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA masked killer picks off partygoers at a Halloween festival, setting his sights on four friends who become his targets for the night — a textbook predator slasher.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% (this title) · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

SurvivalFriendship · 9% of filmsViolence · 4% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film follows a group of gay friends fighting to stay alive as a masked killer stalks them through a Halloween carnival.
StanceThe film presents the survival struggle of a friend group with a neutral, genre-first attitude, neither celebrating nor condemning the violence.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanRealistic
ElectronicSupportive music · original score · Michael Gordon Shapiro
SettingWest Hollywood Halloween Carnival

Content guide

Is Hellbent okay for kids?

R

Hellbent is rated R: “Rated R for strong horror violence and gore, sexual content, language and drug use” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (62/100), sexual content at moderate (57/100), language at intense (67/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at intense (72/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 68%
Profanity
Intense
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
too few votes to rank (6 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (29 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Hellbent have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Hellbent?

Cast

6 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Dylan Fergus
as Eddie
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Bryan Kirkwood
as Jake
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Hank Harris
as Joey
Andrew Levitas
as Chaz
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Matt Phillips
as Tobey
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Kent Bradley James
as Nick Name
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Wren T. Brown
as Police Captain
Nina Landey
as Maria
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Samuel A. Levine
as Mikey
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Kris Andersson
as White Pepper
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Hellbent?

Movies like Hellbent include Drive Thru (2007), The Funhouse (1981) and The Hills Have Eyes Part II (1984). Of the 9 closest matches, most are stories about a predator on the loose, and several are films about violence.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 9 share its story type: slasher. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Hellbent?

1.2K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: slasher. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.