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Hellbenders 3D
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray A - America - Lions Gate Home Entertainment Review written by and copyright: Anthony Arrigo (9th March 2014). |
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The Film
 Writer/director J.T. Petty made an early name for himself with the minor Sundance Film Festival hit “Soft for Digging” (2001) before moving on to helm a handful of horror films that have been met with varying degrees of acclaim. Petty might not always nail the execution of his concepts, but it would be hard to argue that he isn’t crafting ambitious works using his often meager budgets. I reviewed his 2006’s feature “S&Man” a couple years back and found it to be a unique take on found footage movies. “The Burrowers” (2008) also received notable acclaim when it premiered, mashing up Western and horror genres and based off of a short story by Petty. He’s a filmmaker who isn’t taking the easy paychecks by popping out derivative pictures the major studios bank on to turn tidy profits. His latest endeavor, “Hellbenders” (2012), is no different. With a cast of recognizable faces, a dash of gravitas (thanks to one actor), and a premise I’m amazed nobody came up with sooner, it’s undoubtedly a distinct picture. The unfortunate part is Petty’s script is lacking in a few key areas and his direction seems unfocused and meandering, leaving “Hellbenders” short of the lofty hopes the concept promises. Demons have long been a problem for men of faith, and men of the human world, but exorcising one and dragging it back to Hell is a job best reserved for a special branch of the church. Enter the Augustine Interfaith Order of Hellbound Saints, a raucous bunch of continual sinners who, through their daily regimen of sin, are deemed blasphemous enough to combat the unholy. The group is led by Angus (Clancy Brown), a hellfire and brimstone minister who has been a member of the order longer than anyone. There are a handful of members to the group, but the only ones you really need to know are Lawrence (Clifton Collins, Jr.), the second-in-command hero; Elizabeth (Robyn Rikoon), the hot chick most of the guys want to nail; and Stephen (Andre Royo), the straight man of the bunch. Well, as straight as these guys can get. But mostly you need to know Stephen because Royo played Reginald “Bubbles/Bubs” Cousins on “The Wire” (2002-2008). During what seems like a routine exorcism, Elizabeth unknowingly unleashes Surtr, an ancient Norse god – one of the Old Gods – who is prophesized to bring death, disease, famine… you know, all the usual apocalyptic kind of stuff. So, basically, now the entire group has to increase their sinning and work together to banish Surtr and his forces before everyone on Earth is killed. If that plot description sounds a bit thin it’s because the movie is a bit thin. I really do dig the concept Petty crafted here. There have been countless films focused on exorcisms and the priests who perform them, yet none (that I can recall) have decided maybe if the priests were just as unholy in their daily actions as the demons they’re fighting it might make their job a little easier. It’s an ambitious idea, which is partially why the film falters. Petty may have bitten off more than he can chew by introducing filmgoers to an entire order of these unsaintly ministers. The film would have been better served if we only had one or two to get to know. Maybe once this world and order has been established, a sequel could have filled out the rest of the members. By tossing in so many characters at once, not only do we have a hard time feeling for any of them – which is hard enough considering they’re constantly sinning – but it strips any impact when one of them bites the dust. Petty filled these roles with good actors who do good work; I only wish he’d limited his scope so we can empathize more. Two actors stand out here above all others: Clancy Brown and Clifton Collins, Jr. Brown has firmly established himself as a completely solid B-movie character actor who will instantly add a commanding presence and gravitas to any production that features him. He’s been making good genres choices, too, by appearing here and in Don Coscarelli’s “John Dies at the End” (2012). Brown has a huge persona, possibly only eclipsed by his also-huge schnoz. His voice bellows, his eyes blaze with fire, and you’d probably want to be out of his way quickly if his temper flares. His role as Angus doesn’t seem like a tremendous stretch of his acting abilities, though considering he and Petty have worked together before it seems more likely the role was written to play right within his wheelhouse. Clifton Collins, Jr. has been pumping out solid work since the early 90's. He’s got that face you immediately recognize, yet most people can’t place the name. With high profile roles in hits like “Star Trek” (2009), as Eric Bana’s right-hand Romulan, and in “Pacific Rim” (2013), as the operator of those massive mechs, hopefully that will change soon. Lawrence isn’t really given a helluva lot to get viewers heavily invested in him. Thankfully, Collins has such an infectious personality full of verve and thinly-veiled sarcasm that it elevates a flat character. I don’t want to say it’s all bad. Even with a bloated roster of characters and a thin plot, I still enjoyed watching the concept unfold. Although, if you’re going to show a house full of ministers who sin on a daily basis you might want to make it look like a house of ill repute. Whoever did the production design seems to think a handful of different beer bottles haphazardly (but not really) scattered across a living room table makes this look like a place where evil meets its match. Their digs should reek of debauchery. That gripe aside, it can be pretty damn funny to see all the ways they try to sin, and out-sin, each other. Beers are constantly consumed, bongs are ripped with impunity, punches are thrown, and insults fly in nearly every scene. Sometimes they gotta get some real sin in before tackling a nasty demon. But the best scene by far occurs when Clancy Brown orders Dan Fogler’s character to make a house call, and when he resists Brown’s character delivers the most uncomfortable, sexual threat you can imagine. J.T. Petty’s film might not have connected with me like I was hoping it would, but I still applaud his concept and look forward to seeing what he’s got in store for the future. Strangely enough, rumors of a feature-length narrative remake of “Faces of Death” (1978) have been popping up online recently. I can’t imagine how anyone could pull that one off. “Hellbenders” has its moments of fun and depravity. It’s a quick 87-minute feature genre fans might find themselves having fun with if expectations aren’t too high. I’m telling you, that one line from Clancy Brown almost makes it all worth it.
Video
“Hellbenders” comes to Blu-ray with both 2D and 3D offerings on the same disc in 2.40:1 1080p 24/fps MVC MPEG-4 encode delivers a solid image… assuming you’re watching a well-lit scene. On the good side the 2D version, when it’s bright or there’s good lighting you’ll be treated to a crisp image replete with fine details, a well-reproduced color palette, and a number of intricate textures on clothing and walls that look exquisite. The improved clarity also makes some of the makeup work very evident, though. That may be why the scenes shot in dim lighting are, well, so dim. Low lighting can do a lot to hide obvious prosthetics, which explains why nearly every demon scene is a bit murky. Detail isn’t totally annihilated, though. Some nice details are still visible under less-than-stellar conditions. Black levels can get a bit chunky at times. There’s a fine layer of grain which adds to a filmic appearance. Once the Surtr invasion begins, we’re also treated to several newsreel and documentary-style footage clips, which are fittingly grainy and soft in focus. A number of effects are presented that would work well with an extra dimension, and Petty says in the commentary it’s his preferred way to watch the film. The 3D version is presented also in 2.40:1, the 3D transfer fares pretty well considering it's a low budget genre picture. The effects and gags work well in three dimensions. There's certainly added depth and the 3D makes the film a much more immersive experience.
Audio
The English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound track (48kHz/24-bit) is just your average, serviceable track. There is good LFE response throughout the picture, though bass levels are never quite booming enough to add sonic depth. Dialogue has a strong role in the mix, balanced nicely against a multitude of sound effects. Rears don’t come into play much, only providing some background elements when the track amps things up a little. Subtitles are included in English for the hearing impaired and Spanish.
Extras
Lionsgate has included a handful of supplements here, including an audio commentary, featurettes, short films, trailers, and more. Up first is an audio commentary with writer/director J.T. Petty, and cast members Clancy Brown & Andre Royo. The track is surprisingly a bit dull, though to be fair Petty isn’t the most exuberant filmmakers I’ve heard speak. He mostly focuses on the technical aspects of making the film, scouting locations, all that good stuff. Brown and Royo have a little more fun discussing their roles and the script. It’s a decent listen, but unless you’re a fan of the film it’ll probably drag. “God’s Dirty Work: The Making of Hellbenders” (1080p) is a featurette that runs for 26 minutes and 22 seconds. Done by Red Shirt Pictures, who handles nearly all of the excellent Shout/Scream Factory releases, this piece delves deep into the film. Petty is interviewed, explaining how he came up with the concept. Nearly every major principal cast member is interviewed as well, giving their take on the material. “Fly on the Wall Behind-the-Scenes Footage” (1080p) is a featurette that runs for 7 minutes and 29 seconds. As the title implies, this is simply footage of the film being made, with no narration. “Original Exorcism” short films (1080p) runs for 28 minutes and 14 seconds, consisting of full versions of all the various possession bits that were strewn throughout the film. The film’s theatrical trailer (1080p) runs for 1 minute and 42 seconds. Also included on the disc are bonus trailers (1080p) for the following: - “I, Frankenstein” runs for 2 minutes and 33 seconds. - “Warm Bodies” runs for 2 minutes and 27 seconds. - “The Cabin in the Woods” runs for 2 minutes and 19 seconds. - “Rapturepalooza” runs for 1 minute and 29 seconds. The disc is also equipped with an interactive bookmarks feature. Inside, on an insert, is a code to redeem a digital HD version of the film with Ultraviolet.
Packaging
The single disc comes housed in an eco-case. A slip-cover with matching artwork is included at the time of this writing.
Overall
Great concept, not-so-great execution. Petty’s film is an easy watch with a few laughs, but it’s devoid of scares and the plot is just too thin to warrant real investment on the viewer’s part.
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