Hellmington

I didn't even read the synopsis before watching "Hellmington", but half way through it was apparent what kind of beast this is. The main selling point for me was Michael Ironside & an appearance from a growing director favorite of mine - Adam McDonald.

"Hellmington" is the name of the county where the story takes place & a big-city detective is returning there to fight demons of the past & solve the mystery. Sounds familiar? Nevertheless, "Hellmington" turned out to be just alright. It's visibly low-budget, with most of the action happening sort-of-off-screen, but clever editing plays a part here as well, same applies to the cinematography. Whenever Michael Ironside appears to fill in his supporting role, he's received with open hands, and yes, the rest of the performances are fine as well. "Hellmington" is a mediocre (or maybe slightly above that) mystery, written well enough to keep You engaged - everything clicks at the end, to an arguably satisfying level. The kind of mystery that won't blow your mind and will be forgotten fast enough. The pacing is steady enough, but would start falling flat if the total runtime was 10 minutes longer. One thing I liked at the start but disliked at the end was the original score - it's quite repetitive. Sadly, I have to mention that the notes of horror are rare and not very loud, "Hellmington" qualifies to be called a mystery thriller. At best.

There's nothing very impressive or memorable about "Hellmington", but it's also not cheesy, goofy or effortless. If you're a fan of indie mysteries and want a one night stand with a movie you'll never watch again, here it is. My rating: 5/10.

I'm 57 min deep...and I'm like.."uhhhh...okay?..." This movie is soooo slow and prematurely dramatic for something that's so mysterious there's no pertinent clues shared to make it interesting. The main character's uncle was the only thing I raised an eyebrow for since Total Recall is a classic. I have dedicated 57 min....25 min left... I'm too far in not to finish it. ughhh.

Great build up. Some interesting storylines and then suddenly, it's as though the viewer says "Oh, the villian must be blah!" Writer "OK, you got me! Guess we're done here. The end."

A couple of the major plots seem completely disparate and then, suddenly.. the end credits roll?

The story distorts perspective by forcing elements of near psychotica inducing moments that cause you to question the protagonist's mental state. "HELLmington's" main plot is a suspensful mystery involving a cold case that once revealed is disturbing, and relevant. It plays out like a dark web nightmare version of a ID channel episode.

At the start, the film is both confusing, distorted and emotionless. A stylistic trick that is as visually creative as it is questioning. Much like the actually story line- what happened in 1999?, Who is messing with Samantha Woodhouse?, and how much of the story is even real? I can't tell if this warping of the film's beginning is intentional artistry or accidental. I did find it intriguing.

The cast create some stoic, gothic characters reminiscent of Fargo' or 'Twin Peaks'. There are moments when the story trips on it's own weightiness. It is a dark, slumbering plot. Still, "HELLmington" begins to show it's true depth of darkness around 50 minutes in and the suspense and chilling nature becomes elevated.

The horror never really gets there fully, but atmospherically it is creepy- in a sleepwalking down an alleyway after midnight- kinda way. There is visual elements that play on occult horror thems, much in the way 'Riverdale' did it with the Gargoyle King. The cinematography moves from unimaginative stationary shots to some truly stunning horror fueled thriller moments. Overall "HELLmington" is a nice, chilling nightmare with a twist ending.

Really there was not any horror elements to this film. More of a Drama, and somewhat a mystery, but not by much. As another review mentioned the ending seemed rushed and was really ineffective in giving the movie a good stamp. Can not recommend.