Hellbent

:for the 1997 action film see "The Peacekeeper"Infobox Film
name = Hellbent


caption = Hellbent film poster
director = Paul Etheredge-Ouzts
producer = Josh Silver
Steven J. Wolfe
Brad Warshaw (co-producer)
writer = Paul Etheredge-Ouzts
starring = Dylan Fergus
Bryan Kirkwood
Hank Harris
Andrew Levitas
Matt Phillips
Nick Name
music = Mike Shapiro
cinematography = Mark Mervis
editing = Steve Dyson
Claudia Finkle
distributor = Regent Releasing (US theatrical)
here! Films (international)
released = June 26, 2004
runtime = 85 minutes
country = USA
awards =
language = English
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
amg_id = 1:309504
imdb_id = 0356159

"Hellbent" is a 2004 slasher film and queer horror film written and directed by Paul Etheredge-Ouzts. It is reportedly the first gay slasher film. "Hellbent" played the gay and lesbian film festival circuit throughout 2004 and 2005 before a limited theatrical release in September 2005.

Plot

It's the night before Halloween. A gay couple out on a date are making out in a car when a bare-chested killer in a devil mask suddenly appears and decapitates them with a sickle.

The next day, Halloween, finds Eddie (Dylan Fergus) at his job as a police technician talking with his police officer sister. He's asked by the captain to distribute flyers about the murders in heavily gay-populated West Hollywood. He dresses in his father's old police uniform for a Halloween costume. While distributing the flyers he meets Jake (Bryan Kirkwood), a "bad boy" type who rides a motorcycle, in a tattoo shop.

Eddie meets up with his roommates, Chaz (Andrew Levitas), Joey (Hank Harris) and Tobey (Matt Phillips) and they head for the West Hollywood Halloween Carnival. Chaz insists they visit the murder scene and, as they walk through the woods, the devil-masked killer appears. They think he's cruising them and they taunt him.

At the Carnival, Eddie spots Jake going into a bar called the Meat Locker and his group goes in as well. Inside, Joey sees Jared, who he's had a crush on for weeks, and offers his phone number but is dismissed. Crestfallen, Joey goes to the restroom with Chaz. Chaz consoles him then goes to wait for him outside. Jared catches up with Joey in the restroom and apologizes. They kiss and Jared leaves. A few moments later, the killer emerges from a stall and decapitates Joey, taking his head as a trophy.

Chaz meets back up with Eddie, Jake and Tobey. Eddie and Jake head back to the Meat Locker. Chaz goes into another club. There the killer catches up with him on the dance floor, slashing his torso and removing his head while the crowd dances on, oblivious.

Tobey, drunk and angry that no one's hitting on him while he's in his Halloween drag, spots the killer, who's still carrying Joey and Chaz's heads in trick or treat bags. Ironically, Tobey pursues the killer, who also dismisses him. Tobey tosses his driver's license at the killer, who picks it up. When Tobey partially removes his drag, the killer returns and collects his head.

Eddie and Jake arrive back at the Meat Locker but it's been closed following the discovery of Joey's body (although Eddie and Jake don't learn that it's Joey who's dead). Jake hops a fence to retrieve his motorcycle. Eddie goes after him but Jake's circled around and is back outside. Suddenly the killer appears behind Eddie and swings his sickle, but misses. Jake starts to scale the fence but the killer forces him back. Eddie runs and the killer follows. Eddie locks himself in a small enclosure. The killer strikes at him again and the tip of his blade scrapes Eddie's eye. Jake arrives with a cop and the killer takes off.

Eddie and Jake give their statements at police headquarters and Jake learns that Eddie's eye is artificial. They go back to Eddie's place and start having sex, although Jake won't let Eddie kiss him. Jake finds Tobey's license on the floor of Eddie's room with blood on it, but doesn't understand the significance. Jake handcuffs Eddie to his bed and goes in search of condoms. As he's returning, the killer stabs him and leaves him for dead. Eddie hears the struggle and calls out. As the killer approaches and Eddie struggles with the cuffs, Jake hits the killer from behind with a baseball bat. Eddie slips a hand out of the cuffs, tends to Jake's wound and heads off to call an ambulance, but the killer revives and disables the phone. Eddie runs to the kitchen. He finds a knife but also finds the heads of Joey, Chaz and Tobey. The killer attacks again. Eddie evades him and retreats to his bedroom. As the killer chops at the door, Eddie retrieves his father's gun and some bullets. He gets Jake out onto the fire escape and loads the gun. The killer attacks Eddie yet again, this time sucking Eddie's artificial eye right out of his head and knocking him over a railing. With Eddie dangling from the fire escape the killer returns to Jake. Eddie retrieves the gun and fires, first hitting Jake and then hitting the killer square in the forehead. As they wait for help to arrive Jake at last kisses Eddie.

Jake is packed off to the hospital and Eddie promises to be there when he wakes up. Eddie's sister gloats over the fallen killer, but Eddie realizes that he's still alive. In the final moment, the killer opens his eyes and bares his teeth, disclosing that he still has Eddie's artificial eye clenched in his jaws.

DVD release

"Hellbent" was released on Region 1 DVD on September 1, 2006, it has also been released on Region 2 subsequently.

oundtrack

"Hellbent" features songs by notable queercore bands Pansy Division, Three Dollar Bill and Best Revenge.

External links

*imdb title|id=0356159|title=Hellbent
* [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10005253-hellbent/ Hellbent] at Rotten Tomatoes