Hellmouth Forgot to Thoroughly Chew its Story: A Movie Review

*full disclosure: a Blu-ray screener of this film was provided by Anchor Bay Entertainment and Absolute Underground Magazine.

Director: John Geddes.

Writer: Tony Burgess.

Cast: Stephen McHattie, Siobhan Murphy, Ari Millen and Tony Burgess.

Writer Tony Burgess (Pontypool) and actor Stephen McHattie reteam for another horror title, Hellmouth. Part hellscape, the film develops much like a nightmare, in which nothing is real. Even the plot dissolves at certain key points. Meanwhile, the CGI visual field is full of demons, an angel and even a Sauron-like antagonist. None of these characters come together in a compelling fashion, with the film struggling to define itself. Possibly meant as an opium dream only, Hellmouth forgets that storytelling is longer lasting than any series of barely connected fantasy sequences.

The plot, such as it, begins with Charlie Baker (McHattie). He is a gravedigger, with only a couple of years to live. He has a "brain rattle," which might explain the film's second, surreal half. Baker is reassigned to a new cemetery. Here, he will serve six months, before retiring to Florida. But, there is a catch. Baker must survive his new environment, which hellishly lives and kills the unwary. After some ghost sex, Baker sets out on a Lord of the Rings (2001) journey to Mordor. But, the final denouement comes on like a whimper, rather than a compelling reveal, or insightful message. Most nightmares are best forgotten, unless they house a deeper meaning.

The film's happy ending rings false.

The visuals of the feature are all CGI and most look horrifying enough. The film was developed exclusively through greenscreen. Few settings are real, outside of a few pieces of furniture. The rest of the environments are computer enhanced and most host terrifying gravestone visages, or winged demons. Baker's head cancer creates all kinds of zombie-like characters and haunting landscapes. Each promises to draw Baker down below. Even characters, including the angel-like Fay (Siobhan Murphy), are amplified with enhanced lighting. But, it all rings as very unreal, or at least surreal.

Hellmouth plays out like a long running nightmare. Sometimes described as a fever dream or head film in other reviews, the film can best be described as a nightmarescape. The visuals and unsteady story are meant to unsettle the viewer. They rarely accomplish this goal. Also, the lack of story is reminiscent of a nightmare, in that the visuals tell the story, metaphorically. Though, the best that the protagonist can discern from his journey is that he is real. In a nightmarescape or dreamscape, nothing is real, especially the characters. Earlier, the protagonist shows some actual awareness of his predicament: "I'm caught in a nightmare." But, he never attempts to wake himself. Most nightmares have a message lying just out of consciousness; that is not the case here and the lead character never questions the surreality of his experience.

Finally, the film is very anti-plot. The film reminded this viewer of David Lynch's Lost Highway (1997). Everything is surreal and very little can be connected. Instead, the film is meant as an experience. The lack of story resists dissection. This lack of story connection lessens its impact. And, just like a nightmare, it is soon forgotten once the film has stopped playing. The finale tries for a meaningful exit. But, it all disappears like sand in the film's final setting, a desert.

This horror fan is excited for Burgess' upcoming Septic man; but, Hellmouth offers very little adrenalin, here. The film came across, to this viewer, as an exercise in the use of greenscreen, with story elements an addendum. At its core, the film is missing a reason to be. It is also missing compelling conflicts and an internal message. And, this viewer wonders if the film was developed from one of Burgess' nightmares. If yes, his nightmare required more thoughtful analysis and interpretation.

Overall: 6.75 out of 10.

The film's official trailer is hosted below:

A Hellmouth Trailer on 28DLA


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