Finding a truly unique concept comes easily, especially in the horror genre, yet so often they can flounder in execution. Hellcat has no such issue. The new film from writer/director Brock Bodell takes a compelling angle for a tense game of cat and mouse. When Lena (Dakota Gorman) wakes up trapped and injured in a moving camper, it becomes clear rather quickly that she may be in serious danger. Her only company seems to be the gravelly voice from the other end of a mounted wolf head, a hunter named Clyde (Todd Terry). Hellcat ratchets up the tension between its central players as it barrels towards an unpredictable endgame.
Tense and claustrophobic, the first half of Hellcat keeps its cards close to the chest. The film opens with eerie offscreen shouting; moments later, a camper barrels down a desolate road with Lena inside. She awakens disoriented when introduced, and we only gain snippets of her memories from beforehand as the narrative progresses. For her role, Dakota Gorman endears the viewer to her survival almost immediately. Despite being called upon for plenty of feral screaming, Gorman’s range allows plenty of depth to be injected into her Lena. Lena’s confusion provides the audience a window into the action. Her desperation to escape only increases once Clyde pops in to inform her of a potentially deadly infection running through her bloodstream. Lena has less than an hour to get to the doctor, Clyde claims, but can he be believed?
Despite the man appearing sinister in nature and intent, Clyde hides many secrets from his end that could shed a different light on the troubled character. That Lena is pregnant complicates matters significantly. She begs to be released from her captivity, claiming whatever signs of an infection showing must be attributed to the pregnancy. This wrinkle definitely complicates the situation–Lena’s body begins to show signs of a supernatural transformation. Hellcat mostly relegates Clyde to the shadows, whilst focusing on Lena in pure survival mode. Clyde’s own turmoil gets folded in as a perspective shifts adds further texture.
To talk any spoilers would rob the film of some of its precious surprises. Suffice to say, further revelations only add to the escalating tension. The entire first half is atmospheric and unnerving, playing up the fears of claustrophobia to a devilish extreme. Jarring visuals flash their way in as Lena’s condition worsens. Despite the second half not being as strong as the first, Hellcat still manages to bring together vital themes thanks to its emotional depth and characterwork. Bodell does an admiral job of juggling the disparate elements. He also has a flair for trippy storytelling and inventive mythology. Hellcat spreads an infectious energy to Fantasia, where it undergoes a full transformation before our very eyes. Straightforward and compelling, Hellcat soars thanks to the presence of a magnetic Dakota Gorman.
Hellcat debuted at 2025’s Fantasia International Film Festival.
