Dakota Gorman in writer/director Brock Bodell's HELLCAT. Courtsey of Shudder
The low-budget, minimalist feature HELLCAT starts strong with a young woman trapped in a moving camper with no knowledge of how or why she got there. The faceless driver tells her she’s been infected with something awful, and he’s taking her to a doc who can save her if they get there fast enough. She sees evidence of having been wounded but doesn’t know whether to believe the guy, as her fear and anger escalate through that dark night on a lonely road.
The rest plays out with a small cast and a lot of dialog – much of which veered into philosophical blather, seemingly inserted to stretch the running time. Of course, she tries to escape, and there are some clashes throughout the long journey before she and the viewers learn anything solid. We all have our suspicions but answers remain elusive.
Almost all the running time is just between damsel in distress, Lena (Dakota Gorman), and her savior/captor Clive (Todd Terry), and both do well with their parts. The camera stays mostly on her, while Clive’s soothing voice and input seem consistent with his claim of having good intentions. But no one on screen or in front of it can be sure if she’s on the verge of morphing into a monster or demon; or if he’s just a psycho or criminal spinning a yarn to keep her under control until they reach wherever he’s really taking her. Gorman does a fine job of creating a believable and sympathetic protagonist in claustrophobic, mysterious circumstances. She has less room to maneuver than the victims in any of the SAW movies.
Writer/director Brock Bodell shows some skills in his first time wearing either hat for a full-length feature. But I assume the bare-bones set and dim lighting were as much due to financial constraints as artistic choices. This production was less than I’d hoped for, though it engaged me enough to be curious about what Bodell and Gorman could deliver with more substantial funding.
HELLCAT becomes available to stream on Shudder as of Thursday, Aug. 14, 2026.
Rating: 1.5 out of 4 stars