Hellcat [Fantasia 2025 Review]

by Mike McGranaghan

Hellcat is full of surprises. The movie, a Fantasia 2025 world premiere, establishes what appears to be a straightforward chiller premise, only to repeatedly add complications that reveal new layers to that premise. Writer/director Brock Bodell has more than a few tricks up his sleeve, and that leads to 91 wildly unpredictable minutes of pulse-pounding intensity.

When Lena (Dakota Gorman) wakes up, she realizes that she’s somehow become locked inside an Airstream trailer being towed at high speed. The driver up front, Clive (Todd Terry), insists he’s a good guy who is only trying to help her – a claim that seems unlikely under the circumstances. The mystery is whether, as Clive insists, Lena has been infected with a troubling virus and needs medical attention or, as she suspects, he’s simply a psychotic abductor of women. I’ve omitted a few vital details there because anyone who sees Hellcat deserves to experience its twists naturally.

For the first half-hour, the film is a claustrophobic nightmare as Lena tries to escape and, more importantly, finds sinister clues inside that confined space. The second half-hour veers in a slightly different direction, as we learn of Clive’s possibly dangerous obsession with a paranormal radio call-in show hosted by Jasper Deville (voiced by Saturday Night Live’s James Austin Johnson). Act three incorporates a hint of body horror certain to have audiences squirming.

For all the shocking story developments, Hellcat spends a decent amount of time focusing on its characters. Lena and Clive find an unexpected connection through their shared ordeal, which adds weight to the back half of the picture. The nature of their relationship evolves in a fascinating manner. Bodell also touches on a variety of human-centered ideas, including pregnancy anxiety and the dangers of buying into conspiracy theories pushed by media personalities.

In other words, Hellcat rattles your nerves with its horror but not in an empty way. The motivations of its characters grow increasingly essential. Dakota Gorman gives a fierce performance that drives the tension, and Todd Terry very effectively portrays Clive’s own issues. Through their combined efforts, the film’s central scenario keeps you waiting with anticipation to find out what will happen next.

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