'Hell' DVD Review

An attractive, well-made apocalyptic thriller with a thin script.

Apparently, it doesn't take long for an apocalypse to set in. In just a few short years, Earth in 2016 is a scorched and largely barren land with a blindingly bright sun and an atmosphere whose temperature has increased by 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) -- thanks, it seems, to solar storms or some scientific mumbo-jumbo like that. Across the globe, there are shortages of water and food, and social order has collapsed.

Against this backdrop, 20-something Marie has begun a relationship with Phillip, if for no other reason than he has a working car and is willing to take her and her young sister Leonie with him in search for water in the mountains. Along the way, they pick up Tom, a mechanic who proves useful with his knowledge of cars, but can they truly trust him? Before they have a chance to figure that out, the group is attacked by an unknown foe, a clan of survivalists with dark plans for their prey.

Despite what is probably a modest budget, Hell is slick feature that, along with films like We Are the Night, could perhaps reinvigorate the historic German horror scene. The film's glaringly bright lighting and orange-yellow-white color palate make for a visceral viewing experience that effectively conveys the "hellish" scorched earth setting. Director Tim Fehlbaum shows a great flair for gritty action, even if the action sequences themselves aren't memorably designed.

The script is a bit more problematic, with a storyline that could use some fattening up -- including relationships that are only halfway flushed out and villains that come off as halfhearted and borderline pathetic. Still, the cast delivers, and despite what you've heard, Hell is a pretty entertaining destination.

The DVD

No special features.

Movie: C+
DVD: F

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