Film Title: Bloody Hell
Cast: Ben O’Toole, Meg Fraser, Travis Jeffery, Jack LaTorre
Director: Alister Grierson
Writer: Robert Benjamin
Distribution: Entertainment Squad / The Horror Collective
Release Date: 2020 (Festival Premiere), 2021 (General Release)
Review by Mother of Movies
From Finland to Fear – How Bloody Hell Twists the Genre
Spoiler Status:This review avoids major ending reveals, but discusses key scenes and stylistic choices. Proceed if you’re cool with that.
A Bank Heist, A Viral Hero, and a One-Way Ticket to Trouble
Ben O’Toole’s Rex Cohen is the kind of anti-hero you root for even when you shouldn’t. One moment, he’s just another customer waiting in line at a bank, the next he’s knee-deep in chaos, taking on armed robbers with the kind of bravado that makes headlines.
But in true Mother of Movies fashion, the story doesn’t stop at hero worship. The law decides Rex is less “national treasure” and more “reckless liability,” landing him an eight-year stint behind bars. Upon release, he’s hounded by paparazzi, viral fame, and the heavy shadow of public opinion.
Like a mash-up between Happy!’s Nick Sax and a pulp crime protagonist, Rex carries an internal dialogue that’s as loud and unfiltered as his actions, a clever use of mise-en-scène that lets us watch him bicker with himself, flip imaginary tables, and curse at the world without restraint.
From Private Hell to Actual Hell
In search of peace, Rex flees to Finland, hoping the frosty quiet will freeze out his notoriety. Instead, his bad luck, the kind you’d expect from a man who’s broken every mirror in the northern hemisphere, follows him across continents. If Final Destination had a spin-off where only one guy kept dying in increasingly ridiculous ways, Rex would be that guy.
It’s here that the film flexes its horror muscles. Without spoiling too much, let’s just say the unexpected left-turn lands Rex in a situation that feels more Texas Chainsaw Massacre than Nordic getaway brochure.
Writer Robert Benjamin crafts a juxtaposition of score and action, upbeat tracks play during moments drenched in menace, leaning into the absurdism that fans of Why Don’t You Just Die! will recognise instantly. The tonal shifts are deliberate, a wink to those who appreciate horror that’s as much about mood as blood.
Witty, Wicked, and Well-Crafted
Bloody Hell isn’t drenched in gore for gore’s sake. Instead, Grierson and cinematographer Brad Shield deploy motivated lighting and tight framing to keep the tension claustrophobic, punctuating the dread with flashes of macabre humour.
The mid-film reveal is a masterclass in pacing, a detonator click before the boom, ensuring the audience stays locked in until the credits roll. And while some indie horrors falter in their final act, Bloody Hell keeps delivering right up to the closing shot.
Filmmaker Stamp
Director Alister Grierson (Sanctum, Kokoda) is known for high-pressure narratives set against unforgiving environments, and Bloody Hell continues that tradition, swapping oceanic depths for the psychological quicksand of captivity. Writer Robert Benjamin plays with audience expectation, blending absurdism with survival horror, and showing a flair for characters who speak louder in their silences than in their screams.
Where It Sits in Modern Horror
If you’re into indie horror that’s darkly comic without losing its bite, Bloody Hell belongs on your watchlist alongside:
- Why Don’t You Just Die! (2018)
- Ready or Not (2019)
- Happy! (TV Series)
- Mayhem (2017)
“I wanted him down and I didn’t want him to reproduce.”
— Rex Cohen, Bloody Hell
Mother of Movies Rating:
Bloody Hell is rated 4.5 psycho twats out of 5
Because sometimes the scariest thing isn’t the monster in the room, it’s the one sitting inside your own head.
– Mother of Movies rating for Bloody Hell 2020
“Bloody Hell gave me the mouth-open moment I look for, followed by the wry smile of sinister intentions I adore.”
Ben O’Toole’s Anti-Hero Rex Cohen Is Horror’s New Dark Star
USA premiere at the auspicious collective online festival event Nightstream, this fast-paced horror tale was my first pick as part of the official press. Bloody Hell hit the festival’s schedule on October 9th, 2020, and wasted no time setting things up. The film began its festival tour at Germany’s Fantasy Filmfest in September, produced by Eclectik Vision.
Distribution and Release Details
- As of 27/10/2020, the Bloody Hell movie finalized its distribution, heading out with Entertainment Squad with its genre label The Horror Collective.
- Bloody Hell 2020 was acquired as a screener. Mother of Movies is part of the official press for the 2020 Nightstream Film Festival.
Red Band Trailer for Bloody Hell Movie
Where to Watch the Bloody Hell Movie
Available to watch online on several streaming platforms. Check out the link below to find out where to watch the Bloody Hell film in your region.
