Fest Track On Sirk TV Hybrid Review: HELLBOUND [Toronto International Film Festival 2021 - Virtual]

The aspect of television in a film festival has to take a certain space but it is always a weird approach because it can only tell part of the story. With "Hellbound" [Prime] which is the first 3 episodes of a 6-part series produced by Netflix, it gives just one half of a progression but sometimes without enough context. The story, based on a web comic and set and created for South Korea, is an interesting approach simply in its ideas which mixes almost "The Purge" with an almost reverse "Rapture" plot in a way. The conceit is that certain people with sin are given a certain amount of time before they are taken to Hell. It is done in a very CG based public way but with the advent of social media becomes almost a deterrent or rallying point. At the center, it is a prophet of sorts who himself plays against the grain but also does not necessarily have control. Between his organization and another organization fueled by social media, the context of "what God wants" is in an moving context. At the center of at least these three episodes is a grieving cop who lost his wife to a murderer but also is losing contol of his daughter who finds some kind of connection to one of these new groups.

The puritanism that "Hellbound" satires shows is an interesting reflection worldwide which seems to have spread in certain ways to Asia, even in the context of religion (although this might be a construct and not as indicative to other parts of the world). The aspect that society has become too open in what it shows might be a good criticism but it also brings into the mind free will versus self flagellation. The discussion is a valid one when put in a genre structure. Much of the episodes build up to one media event that is meant to change people's perceptions. That said, one action of the prophet doesn't really balance in a way to what he is saying. The aspect of retribution as an act of repentance doesn'‘t really move as smoothly or resolutely as the story would like it to. As the resolution comes to a close it brings up another thought (undeniably to be explored in the remaining 3 episodes). And in this way, the last image of the presentation is unclear and for this purpose should have been left out. That said, the idea is an interesting one but again this is why episodic is tricky to have in a film festival which is usually a more closed volume experience. B-

By Tim Wassberg