Hellbound? (2012)
Average Rating: 6/10
Reviews Counted: 9
Fresh: 6 | Rotten: 3
No consensus yet.
Average Rating: 5.7/10
Critic Reviews: 5
Fresh: 3 | Rotten: 2
No consensus yet.
liked it
Average Rating: 4.2/5
User Ratings: 282
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Movie Info
Does hell exist? If so, who ends up there, and why? Featuring an eclectic group of authors, theologians, pastors, social commentators and musicians, "Hellbound?" is a provocative, feature-length documentary that will ensure you never look at hell the same way again! Coming to theaters in Fall 2012. -- (C) Official Site
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All Critics (9) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (6) | Rotten (3)
As filled with good intentions as it clearly is, Hellbound? feels painfully earnest throughout as well as cluttered and only occasionally illuminating.
Top CriticAn engaging, accessible documentary that explores the (truly) eternal questions, "Does hell exist? If so, who ends up there, and why?"
[It gives] the little-served Christian market a thought-provoking alternative to smarmy features like "Fireproof."
First, one man's dogma is another's heresy. Second, some people are inclined to offer the final word on matters of which they have no firsthand knowledge.
Any admirer of good talk will be impressed by the scholasticism and pulpit-trained oratory here ...
A rich, thoughtful conversation-starter about changing notions of religious damnation, Hellbound? invades notoriously touchy territory with an open mind, steady focus and civil disposition.
After seeing this doc, the average sinning moviegoer may feel less apprehensive and less in need of an asbestos jumpsuit for the afterlife.
Hellbound will probably find favor mostly with a Christian-film audience when, if [director Kevin Miller] had cast a wider net, it might have had broader appeal.
Fitfully engaging, but the doc turns into a touchy-feely isn't-it-wonderful-we're-all-saved love fest as soon as the universalists begin to dominate the interview segments.
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So, what this documentary sought out to do is to try to explore the idea of Hell. It's done well enough, although I think that it's not as even-handed as it could be. There are 3 main Christian ideas about Hell: Eternal Conscious Torment, Annihilationism, and Universalism. This movie portrays Universalism quite well: in regards to the logic behind it. Annihiliationism is superficially mentioned... I'd wish there would have been more delving behind the logic to it. And Eternal Conscious Torment isn't portrayed in a good light at all. I could see the logic behind doing this, though: Universalism is usually the thought that's given the least credence... some Christians even view it as heresy. So, if we're going by "let's give a voice to the most voiceless opinion," the fact that Universalism reigns supreme here makes sense.... although, Annihilationism could use some support too, ya know.
It's a good documentary in the fact that'll it get you thinking, though. And that's what documentaries should do. It's interesting the whole way through, and this was definitely a good use of my time. The portrayal of Hope in the end almost got to me, too. I can't help that, though... the hope of God always gets to me.