Rohan Jain
Netflix’s ‘Hellhole‘ is a Polish horror film directed by Bartosz M. Kowalski. The movie’s original title, ‘Ostatnia Wieczerza,’ translates to ‘The Last Supper.’ Set in 1987, the story revolves around an undercover cop named Marek, who enters a monastery under the guise of a monk to investigate the disappearance of women in the area. When he talks with the Prior and his deputy and looks around the monastery, he discovers something shocking happening at the place.
The film takes an age-old theme about God and Satan and juxtaposes it with real crimes against women. While the latter isn’t explored much, it becomes a way for the director to flip the cliché narrative of good versus evil. The film’s premise has subtle shades of a true crime story, which makes us wonder about its origins. Let us find out if the movie is rooted in reality.
Is Hellhole a True Story?
‘Hellhole’ is not based on a true story. The film is based on an original screenplay penned by Bartosz M. Kowalski and Mirella Zaradkiewicz. Although the tale is fictional, it is crafted with several classic tropes from the horror genre. For instance, in one scene, we see the Prior perform an exorcism on a girl as the other monks stand behind with a candle. This is quite reminiscent of several films which portray an exorcism. Besides this, there are several other elements, such as the depiction of the monastery, a large of Marek’s arc, and more.
However, the film also carries undertones of a mystery film, which acts as an antithesis to the concept of religious cults, belief systems, prophecies, and superstitions. When Marek goes into the room where the exorcism took place, he learns that the entire ritual is a farce. The Prior merely employs different techniques and theatrics, which make the complete ceremony real and believable. Thus, the audience is left wondering if the story possesses supernatural elements or not until the climax scene.
Another intriguing aspect of the movie is the portrayal of ideologies and occults. They carry a subtle tone of cynicism and irreverence toward belief systems. The way the Prior commands absolute obedience from his fellow monks and propagates different morals from the religious text is fascinating. However, when things do not go as planned for the Prior and his deputy, all principles and beliefs go for a toss, and we see them as humans who are innately flawed.
When all these facets of the story unfold before the audience, they create an engaging viewing experience. Despite the familiarity with the film’s motifs, the context surrounding them is what elevates the characters and the story. So, although ‘Hellhole’ is not based on a true story, the world it builds and the way its characters interact are pretty authentic and convincing.
Read More: Where Was Netflix’s Hellhole Filmed?
