SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 2025 REVIEW! Written and directed by Woody Bess, Portal to Hell follows Dunn (Trey Holland), a freelance debt collector. The man lives a mundane life trying to collect debts and jamming to “Tonight Tonight” by Hot Chelle Rae. One day, while at the local laundry mat he frequents, Dunn discovers a portal hell inside one of the machines. Patrons and employees of the laundry mat are, at most mildly, interested in Dunn’s discovery since the gateway to the damned does little to disrupt their laundry services. What follows is a series of Sam Rami meets The Daniels-inspired horror-comedy as Dunn attempts to save his neighbor from eternal suffering.
This horror comedy handles hellfire with irreverence and quirk. As Dunn begins to experiment with the rules of the portal, he soon meets a demon named Chips (Richard Kind). The demon is planning to take the soul of Dunn’s neighbor, Bob (Keith David), who is battling terminal cancer. However, Chips promises to spare the man if Dunn can deliver three souls in Bob’s place (or just one soul if they are members of Hot Chelle Rae). Destined to steal three souls, he begins a journey of murder, deception, and occultic rituals to save the world, or at least his little part of it.
“…while at the local laundry mat he frequents, Dunn discovers a portal hell inside one of the machines.”
Everyone plays it straight in Portal to Hell. Whether they are faced with a horrific demon, walking past an interdimensional portal, or just selling cocaine, there is never a wink, nod, or acknowledgment of how absurd the story is, making the film a delight. Holland brings off-beat idiosyncrasies to murder and abduction, making the darkest moments feel warm and fun. David is a lovable curmudgeon, and Kind plays a more than entertaining and sacrilegious demon (but that is kind of a demon’s job). The number of characters utterly unbothered by a portal to Hell taking up residence in a laundry mat immediately brings the audience up to speed on the comedy, leaving everything that follows to be fun.
Bess shows off a ton of influences throughout the 90-minute runtime. From the deadpan delivery to the filmmaker’s clear love for Rami and Edgar Wright, Bess takes favorite notes from each to create something unique in indie cinema. Dunn’s conversations with Chips would feel at home in a Spaced episode, while creature effects for Chips look straight from a cutting-edge indie. The director paces the action well, leaving plenty of room for Dunn’s character arc from a soulless debt collector to a soul reaper with a heart. The third act takes some time to set up, but a fun cameo and fitting conclusion make the story worth the wait.
Portal to Hell shares clear comparisons to Everything Everywhere All at Once or a quirky Drag Me to Hell. However, the more apt comparison would be to El Mariachi-era Robert Rodriguez, as Bess showcases a creative love for filmmaking in every budget-conscious but story-elevating decision. There are times when this reaches for a more profound cosmic message that is hit-and-miss. Yet none of the shortcomings diminish how ridiculous and darkly funny the narrative is from fade-in to closing credits. Bess and the cast take viewers on an engaging, comedic journey through making a deal with the demon, crafting an enjoyable reminder of how innovative indie film can be.
Portal to Hell screened at the 2025 Slamdance Film Festival.
"…an engaging, comedic journey..."
