Horror Movie Review: Hell Nurse (2022)

Inspired by the Grindhouse revenge horrors and thrillers from the 1970s (I Spit On Your Grave/The Last House on the Left) with a touch of satanic supernaturalism, Hell Nurse is a grubby and gory film.

Written and directed by Bobby Blood, the film stars Fiona Kennedy as Darla, a young nurse who makes house calls for elderly people. One night, at the home of an elderly couple, a trio of violent criminals break in. They kill the couple, before turning their attention to Darla, leaving her for dead.

Darla didn’t die though, instead she made a deal with the devil and after spending a year recovering, goes back to nursing. Her hopes of moving on are dashed though when the same three criminals end up at her hospital. It’s time for her to get her revenge, and what bloody revenge it will be.

There’s nothing original here, that much is clear, but Hell Nurse is at least far less exploitative than the films it is paying homage too. It is grubby, it is ugly, it is cheap, but you might not feel as gross for watching it. Though it does help that it’s not taking itself too seriously either.

Working with a low budget means limitations and that does show throughout. From the awkward digital grain that has been added, to the CGI blood splatter, to the grimace-inducing dialogue said by some characters, Hell Nurse is not a top-tier film.

That being said, it is entertaining, and Darla is an enjoyable character to watch. Fiona Kennedy really comes to life when its time to met out her revenge. A revenge that we all know is coming. The film isn’t coy about that, but even then, the bloodbath that comes in the final third is surprising. Here, we get more practical effects and plenty of blood and guts. Violent stabbings, a severed penis, and even a face being torn off. This is where Hell Nurse stands out.

If this level of gore isn’t for you, then Hell Nurse doesn’t have much to offer. It’s a low-budget throwback revenge thriller with extreme levels of horror, and that’s about it. However, it does this to the best of its ability and smartly, doesn’t overstay its welcome.