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Hell and Back

Hell and Back

We'll see you there

201586 minRMidcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
Directors
Ross Shuman, Tom Gianas
Starring
Nick Swardson, T.J. Miller, Mila Kunis, Bob Odenkirk

Two best friends set out to rescue their pal after he's accidentally dragged to hell.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Hell and Back?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list Hell and Back on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Hell and Back?

Hell and Back earns 3 badges, led by Overhyped and Strong language.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is Hell and Back worth watching?

Hell and Back's Midcredits score is the 25th percentile of all films, from 12K ratings across 4 sources. 33% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

25th percentile

Better received than 25% of films

12th percentile among Animation26th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)25th
Approval (how many liked it)27th

54 /100

25th percentile of all films

12th percentile among Animation28th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.6 — solid but not unanimous.

33% liked it

27th percentile of all films

15th percentile among Animation27th percentile among 2010s
33% rated it 7–1067% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 2 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

87th percentile

12K ratings across platforms

73rd percentile among Animation88th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 17% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$104K
Domestic gross$158K
Worldwide gross$158K

13th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A raunchy, stop-motion comedy with a stacked voice cast that aims for lowbrow laughs.

Fans praised

  • stop-motion animation craft and detail
  • hilarious dialogue and quotable one-liners
  • voice cast chemistry and performances

Detractors panned

  • juvenile, unfunny script relying on crude shock
  • weak, meandering story with thin characters
  • one-dimensional humor that quickly becomes obnoxious

What stands out

ActingDivisive68

talented comedians wasted or elevated by sheer charisma

CinematographyDivisive54

painstaking claymation but often ugly color palette and choppy movement

AtmosphereDivisive47

immersive hell sets and fun vibe for fans; dim and dingy for detractors

OriginalityDivisive38

familiar stoner-horror-comedy tropes with few fresh ideas

DialogueDivisive36

occasional witty one-liners drowned by relentless crude banter

HumorDivisive35

polarizing hit-or-miss; fans find it hilarious, critics call it juvenile

Characters30

one-dimensional archetypes written as joke vehicles

Plot and story25

thin, cobbled-together premise with no narrative drive

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 7 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is Hell and Back like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something light that makes you laugh and does not take itself seriously.

It leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
AbsurdJoyful
Heaviest: throughout
Absurdist humor: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Register
Absurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.Irreverent · 1% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its hellish premise as an absurd comedy playground, never taking itself seriously.
The rideThe film maintains a consistently comedic and absurd tone during the entire adventure.
StructureA straightforward rescue journey from carnival to Hell and back, told in conventional order.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayA lighthearted, absurd romp that leaves the viewer entertained and smiling.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestRescue
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% (this title) · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Rescue: Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).

10% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe story follows two best friends who venture into Hell to rescue their third friend who was dragged there as a sacrifice.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFriendship
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4% (this title)
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Friendship · 9% of filmsLoyalty · 4% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film is about the lengths friends will go to for each other, even if it means descending into Hell.
StanceThe film celebrates the strength of friendship by showing two friends risking everything for the third.

The world

ContemporarySmall townAlternate dimensionFantasy
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
SettingA run-down carnival and the underworld of Hell.

Content guide

Is Hell and Back okay for kids?

R

Hell and Back is rated R: “Rated R for pervasive strong crude and sexual content, language and some drug use” (MPAA). As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (44/100), sexual content at intense (66/100), language at severe (90/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (56/100) and frightening material at moderate (55/100). Overall it is heavier than 62% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 1 other country
  • MexicoB-15
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 78% of all filmsHeavier than 62% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 24%
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 82%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 90%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 70%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 37%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language and sexual content. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Hell and Back have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Hell and Back?

Cast

Nick Swardson
as Remy
T.J. Miller
as Augie
Mila Kunis
as Deema
Bob Odenkirk
as The Devil
Susan Sarandon
as Barb the Angel
Rob Riggle
as Curt
Jennifer Coolidge
as Durmessa
Michael Peña
as Abigor the Demon
Kumail Nanjiani
as Dave the Demon
J.B. Smoove
as Sal the Demon

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Hell and Back?

Movies like Hell and Back include Knights of Badassdom (2013), Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) and Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films set in another dimension, and most are buddy comedies.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

10 of these 12 share its subject: friendship. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Hell and Back?

2.1K other films share the rarest tag below, up against: demon. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.