For Day Seven we have such articles to write you; this one covers the newest horror reboot to come out of 2022, Hellraiser!
That’s right… it’s Hellraiser!
Movie Details:
- Release Date: 2022
- “Run”time: 2 hours
- Where to watch it: Streaming
- Directed by: David Bruckner
- Written by: Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski
- Starring:
- Odessa A’zion
- Jamie Clayton
- Brandon Flynn
- Goran Višnjić
Synopsis: A recovering addict comes across a cryptic puzzle box with a prize at the end…
Open Stab Wounds (out of 10): 9
Review: I am a Hellraiser fan! There, I said it. Admittedly, I might’ve been a Hellraiser 3 fan before I was ever a full Hellraiser fan. The second sequel, Hell on Earth, was the first one I remember watching. I went back for the originals after that and really enjoy Bloodline. Some of the later sequels I couldn’t get into; not sure if it was change in actors, change in direction, or maybe I felt that Bloodline was a good enough canonized conclusion to the series.
When a new Hellraiser film was announced, I surprised myself by being excited! Bringing back our favorite Cenobites for another adventure in depraved gore and sensations finally seemed like a good idea again, especially since horror master Clive Barker was again on the hook to produce. The series, after all, is the offspring of his novella, “The Hellbound Heart”, so having him back on board with his influence was a must.
Though this is a reboot of the franchise, this film isn’t a direct adaptation of “The Hellbound Heart” (which the original Hellraiser was). Instead the writers take a story of a young woman, fighting through her addictions, and reintroduce the audience to a revamped, more fleshed-out (PUN!), version of the puzzle box, colloquially known as the Lament Configuration.
The film just came out, so I won’t dig too far into spoilers as far as plot goes. The young woman, Riley (Odessa A’zion) makes us feel the conflict of wanting to be better but wallowing in ones’ past. It’s a sense that we deserve whatever pain we get because we caused pain. It’s telling ourselves not to be selfish but refusing to move forward beyond the cringe of our younger selves. The relationship with her brother Matt (Brandon Flynn) underpins the emotional stakes of the film.
Of course, it is a Hellraiser film, so gore and pain are a must. Thankfully we have a solid core of supporting actors to act as potential victims. Trevor (Drew Starkey) as Riley’s boyfriend and Colin (Adam Faison) as Matt’s boyfriend are there for her throughout the film. We’re introduced to Trevor from the get-go and the audience stays attached to him through Riley’s attachment to him. My attachment toward Colin, on the other hand, grew into a relationship I cared about more as the movie went on. It’s a nice little thought exercise about how the people who truly care about us are the ones we’re annoyed at the most.
Last, but certainly not least: the Cenobites. How do they compare? The make-up was wonderfully creepy. Some of the newer versions were just as good as the originals. In addition, some of the newcomer Cenobites were wonderful designs. One of my favorites was one that seemed to be bound by wire, shambling slowly and methodically toward our characters. Its design doesn’t seem like it can do any damage to a human… until it does.
Then there’s The Priest (aka Pinhead, played by Jamie Clayton). We all love Doug Bradley, and Pinhead defined his career. Some of the other actors to play Pinhead, I wasn’t ever sold on. I’m thrilled to say that Jamie Clayton is a perfect successor. Her presence on screen is ominous and her delivery of lines (and chains) work for me. If this is indeed a reboot of a franchise (aka more sequels), then Jamie being on the team is a must.
I started the review with a note about me being a fan of Hellraiser. I’m happy to report that though I faltered for a decade or so there, this reboot has rekindled my interest. Now I just need to find out where I put that “The Hellbound Heart” copy.
KEVIN’S THOUGHTS: Every time I hear there is going to be a remake, I’m always a bit apprehensive. When the original creator is involved, I get a bit more excited. Clive Barker was only a producer on the new Hellraiser adaptation, but his fingerprints were all over this. I quite enjoyed this version. It had its flaws, but I thought it was an overall good movie. None of the kills were overly spectacular, but the gore, effects, music, and cinematography were all on point. Oh, what sights they have to show us.
Thanks for reading and watching along with us! Be sure to keep up with all 31 days of our Halloween Horror Film coverage!
Oh, and make sure to follow Brandon on Twitter @BarnyardCruz and Kevin @Solucid!