Harry Situation Reviews: Hellraiser (2022)
The box. You opened it. We came.
Hellraiser (2022) is a new supernatural horror reboot released on Hulu. It is the eleventh installment of the Hellraiser franchise, serving as a new adaptation Clive Barker's The Hellbound Heart. The story follows a young woman struggling with addiction who finds an unusual puzzle box known as the Lament Configuration. As she unlocks the secrets of the box, she discovers the horrifying truth that it is a beacon to summon a group of sadistic interdimensional beings known as the Cenobites and their leader, the notorious Pinhead (this time played by Jamie Clayton).
I actually enjoy some of the Hellraiser films, my favorites being the first two installments. And the character of Pinhead (along with actor Doug Bradley) has become such an icon in the horror genre, taking his place in the horror Hall-of-Fame along with Freddy Krueger and Michael Myers. So, when I heard that a new Hellraiser was going to be released I certainly had my doubts. I mean, just look back on the long, failed history of horror remakes/reboots. But I was willing to give it a chance. So, does this movie have such sights to show us? Or will its suffering be legendary even in Hell?
For the positives, the performances are pretty good. Everyone does a solid good job. The one I definitely want to give a shout out to is Jamie Clayton as Pinhead. She wasn't necessarily a standout, but she did a very good job. The thing everyone loves about the character of Pinhead is that he's a horror villain who talks like Freddy Krueger. But unlike Freddy, who tends to make jokes, he speaks like he's a morbid philosopher. I feel that Jamie Clayton nailed that aspect in her portrayal.
BTW, if anyone's got an issue with this new Pinhead being played by a woman, keep in mind that in Clive Barker's novella, The Hellbound Heart, Pinhead is described as androgynous. So basically, this version of Pinhead is more accurate to the novella than Doug Bradley's Pinhead.
I really like new designs for each of the Cenobites too. Instead of just leather outfits and sharp objects imbedded into their heads, each Cenobite looks to have had layers of flesh removed from their bodies. We got one that's missing pieces of their jaw, one that's had their throat spread apart, and of course you got my boy the Chatterer. They all look really cool, and it shows that becoming a Cenobite is an extremely painful process.
Of course, the franchise wouldn't be where it's at with the amount of blood and gore, and this film gets pretty bloody. I mean, what do you expect from a horror franchise where people have hooks and chains tearing at their flesh? It looks pretty good. Not too much on CGI but more focus on practical effects and gore, something I've always enjoyed more in a horror movie.
I also really like how they added new layers to the mythos of the franchise. In this remake, the Lament Configuration changes forms every time someone solves the puzzle, and it also cuts them with a small blade. The one who is cut by the blade is then offered as a sacrifice to the Cenobites and their god Leviathan. Solving the full puzzle will grant you your greatest desire. New stuff like this I feel has been completely missing from the Hellraiser franchise, save for Hellraiser: Judgement. Honestly, it's nice to get some clarification and new content on how the Lament Configuration works and why the Cenobites are connected to it.
Now for the negatives. While the Cenobites are cool, the characters are not. There isn't much characterization for them aside from the main protagonist Riley (played by Odessa A'zion) but mainly you look at this cast and you see them nothing but fodder for the Cenobites. You don't even feel bad when one by one they get slaughtered, you're just waiting for it to happen because you want to see the Cenobites.
And one last criticism I do have is something I've noticed watching the later Hellraiser movies. It seems to be lacking that human element. Let me explain further. For those unfamiliar with the franchise the Cenobites aren't necessarily evil. Hell, they weren't even the main antagonists in the first two films. They were just there. The antagonists were Frank Cotton, his mistress Julia, and then later Dr. Channard in Hellraiser II. It's that later in the sequel movies the Cenobites are portrayed as demons when the reality they are neutral, hence why Pinhead described themselves as, "demons to some, angels to others."
The first two films were about exploring human desire and questioning how far one would go to get what they want. Desire is a driving force. It's what gets the characters in those movies to attempt to complete the puzzle, and it is desire that summons the Cenobites. The later movies in the franchise, including this one, all lack that desire. They became too focused on showing off Pinhead and the other Cenobites and forgot that the human characters, the human spirit, is what helped made the first two stand out from other horror movies.
Overall, this new Hellraiser is far better than most of the sequels in the franchise and almost on par with the original. I would definitely recommend this film to all fans of Hellraiser, and to any fans of horror like me. But mostly I would recommend checking out the first two films because they're just masterpieces on their own.
Positives:
-Solid performances
-Jamie Clayton as Pinhead
-Cool new Cenobite looks
-Gory as hell (no pun intended)
-New Hellraiser mythos
Negatives:
-Little characterization
-Missing that human element
Final Grade: B
So those are my thoughts on Hellraiser (2022). Have you seen it? What were your thoughts on it? Please be kind, leave a like and comment, and check out more reviews here on Prose... or WE'LL TEAR YOUR SOUL APART!
Best Quote:
Riley: "I've done enough."
Pinhead: "Enough... is a myth."
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