Directed By David Bruckner

Starring – Jamie Clayton, Odessa A’zion, Goran Visnjic

The Plot – An alternative take on a Clive Barker’s 1987 horror classic, Riley (A’zion), a woman struggling with addiction, comes into possession of an ancient puzzle box, unaware that its purpose is to summon the Cenobites, a group of sadistic supernatural beings from another dimension led by Pinhead (Clayton)

Rated R for strong bloody horror violence and gore, adult language throughout, some sexual content and brief graphic nudity.

Hellraiser | Official Trailer | Hulu – YouTube

POSITIVES

In a franchise weighed down by the constant redundancies and underwhelming returns of its unlimited installments, Bruckner’s vision here feels like a welcome shot of adrenaline for the franchise, and one that he uses to get back to the basics of what made the original film a chilling and iconic staple among its faithful fandoms. Atmosphere is the name of the game, with a sleekness in style and ominousness in dread that not only vividly articulates the confines of the illustrated world and the corresponding influence of the Cenobites onto it, but also one that brings with it the artistically macabre imagery that creatively pushed the envelope and made its immortal antagonists such a compelling force in their chaotic capabilities, but without the unnecessities of indulgence that sometimes got the better of it. For such scares, the Cenobites slow materializing on the plot is an appreciated method to keep their influence fresh in the exploration of a two-hour run time, but equally as integral are the elements of production used to immerse us in their unshakeable presence to the scenes and sequences they effectively adorn, with menacing consciousness. The sound design conveying everything from teeth chattering, to muffled breathing, to even the twisting of the box itself ratchets the anticipation of anxiety caused emphatically by the Cenobites ruthlessness in pursuit, and when combined with the seductive allure of their many practically dominated designs of bodily horror, ratchet something freshly innovative in the extensive nature of a group that until now felt entirely exploited. The main Cenobite at the forefront is donned by Jamie Clayton, a welcome replacement for Doug Bradley’s iconic turn throughout seven films, but one that treads lightly on the cautionary advisory of its limitless fandom alike. Because of such, Clayton does conjure the stoic mannerisms of her legendary counterpart, but this time with a sauntering of spectral grace, modulated vocal deposits and longing gazes that psychologically tap into the vulnerabilities of her helpless prey from an almost empathetic aspect in psychosis. Likewise, Odessa A’zion is a breath of fresh air as the film’s central protagonist, conveying much of the internal struggle of Riley’s character in ways that justify her sometimes irresponsible movements, but never in ways that compromise the integrity of the character, thanks to A’zion’s heartfelt remorse that she transcribes to a limitless river of tears at her disposal.

NEGATIVES

While I did appreciate the attempt at the film initially telling a story pertaining to the perils of addiction and the effect it has on those closest to the victim, I never felt its justification added anything compelling to the correspondence of the story it accommodated. After the initial laying of the tracks for Riley and what her life entails, the film never goes back to this aspect of the storytelling, so the conflict within herself feels so unnecessary and inconsequential to the film that sprouted it, leaving it as a missed opportunity for an otherwise compelling angle that could’ve further added to the character evolution that the film reaches heavily for during its climax, but never in ways it fully earns. For my money, I wish they would’ve used Riley’s addictions on the box itself, in that she uses it because internally she’s drawn to its taboos, in turn igniting a discussion and parallel within her own perils with drugs and a similar path of self-destruction that could’ve conjured a new outlook on life. In addition to this, the two-hour run time is a little much for the duration of the storytelling, especially during the film’s inferior second half, which feel like an abrupt momentum halt on everything attained to that moment. While it is great to see more of the Cenobites during these moments, the overstuffed exposition dumps and unforeseen twists actually do a disservice to their influence, in turn stealing much of the attention and focus of the integral narrative for fluff that was among the least interesting aspects of the film for me personally. Finally, while much of the creature designs and tasteful deposits of gore elicited a maturing chapter in this franchise’s torturous history, the camera work and corresponding editing left slightly more to be desired, especially in depiction. It’s really a matter of inconsistencies, where early on the cuts of edits are almost a second too late to the chains and hooks implanting their way on the victims, to where we hear it, but never see its spontaneous impact. It does improve as the film goes on, and could just be an example of the film’s meticulous revealing that coincides with the improving influence of the Cenobites as the film progresses, but considering the opening of a movie is where you hook (For lack of a better word) new audiences to what’s special about your engagement, this one doesn’t essentially happen until the film’s halfway point, bringing with it a precedent for patience that not everyone will be on board for.

OVERALL
David Bruckner’s “Hellraiser” is the best of both worlds. It’s a grim and grisly feast for the nerves in the same vein as its predecessors, but with a bludgeoning of technical merit that elevates the blunt believability of its material. With Clayton at the forefront of the next terrifying chapter, the film conjures hope and ambition for the first time in decades, even if an overstuffed two hour run time of various exposition dumps leave its intentions heavily telegraphed throughout.

My Grade: 7/10 or B-