Review - Hellraiser (2022) 6 out of 10 Brooms

 


I will state just for general disclosure that I absolutely detest the original Hellraiser Saga. Anything outside of the Cenobites and Pinhead and I just didn't like the tone, nor the bland nature. Honestly, the scariest part of the first movie, for me the best one, was always that nasty mattress Julia, Claire Higgins, wanted to have sex on. Ewwww...

Amazon Link - The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker

I came into Hulu's reboot rather incredulously. Like the original, the actors are well cast. Jamie Clayton is an excellent choice for the Priest, or Pinhead. I will watch anything with Goran Visnjic (Practical Magic.) David Bruckner, director of The Ritual and most of the V/H/S series is at the top of his game. Odessa A'Zion (Riley) and Hiam Abbass acting talents make up for a script that is somewhat lacking. Replacing the lustful forbidden desire, is a rather clunky allegory about addition. The puzzle box is Riley's new vice. It is not subtle, it is blunt. Luckily, Odessa is able to add the much needed nuance to the film.

Hellraiser, booking in at 2 hours, is a little overly long but it is visually stunning. The puzzle box set and the costume design are stellar. The formations of the main puzzle box are grotesquely beautiful. However, for me, it was more imitation, than adaptation of Clive Barker's Queer masterpiece "The Hellbound Heart." That being said, it did leave me wanting more. It was a decent way to spend a couple of hours.


6 out of 10 Brooms





 


 

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