A young 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.
Hellraiser, the famous horror franchise from the mind of Clive Barker is making a return. I was surprised that this gore fest of a movie had producers interested, and now it’s on HULU. This new version manages to give a fresh new take on the Hell bound mythologies. Pinhead and his Cenobites are still there, and they bring some torturing sights to show us. The production is way better than the previous instalments. We can clearly see that they got a much better budget. The sound design and special effects are decent. The story is alright as we follow this band of teenagers way too much curious. The gore is there, and the dialogue is well written. Hellraiser is a decent continuation in the series. If you love Clive Barker’s work, you should definitely check this out.
Comparing with the two best movies in the franchise, Hellraiser 1 & 2, this movie is PG-13 at best. Hellraiser was known for the gore and the macabre atmosphere. It let you understand immediately that you had no chance in hell against those Cenobites. This movie is kinda of a soft version of the previous ones. You quickly realize that it’s for a mainstream audience, and they didn’t push the boundaries. The gore is there, but easy to watch. Also, the cenobites looked like they were wearing a rubber suit. They suppose to be tortured and mutilated, but I didn’t believe their designs at all. They really looked like actors wearing mutilated suits. The story is also not fascinating. The main character is annoying and has a convenient plot armour. The new Pinhead is ok, but doesn’t come close to Doug Bradley’s performance. His presence and iconic voice was perfect for this character. Hellraiser 2022 is the 4th best in the series in my opinion. For any Hellraiser fans, this movie is like going on a picnic…
