Film review: Hellraiser (2022)

  Genre: Horror/Mystery/ Thriller

Cert: R-rating

Director: David Bruckner

Screenwriter: (screenplay by) Ben Collins, Luke Piotrowski, (screen story by) David S. Goyer, Ben Collins, Luke Piotrowski, (based on the book by) Clive Barker

Starring: Odessa A’zion, Jamie Clayton, Adam Faison, Drew Starkey, Brandon Flynn, Aoife Hinds, Jason Liles, Yinka Olorunnife, Selina Lo, Zachary Hing, Kit Clarke, Goran Visnjic, Hiam Abbass, Predrag Bjelac, Gorica Regodic, Vukasin Jovanovic, Ivona Kustudic, Greg De Cuir

Running time: 2h 1m

Parents are advised to read before viewing the film as some scenes may contain scenes unsuitable for younger viewers.

Sex & Nudity: Two sex scenes with kissing, moaning and thrusting, but no nudity is shown.

Male buttocks are briefly shown

Close-up of male genitalia for a brief second towards the very end of the film.

Paints and drawings on the wall almost end of the movie with naked persons

Violence & Gore: A girl is being tortured by Cenobites and chains hook into her flesh and contort her body into painful positions. Her entire back is later ripped away from the rest of her body.

The Cenobites mutilations are shown in great detail. Tendons, bones, flayed skin, metal wires and other objects are inserted.

Profanity: 77 uses of "fuck", including a few barely audible ones, and frequent uses of "shit".

Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking: Cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption in a few scenes.

The main character struggles with substance abuse and is seen taking pills.

Frightening/Intense Scenes: The coenobite and Hell priestess Pinhead can look very frightening, Pinhead really comes off intense.

Story: A take on Clive Barker's 1987 horror classic where a young woman struggling with addiction comes into possession of an ancient puzzle box, unaware that its purpose is to summon the Cenobites.

Likes: Based on the original Idea for Hellraiser, with a story of the hellbound heart, Does this film live up to the hype? Well I'll be honest it's not a perfect film, but it's not a Bad film iver; There is an area of the film that has room for improvement if a sequel is done. 

The acting in the film does bring some realism throughout, while one of the characters is pretty much someone you would hate, on the way they behave, which makes you kind of route for her to die to be honest. The concept surrounding the theme of the movie is actually a pretty good change from the original Hellraiser; which explains a lot to the audience so it is not hard to understand, that no matter what your choice, you can't reverse it.

Which adds a whole new frightening concept, as well as the box's lure explained; which is a welcome addition to the Hellraiser franchise, which wasn't really explained in the original. I will say that it's Not a bad attempt at adapting a new Hellraiser story while lacking certain elements the original had, but still, I think it will be a welcome Addiction for Hellraiser fans.

I will go as far as to say that the coenobite redesign was genius, as they have done away with the black leather, and used the person's own skin stretch to create Grotesquely deformed Hell Cenobites which actually Worked for the film. As for Jamie Clayton which im not basing this off who she is, im basing it on her acting and if she was able to pull this off, as Doug Bradley had some Pretty big shoes to fill, I can honestly say she Nail it that Doug would be proud of her.

 Jamie's portrayal as the High Priestess of hell pinhead was jaw-dropping, to say the least; her on-screen presence wasn't just frightening with that Voice, it's her very presence as pinhead when she appears was spine-chilling.

 I'll be honest she was actually the best part of the film, the way she would just stand there staring giving; you no choice, it just gives you the chills. The scary part is the boxes are No longer just puzzles that you can't escape the Cenobites or pinhead easy by closing the box like the Original, which gives a more frightening tone to the boxes.

Would I recommend this film? Absolute, especial for horror/ Hellraiser fans. 

Dislike: I'll be honest when I said there is part of the film was have room for improvement if a sequel is done; the film over tone seems to be held back from using its; full darker tone concept which the original film had. While the story is great, but lack's the undertone of that dark sinister creepiness that the film absolute needed for the Cenobites & pinhead to have full potential, seems Jamie's presence as the pinhead was perfect, I think a darker tone in the atmosphere would have enhanced her presence on screen.

Maybe in the next film that can make it darker. 

Overall: It great adaption of the original story of hellbound heart, but some improvements needed, Jamie were is perfect as a pinhead

Rating: 5 out of 5 for entertainment / 8.1 out of 10 for the adaption of the hellbound heart.