Hellraiser Review: Hellraiser Franchise has been one of the most consistent pieces of movies that stay true to their genre of horror infused with some thriller and a whole lot of sadism.
It has been targeting a specific age group and the Hellraiser Franchise has developed a cult following because of that. It was no news that Hellraiser was picked up for a revival by Hulu and well, it’s here now. Directed by David Bruckner, the film stars Odessa A’zion, Jamie Clayton, Brandon Flynn, Goran Višnjić, Drew Starkey, Adam Faison, Aoife Hinds, Selina Lo, and Hiam Abbass.
The film is about a mysterious puzzle that has different levels to it and every level or configuration asks for a sacrifice after their blood is given to it the cenobites come and take the sacrifice by sadistic methods until all 5 levels are complete and then the wielder is given an audience in front of the cenobite god and can ask for anything from Lament, Lore, Love, Luminal to Lazarus.
The story revolves around Riley who is having a hard time finding balance in her life with her brother always supporting her and trying to get her on the right track. She, along with her boyfriend Trevor breaks into a warehouse and finds the puzzle and the first life it takes is of her brother to bring him back, Riley goes deeper into the puzzle.
Good Points
Thrilling
The film is quite thrilling in the sense that you do not realize what the next sacrifice is going to be like. While it’s a bit gory to watch, the plot revolves in a way that you like it.
Cinematography
The VFX used in the film is top-notch and well, to show the cenobites you need that VFX which has been done quite neatly which is a great plus point.
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Weak Points
Not for everyone
Hellraiser, much like its predecessors is not for all age groups. It is very age specific and works only for a target demographic given they’re interested in this genre.
Runtime
The film is quite long with a runtime of just a little over 2 hours. However, some scenes felt like they could have been cut, and overall, the film could have been a little short.
Redundant
The film has nothing more to offer than what the old Hellraiser films did. This one feels like a glossier version of the old ones since it’s made up of the same material i.e., inspired by the novella.
Final Verdict: 2.8/5
“Hellraiser is definitely a worthy revival of a Supernatural Horror Franchise which wasn’t needed but it’s still a good watch if you haven’t had a rewatch of the old ones. If you have, you can skip this one”.