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Movie Reviews, Movies

Review – Hellraiser (2022)

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After years of hoping and begging, the Hellraiser remake has finally moved out of development Hell. But more importantly, we finally have another good Hellraiser film! In this Hulu exclusive, the puzzle box falls in the hands of Riley, a woman struggling with drug addiction. Once she accidentally starts playing with the puzzle box, the Cenobites make themselves known, putting Riley and her friends in danger.

Let’s get some basic stuff out of the way. While some people were hoping this would be a theatrical release, having it be a streaming movie is actually a big step-up from being straight-to-DVD. A lot of streaming movies have large budgets and people put a lot of care into the best ones. And you can tell this is one where the filmmakers cared, because it looks gorgeous. Some of the best visuals since the first two films. Speaking of visuals, the Cenobites look amazing. And Jaime Clayton as Pinhead, or The Priest, is a major highlight. Her look and scenes are very memorable. And the fact the puzzle box actually acts more like a puzzle box – including changing shape into multiple configurations – feels long overdue. It also stabs the person working it, taking some blood after completing each configuration, which is also a great addition. A lot of these changes are welcome and feel faithful to the Hellraiser lore.

Now let’s get into the meat of this review. A lot of reviews for this film have mentioned how this feels like a tame Hellraiser film. Mainly pointing to how the first act or even first half focuses more on the human characters figuring out what’s happening. Speaking for myself, this didn’t bother me. This movie isn’t meant to actually remake the original. It’s more of a remix of the first trow original films, telling it’s own story. This is a new beginning and needs to establish how it is different. That also means when the Cenobites are on screen, it feels that much more special. I will even argue that the Cenobites probably have more screen time in this film than the original. As for the actual gore, that’s admittedly trickier to determine. The original had the difficult job of showing amazing practical effects/body horror while not feeling exploitative. And the best Hellraiser films always knew how to make the gore feel meaningful. The same can be said for this film. Again, I will argue this probably has more gore in terms of screen time. But I’ll admit that while the new film has some good stuff, mainly inspired Cenobite designs, the gore in the original does feel more iconic and memorable. With all of that addressed, let’s dive a bit deeper, shall we?

A major reason the original film is so memorable was because it as focused on sex, more specifically the power people can have in a sexual relationship. And it also explored how far sexual appetites can go. That can be seen in the general design of the Cenobites, where they wore leather in addition to having parts of their bodies mutilated. Their general designs were inspired by outfits from various S&M and BDSM sex clubs in the real world. While the reboot still has a sexual element to it, it’s not as focused on that. This can be explained by how the general world’s attitude towards sex has changed. There are still issues, but overall the world isn’t as conservative regarding sex as it was when the original film released. But in that case, what does the reboot explore?

With the human characters, we see them being driven by their vices and obsessions. The human villain, Roland Voight, was the one to actively seek out the puzzle box and the Cenobites. He sought them out to satisfy his hunger for pleasure and power. And it is during that pursuit where he is ultimately changed, no longer recognizable and never able to go back. For the other human characters like Riley, they struggle with their vices. Trying to better themselves but ultimately drawn back to indulging in them for bliss. It can be argued that their personalities, tied to their past behavior, is what pushes them further down their paths as seen in the film. As for the Cenobites, they are still the beings who seek out experiences that mix pain and pleasure. That’s why in the film, they don’t wear leather, but multiple beings do seem to wear their torn and altered skin as a form of clothing. That change in addition to further body mutilations shows a different focus on their motivations. That their reasoning for doing these things are actually driven by religious reasons.

It’s more accurate to call the Cenobites a cult than a major religion such as Christianity or Islam. But the bigger focus on flesh and them pushing the characters to solve each configuration and provide a sacrifice shows a different kind of devotion than the original film. Riley and company see the Cenobites taking them as killing and capturing. But the Cenobites see it as freeing them. They encourage and force the characters to keep solving and offering sacrifices to their God, Leviathan. A better example of what I’m trying to get at is a scene from a movie. Riley is in a situation where a Cenobite is forcing her to offer herself or her friend in order to move onto the last configuration. But she ultimately selects the Cenobite, stabbing it with the box for the blood as required. There is a moment where the Cenobite and a nearby Pinhead pause, and you wonder what’s going through their minds. Will they try and use a loophole to take one of the humans instead? But no, the stabbed Cenobite actually freely offers itself up to be sacrificed. We see Pinhead give a vague smile, happy for her fellow creature. And then the Cenobite is torn apart. The scene feels like how a brainwashed member of a cult is unexpectedly selected for a deadly ritual but is more than willing to proceed.

This is a version of the lore where it explores how so many people are explored by the darker impulses we submit to. And yes, a lot of the time that has destructive results, as demonstrated in this film. But within those vices and obsessions we can find our true selves, an escape of the version we are expected to conform to. And when we fully deny ourselves what we desire for…what does that leave us? While Roland suffers and is unprepared for what happens to him, he ultimately gets what he has always wanted. And while Riley makes it out at the end of the movie, there is doubt about if she truly got what she wanted. The Cenobites seem to pity Riley’s desire to return to her regular life, struggling to stay away from the things that bring her pleasure and bliss. It can be argued that a reason Riley has done drugs, or briefly returns to them in the beginning of the movie, is to feel something, anything. At the end, she seems to feel empty. Going through everything for nothing.

While this movie is an exploration of how dangerous our various obsessions and vices can be, the movie also implies that a life full of denying yourselves pleasure is one not worth living. The original first two films are masterpieces, the first being one of my personal favorite films of all time. While I still like the original over the reboot, this film is worthy of being in the same league as these two films. And it explores truly fascinating ideas worth talking about and discussing during future viewings. This is truly a great film that any Hellraiser fan should seek out.

Movie Reviews, Movies

Review – Hellraiser: Judgment

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I know what your probably thinking already. But no, “judgment” is indeed spelled correctly. I know, I was thrown off by it as well. Just thought I’d address that so that it’s out of the way. Actually, that’s kind of a similar attitude Dimension Films had when it came to this franchise. Just make another sequel so they can be done with it and hold onto the franchise rights. It would explain why most of the straight to DVD sequels took pre-existing scripts and inserted Hellraiser characters into them. However, not only is this one of the few always meant to be a Hellraiser film, but this is actually pretty good for what it is.

This movie focuses on two brother who work as detectives. They are trying to capture an active serial killer known as The Preceptor. One of the brothers, Detective Sean Carter, finds himself face-to-face with the supernatural. But the beings he are first introduced to aren’t technically Cenobites. This is a movie that actually introduces new creatures & characters in the franchise that add to the world’s lore. Pinhead is still involved, don’t worry. And this time around, he’s played by Paul Taylor, who is much better than the actor from Hellraiser: Revelations. Some might argue that this actor might be underplaying it a bit in certain scenes. But this is an actor that still cares. He even picked up smoking to get the voice right and took late night walks in the dangerous neighborhoods in his hometown to control his fear. I don’t think either of those actions were necessary, but I’ll give credit for dedication.

And that’s what separates this film from the other straight to DVD sequels. The people making it did actually care. Gary Tunnicliffe worked on the make-up effects for the series ever since Hellraiser: Hell on Earth. While he did write for Revelations, I put the blame on the rushed production rather than him. Because he also wrote this film, in addition to directing it and even playing the Auditor character, a new supernatural being working with Pinhead. He actually does a great job as the character and I’m actually curious about what he might have done in a follow-up. The effects in this film are well done, they definitely help form a dark and gritty atmosphere. A feeling of dread based on blood and physical pain. There is a lot to appreciate in this film.

Having said that, there are still flaws. The acting from the human characters are decent, but nothing to really praise. And it’s easy to identify who the serial killer is in the movie. This is still a straight to DVD sequel so the budget can only help the effects so much. And while the addition of certain supernatural beings does add to the lore, there is one addition that does complicate things. The character’s inclusion does set-up interesting ideas and questions. But the movie doesn’t have the time or the ability to really take advantage of it. If a follow-up was given the green light, it would have been intriguing to see where the characters go from this point on. But finally, the series is being rebooted with a new approach which is ultimately for the best.

As someone who absolutely loves the original first 2 Hellraiser films, it was sad to see where further sequels took this series. On the other hand, some of the other sequels do have some cool things about them if your willing to adjust your expectations. And this is the film that is arguably the best of all the straight to DVD sequels. For me, it’s actually my third favorite Hellraiser movie overall. It’s one that is more focused on the Cenobites than the humans and has people who do love the series involved in it. If your feeling nostalgic for these kinds of sequels as the reboot approaches, this is the one that will satisfy you the most.

Film Editorials, Movies

The Feminist Themes of Hellraiser (1987)

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People have described this movie in various different ways, but I doubt many have called it a feminist flick. The story adaptation of a box that opens to another dimension – to beings who can no longer tell the difference between pain & pleasure – is more known for the practical effects and the gore on screen. While it might not go as far as some of the sequels, the original does indeed have it’s fair share of blood and torture. However, many seem to overlook the subtle ideas planted in the movie that elevate it above other films from the same era. In fact, it’s one of the few Horror films that has a genuinely well-executed feminist message.

Before we get into that, we need to understand what Horror was like in the 1980s. Due to the massive success of the 1978 film Halloween, the following decade has an increase in Slasher films. These movies tend to focus on recurring traits and characteristics. A group of people, usually teenagers or young adults, are being stalked by a killer using some sort of bladed weapon. Characters who use drugs like marijuana, who partake in pre-marital sex, or have aggressive personalities usually get killed. The last character is a female, one who typically doesn’t partake in the previously mentioned activities and isn’t aggressive. Referred to as The Final Girl, she fights the killer who is typically a male and will likely use the killer’s weapon against the. The bladed weapon used by killers are usually interpreted as a stand-in for their genitalia, the idea connected to how real life serial killers usually have some sort of sexual motivation for their murders. And the Final Girl using that weapon against them is seen as them taking on male characteristics and using them against them. While various Slasher films switch it up a bit, these traits can usually be found in most of them.

And nothing is inherently wrong with that. Many people watch and enjoy these films for those very things. The point being made is that this type of film dominated the genre at the time. Even if it wasn’t a Slasher flick, most Horror movies tend to focus on a mainly physical threat. There were other Horror films that focused on something more abstract. For example, the 1989 movie Pet Sematary was an exploration of how Death can affect and ruin families/relationships. But these films tend to be the exception and not the norm for the genre for most of the decade. That’s not to say A Nightmare on Elm Street didn’t incorporate interesting ideas or the previously mentioned Pet Sematary didn’t have it’s share of physical violence. But your not exactly looking for something thought provoking in something like Friday the 13th.

This is where the 1987 film Hellraiser becomes unique. First of all, the monsters of the movie – Cenobites, supernatural beings who view pain & pleasure as one and the same – don’t actually play a major role in the movie. The story is mainly focused on two humans. There’s Frank, a man who lived a Hedonistic life that lead him to open up a box that allowed the Cenobites to take him to their dimension. And there’s Julia, a woman married to Frank’s brother that had a brief affair with Frank around the time she got married. She had been carrying around thoughts and feelings for Frank since then. So when Frank finds a way to escape the Cenobites, he is able to manipulate Julia into helping him regain full strength as well as regain new skin.

That’s right, this movie has a major focus on a love story. But it’s not a healthy one. While Frank doesn’t want to live with Cenobites, he clearly no longer has the same human thoughts and emotions you and I would have regarding sex and relationships. He sees Julia as just someone he can use for the time being. We even see him have clear sexual feelings for his niece, Kirsty. Frank is a villain in the movie – he is actively doing wrong and going through on actions to accomplish his own agenda. The Cenobites – despite being inhuman in appearance and feelings – aren’t actually seeking out victims. They only take those who open the box, people who seek them out to experience new pleasure and sensations. Are they antagonists? Certainly. But they aren’t the ones that Kirsty is trying to stop.

As previously mentioned, the box is very important in the movie. And it’s at the heart of the movie’s feminist message. Some of you have probably heard cliched lines from TV and movies about how women are impossible to figure out. That they are something like living puzzles. Coincidentally, the box in Hellraiser is a puzzle box. We’ve seen people in various shows and movies try and figure out how to get lucky with a woman. It might take them a while to do so. But if and when they do, they end up indulging in physical pleasures and lust. Believe it or not, the same can be applied to the puzzle box. Once you solve it, the box will open and you can’t to experience what your looking for – one could say the same thing about a woman opening up her legs for a man. Women can be seen by some as a source of pain for many people, whether it be due to arguments or physical altercations or something else. But they are also a source of pleasure.

This brings us to the climax of the film. The Cenobites aren’t really slashers and they weren’t actively seeking out Kirsty, the Final Girl of the movie. But they still have to face-off against her in the end. Kirsty doesn’t actually use a weapon against them. Instead, she finds a way to close the puzzle box and send them back to where they come from. If solving the puzzle box can be compared to a woman opening her legs, then this acts is the equivalent of a woman closing her legs and denying satisfaction. The puzzle box – the woman – holds the power. And when permission is denied, everything must come to an end. There is a phrase that basically says that everything is about sex except for sex – that is about power. So if most Horror movies had subtle themes and messages regarding sex, then Hellraiser subverts that by making it one of the main themes. And by doing that, it is actually an exploration on relationships and the power a person has in that dynamic. The movie even turned the main Cenobite, a character with no clearly defined gender or portrayed strong stereotypical gender traits, and made them clearly male. Thus adding strength to the movie’s message of how much power woman have with their bodies.

A movie that’s well known for gore and blood ends up having clever ideas on topics not discussed enough in the US and subverts most expectations of the genre. It’s a movie that remains engaging with every viewing, with so much that can be discussed and interpreted. Plus, it’s a genuinely creepy and moody flick. It’s time you either revisit it or watch it for the first time. It has such sights to show you…