Hellraiser is a 2022 horror mystery thriller film directed by David Bruckner, starring Odessa A’zion, Jamie Clayton, and Adam Faison. The story follows a young woman struggling with addiction who comes into possession of an ancient puzzle box, unaware that its purpose is to summon the Cenobites.
The story itself feels like there’s no real buildup. No buildup for the characters, no buildup for the story. I did like that there was a better focus on the lore though they’ve changed some things (some for the better, some for the worst). There is an interesting twist about halfway through the movie but because the story is so bare bones it isn’t as impactful as it could’ve been. Having said that, the story is actually pretty predictable. I wasn’t really interested in the main story arc but was more interested in seeing the Cenobites.
Riley is one of the worst main protagonist I’ve seen in a horror film. She’s portrayed as a recovering addict and that’s suppose to be her only characteristic. Really the characters are one dimensional. Nora was in the film and I didn’t even know her name for most of the film. The characters could’ve been a helluva lot better written.
The story was decent but the characters leave much to be designed. (2 out of 5)
Visually, this is a really good looking film. First, the Cenobites look awesome with the great makeup and costume designs. The detail is gruesome and the Cenobite designs are diverse. I actually liked the Hell Priest and the Chatterer designs. Really enjoyed the inter-dimensional doorways that kept opening up and how well the transitions from our world to the Cenobite world were. There’s a scene where Nora is taken by the Cenobites in the back of van and it’s a really good shot. The blood and gore is decent but quite tame compared to previous films. In fact, most of the kills happen offscreen. The set designs are good. The mansion setting is pretty cool, though I don’t think it was utilized to its full potential. The CGI isn’t bad and is used effectively.
The music and sound design is actually really good. The Hell Priest’s voice and how menacing it is with the sound synthesizing is done exceptionally well. I thought the music was done well. I don’t know much about Ben Lovett but I’m interested in seeing some more of his credits.
Overall, I think the visuals and sound were good. (3 out of 5)
The performances range from good to decent. Odessa A’zion is the main lead and she’s…decent. It’s not that she’s bad but because of how badly the character is written she doesn’t feel fleshed out. I don’t get the gender swap though Jamie Clayton did a good job as the Hell Priest…Pinhead. The supporting cast also includes Adam Faison, Drew Starkey, Brandon Flynn, Aoife Hinds, Goran Visnjic, and Hiam Abbass. The Cenobites include Jason Liles (the Chatterer), Yinka Olorunnife (the Weeper), Selina Lo (the Gasp), Zachary Hing (the Asphyx), Gorica Regodic (the Mother), and Vukasin Jovanovic (the Masque).
The script is woke but not as annoying as it could’ve been. There are a bunch boxes that get checked. There’s the “strong” determined female protagonist, a gay white guy, a gay mixed guy, an Asian chick, the bad guys are white males. Of course, the writing does get lazy. It is filled with horror troupes such as “characters running and falling for no reason”. Characters wondering off into secluded locations without telling anyone. Personally, the house wasn’t a good setup for the finale. It felt too tame, too safe.
Liked the expansion of the mythology and the purpose the box though they did change some things especially when it comes to the purpose of the box and the motivations of the Cenobites. Some of these changes aren’t bad. The film touches on addiction but it really never goes anywhere. In fact, after the initial catalyst it’s pretty much forgotten. The film is not scary (but to the film’s credit neither were the others) but it is unsettling at times.
Overall, the performances are okay but the writing and direction could’ve been iron out more. (2 out of 5)
The Verdict: In the end, Hellraiser is a decent reboot. It is far from perfect but it’s a helluva lot better than most of the Hellraiser sequels. The writing could’ve been better and there could’ve been more gore but visually this was a sound film and the sound design on point. Hellraiser gets 2 out of 5.
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