Hellraiser Review

Taking the sadomasochism out of Hellraiser is a bold and notable move for this horror revival. Asserting David Brucker as a director not content with a rehash of the usual story ideas sees the perception and essential elements of Hellraiser repurposed for a new generation. Sex-crazed lunatics no more, it is now the turn of junkies and addicts to take a spin on the horror-clad Ferris wheel. But in an age where the sanctity of nostalgia-bait art is dependent on little being changed, the Odessa A’zion-led adaptation of Hellraiser finds itself with one less Douglas Bradley and one huge overhaul trying both to be respectful of the classic but unique for the sake of creativity.

What happens then is a usual traipse through the horror tropes of the past decade, but with relative confidence reserved for those actively trying to improve on an old topic. Hellraiser found itself in the murky waters of straight-to-video opportunities, as many horror figures of the 1980s did. An inevitable revival was on the cards, especially after the relative success of the Candyman remake last year. Hellraiser is another unsung hero of the horror genre, hopefully clawing back a larger audience now that a fairly solid remake has been released. The changes made to Hellraiser are puzzling, but the gory glory is still intact, and to some, that is all that matters. For Hellraiser, the dependence on that is extremely clear.

Unfortunately, a reliance on the modern pop association of horror classics comes through, with seedy red lighting attempting and failing to replicate the sexually-charged perversions of the original. Brucker does enough to cement this remake as unique enough to warrant existing but is all too keen to remind audiences that Hellraiser was scarier earlier in its lifespan. There is still a gruelling and uncomfortable nature to Hellraiser, but that is more reliant on Jamie Clayton’s appearance as The Priest rather than that of Bradley as Pinhead. The latter will always prevail, but Clayton gives a solid presence that relies more on the prosthetics and design of the character than it does her performance. Whether Hellraiser works here is dependent on how the story fares, which does feel bolder and wilder than the original.

But that change of pace takes the Possession-like structure and turns it into something more akin to a resolutely taxing science-fiction piece. Of shards and puzzle pieces coming together, of Goran Višnjić giving a monumental performance that steals the show. Hellraiser is fine enough and its reliance on musical cues is a shame, especially when tasked with the obvious difficulty of being better than its original. No chance, but that comes from overindulgence in moody tropes and bigger being seen as better. It is not. A large mansion is too broad and sporadic, but even then the gory elements are contained well and quite deranged, even if the plot is lacking at times. It exposes its relatively weak contraptions too often, despite giving new precedence to the Cenobites and exploring their meaning and status as horror villains well enough to warrant an exploration of these characters.