I remember being hyped when the Hellraiser reboot was about to drop on Hulu in 2022, and I remember talking excitedly to my friends about the possibility of a good film in a series that had been languishing in the excrement of a cinematic underworld for far, far too long. Then a funny thing happened: I never actually watched it. Sure, I heard good things from people whose opinions mattered to me, but for whatever reason, I think I liked the idea of a new Hellraiser more than I trusted that one would actually be good. In other words, the repeated disappointment the series had pummeled me with had gotten to me, and I couldn't bear to open myself up to Pinhead again.
So last week, as I was pre-ordering my (physical) copy of the new in-continuity Hellraiser video game, Hellraiser: Revival, I finally forced myself to sit my ass down in front of the television and watch 2022's Hellraiser. Even though I'd heard chatter about the movie, I honestly knew very little about it. I wasn't sure if it was a straight-up remake or something else, so I was surprised when the movie started out with a guy using the puzzle box to summon Leviathan, the dark deity last seen in Hellbound: Hellraiser II.
Ultimately, 2022's Hellraiser is not a remake, but it's not exactly a sequel either. Let's go with "soft reboot," and let's also agree that calling it simply Hellraiser was a terrible idea. If it were up to me, I'd have called it Hellraiser: Leviathan, but nobody paid me for ideas, so here we are.
The post-coffee struggle
I'm going to start with the things I didn't like about this new version of Hellraiser. First and foremost, the rules are a bit different here, not that they've ever been particularly consistent in this franchise. Starting off with the very first death in the film's opening, the majority of the victims are unwitting victims who were tricked into using the puzzle box rather than being people drawn to the psychosexual promise of physical delights beyond the boundaries of sensation. People have been tricked into using the puzzle box before, but never to this extent and never with the enthusiastic support of the Cenobites.
My other major complaint is the characters, not a single one of which is likable. Even the protagonist, Riley (Odessa A'zion), is easy to hate for being a selfish, whiny drug addict unable to take accountability for her own mistakes. The story tries to give her an arc, but it feels more obligatory than earned. The primary human villain, Roland Voight (Goran Visnjic), is almost interesting in his mix of earlier, power-hungry villains like Dr. Channard and J.P. Monroe. Unfortunately, he isn't given enough time to really develop, since he spends the majority of the film hidden away.
This chick is annoying
However, the Cenobites are awesome. The designs are great, fully in-keeping with the originals, and Jamie Clayton is absolutely fantastic as the new Pinhead (named only "the Priest" in the film's credits). The first half of the film teases them more than shows them, but once the Cenobites take center stage during the climax, they dominate the movie in all the right ways. I also appreciate that the puzzle box is more realized than ever before--it actually feels like a real puzzle that works like a cracked-out Rubik's Cube with knives in it--and serves as a design template for the film's primary location.
And as mentioned, this movie doesn't shy away from showing us Leviathan and the hellish labyrinth from Hellbound, and they have never looked better. Granted, the brightness could have been turned up a little so we could actually see it, but the visual effects are stunning. The gore is great, too, if you're into that kind of thing, and there are plenty of practical effects in the mix.
She can tear my soul apart anytime
Probably my favorite bit of effects work, though, is the transition from reality into the other dimension, with floors opening up, a car interior stretching into the distant labyrinth, walls peeling away, and more. Sometimes it's as simple as a wild wall--a staple of film sets that usually remains behind the camera--but it's nonetheless effective, proving that a simple practical trick can be vastly superior to an expensive bit of flashy CGI.
All in all, I'd say the movie is a vital shot in the arm for the franchise, and I'm sorry it took me so long to actually watch it. The acting is good (even if I don't like any of the characters), the visuals are amazing, and the filmmaking is more competent than in any other entry in the franchise, including the original. There's been talk of a sequel ever since it released, though there doesn't seem to have been much movement on that front. Color me hopeful, though, because 2022's Hellraiser could be the promising start to a brand-new chapter in Clive Barker's legacy franchise.
-e. magill 9/30/2026
SPECIAL THANKS TO MY PATRONS:
BattyBatFirebrand
Chris Connell
Chuck Poore
Diane Magill-Davis
Janne Wass
John Burrill
Joseph Osborn
JW Orchard
Keith E
Myk OConnor
Numinous2019
Robert Pontz
Scott Jahner
Sean Vale
Spotes
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Tibi Šrámek
Warren Davis
BattyBatFirebrand
Chuck Poore
Diane Magill-Davis
DonkeyHoetee
Giffin Chumley, DDF
Harold the Hatter
Jack Blair
John Burrill
Myk O'Connor
Robyn Moore
Scott Jahner
Spotes
Tracy Roth-Myers
Warren Davis
