Hellraiser

Newsflash: reboots are hard to nail. I know, shocker, right? They come with the weight of the original already pulling them underwater. The lore, the nostalgia, the iconic stature of the original, and the decision to chuck it all to start over puts any reboot at a disadvantage. There has to be a tenuous balance struck of reverence for the old and striking a new identity. Hellraiser 2022, I can confidently say, does that. The one thing it doesn’t do is wrap it all up in a great package. The art direction, the style, the cinematography, all of it is excellent. There are so many beautiful shots in this movie, it is a feast for the eyes. The score that goes along with it is lush and dreamlike, but haunting as well, using some of the original movie’s motifs and giving them more body. The new designs of the Lament Configuration are fascinating, and the way it is reflected in the scenery is ingenious. The special effects are superbly executed. Much of it is still practical, and where CGI is used, it’s unobtrusive and barely noticeable. I have to commend the change in the design of the Cenobites too; in the original, it was all BDSM, with hooks, chains, buckles, and black leather. Here, the design is all about body modification; flayed skin, exposed sinew and muscle, uncomfortable piercings. It takes the overtly sexual aspect out of the Cenobites. They still revel in exploring the darkest side of hedonism, but it’s no longer rooted in carnality; it’s now just about sensation and stepping over thresholds. And all of that is anchored by a WONDERFUL performance by Jamie Clayton as the Hell Priest. Stepping into an iconic role like Pinhead that has been made so by another actor is a daunting proposition, but she owns it by paying tribute to Doug Bradley’s version while making it her own. Her Pinhead is icily seductive without being sexual, and evilly coy without being precocious or leaning on femininity. Bradley towered over his victims, a hellish monolith. Clayton is on her victim’s level, but exudes an aura that puts her above her victims. One is about presence, the other attitude, but both accomplish the same end goal. I also like how they just didn’t repeat old beats about people seeking out the Lament Configuration for the purpose of exploring unearthly delights and blurring the lines of pleasure and pain. Sex, in fact, is not relevant to the story at all. The original was all about it; it was Julia’s boredom with her marriage and lust for her dead lover that fueled the movie. In fact, it made her the true lead villain and the Cenobites were on the periphery, Hell’s judicious police force trying to bring back their escapee. Hellraiser 2022 isn’t about that at all. The box is more like a series of riddles that require sacrifices, and the final configuration promises an ultimate wish from the Cenobites’ master, Leviathan. And therein lies a problem with this movie. For as much as Pinhead and the Cenobites are iconic in design, they were never meant to be the centerpiece. Hellraiser 1, the villains were Julia and Frank, and the Cenobites were there to take back what had slipped through their hands. Hellraiser 2, the lead villains were Julia and Channard, and the Cenobites were again more on the periphery. There’s a reason those two are considered the best: they’re stories of humans and the consequences of their actions, not a war with BDSM demons. The series went off the rails when Pinhead was pushed to the center and became the primary antagonist. Jason, Freddy, Michael, Chucky, they were all iconic central villains, but they were also just people (or near to, at any rate). Pinhead is an agent of Hell itself, bound by rules and structure, but using those rules in the most bloodthirsty way. It’s too big for humanity and too ethereal a concept to be the main antagonist. And Hellraiser 2022 doesn’t understand that. It pushes Pinhead to the center. The rules are never clearly defined and often contradictory or conveniently bent when the movie needs it. Pinhead is scary when it’s a looming presence, the disproportionate response to someone’s sin of immorality. When Pinhead is everywhere, stalking people like Jason Voorhees, it dulls the effect. And speaking of dull, that’s the other problem this movie has: IT’S NOT EXCITING AT ALL. The original is a slow burn, sure, as Julia succumbs to her desires and does things she never would’ve considered to scratch her infernal, lustful itch. 2022’s version spends half its runtime before we get a good look at The Hell Priest, and even longer before we get the gore this franchise is known for. We spend that time with a sibling squabble that is never given the weight it should, non-existent character development, and a tedious investigation that never has enough revelations to feel important. I get that they were holding back on purpose so that the eventual reveal of the Cenobites and the gore would have more impact, but here’s the thing: this isn’t a new franchise. You wanna make a new IP and do that? Smart. Look at how this year’s X handled the slow burn. But if you’re watching Hellraiser 2022, odds are you’re familiar with it and you’re here for fucked-up shit. WE DON’T NEED THE TEASE HERE. A little build-up is fine, but when we know what it’s building to, there’s a point where it just monotonous. And when the second act half kicks in and the Cenobites show up and it finally starts getting interesting, you can’t help but feel a bit of resentment that this movie didn’t respect your time enough to get here already, so you have a hard time fully enjoying the carnage you’ve been waiting for. There are so many elements to love about this movie. The performances — especially Clayton — the look, the feel, the sound, everything … except how it all comes together. It’s not bad, but it’s just not all it should be or could be. Hooptober 2022 movie #13/31