Hellraiser is proof that horror can push the limits of storytelling to a point where you are equally parts disgusted and intrigued about what a Cenobite is and how Clive Barker came up with this in 1987. And this is coming from someone who has never watched a Hellraiser movie or read the accompanying material. I wasn’t old enough to watch it when it came out. And when I finally did, the cheesy qualities of the 80’s aesthetic really were a turn-off. So I passed. The remake/sequel is a way of fixing that Hellraiser hole in my horror heart.
Story and directing-wise, it all works. David Bruckner (The Night House, The Ritual) knows how to capture Riley’s (Odessa A’zion) story from a perspective that puts you into this young woman’s shoes; ultimately feeling just as lost as her. And we’re talking about before and after she comes across the puzzle box aka the Lament Configuration. Because it’s important to tell well-rounded stories that don’t just depend on a magic box to fuck shit up. Riley is really good at fucking shit up all on her own. And her story would be just as compelling without the Lament Configuration.
But I’m getting off track here.
As someone who knows absolutely nothing about Hellraiser, besides the iconic Pinhead look by Doug Bradley, this story was accessible to new fans while throwing small clues here and there to long-time fans. That balance is something really hard to do when it comes to remakes. But this version of Hellraiser manages to do that without being too overwhelming or overflowing with gate-keeping language. As a result, I wanted to know about the Cenobites and their pursuit of sensation. And I certainly wanted to know what connected them to this puzzle box with surprises waiting inside.
Let’s not forget, it left me wanting to know how they ended up so disturbingly stomach-churning in design.
Then there’s the Jamie Clayton of it all. I know that A’zion is the lead. And, yes, she’s accompanied by the likes of Drew Starkey, Adam Faison, Brandon Flynn, and Aoife Hinds. But Clayton carried Hellraiser to full term and birthed something so terrifying that I wanted to look away but couldn’t because the presence she exudes is *chefs kiss.* Personally, I think she could have the same vibe of faint amusement and curiosity without the makeup and prosthetics. But dear Lord did all of this work transform her into a being that reminds us of Bradley’s work but stands on its own with no problem.
Ultimately, that’s what makes Hellraiser a success in my horror-loving eyes. This movie doesn’t need the past to rise. All it needs is talented actors like Clayton and A’zio coming together with the work written to screenplay by Ben Collins, Luke Piotrowski, and David S. Goyer. And with the way things ended, there’s no way this movie doesn’t get a sequel and no way that I will sit by idly by until I get a whole documentary about Clayton’s makeup and prosthetics, along with Jason Lils ‘The Chatterer, Yinka Olorunnife‘s ‘The Weeper,’ Selina Lo‘s ‘The Gasp,’ and Zachary Hing‘s ‘The Asphyx.’
(I would look up photos to figure out which Cenobite is which, but they’re not a sight I want to remember. Ever.)
Hellraiser premieres on October 7, 2022 on Hulu.
