Let’s get into this nasty little ditty. I knew as soon as it was announced they were going to remake/reboot Hellraiser, it was going to divide people. I mean, it’s Hellraiser. That’s sacred ground. You’re definitely not going to please everyone. But TBH I’ve actually been surprised by just how wide the variance of reactions have been. Some friends have said it was “perfect”, others said it was “boring”, one friend even said it was “just a slasher film now.” Well, I’m here to give my opinion. And I thought they did a dynamite job. They leaned into the things I found most intriguing, and they trimmed the fat of the rest. In the end I thought it was lovely. Yes, I said lovely. I’ll explain in a second. First, here is the brief IMDB synopsis:
A take on Clive Barker’s 1987 horror classic where a young woman struggling with addiction comes into possession of an ancient puzzle box, unaware that its purpose is to summon the Cenobites.
Obviously with a film like this, a much longer discussion is needed, but I don’t have the time to do a deep dive. I’ll try to topline my thoughts. Hellraiser has always been a fascinating property to me. It’s such a bizarre tightrope. On one side you’ve got flat out disgusting gore, vomitous imagery, and abhorrent depravity. But on the other you’ve got an odd grace, elegance, and almost religious philosophy about it all. Sure there are skinned people, contorted limbs, and blood aplenty, but there’s also discussions on the human condition, addiction and what exactly are our “limits”. To me, ALL of that — which is what made the story and the original film successful to me — was perfectly represented with this new Hellraiser. At its core, those ideas are all retained, which is why I don’t understand the hate. Plus, the new filmmakers’ choice to lean into the puzzle box and all the configurations was a stroke of genius. Creating six different configurations and six different “desires” to go along with them was both simple and unique. The new Cenobites are wonderfully macabre, and yes, lovely. This is why I used that word earlier. This movie is dark, but it’s always slightly lovely. It’s hard to explain, which is what I love. Personally, I thought David Bruckner (who directed the equally lovely Night House) did a phenomenal job, and deserves kudos for taking a challenging job and delivering. Not everyone may like it, but before you judge, if you’re a horror fan at all, watch it and judge for yourself.
Where to Watch: Streaming on Hulu
Food/Drink Pairing: Forgo the food and drink and just dive headfirst into the booze and pills. (That’s not me talking, that’s the Cenobites…)
Musings of a Scary Horror Writer. 
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