Hellraiser has perhaps spawned more distinctive takes on a single horror/sci-fi world than any other franchise, coming to a total of eleven films that increasingly depart from the original 1987 Clive Barker film. Based on Barker’s novella The Hellbound Heart, Hellraiser provided a perverse, weirdly enjoyable look into the human psyche, an indulgence in the pleasure/pain dichotomy that is part of the human experience—and that is, in itself, part of the attraction of horror films themselves. David Bruckner’s newest addition to the Hellraiser franchise finds its unique pleasures within the same structure, developing the franchise and its concerns in new, exciting directions.
This time, Hellraiser focuses on Riley (Odessa A’Zion), a drug addict struggling to stay on the wagon with the help of her brother, Matt (Brandon Flynn) and enabled by her boyfriend, Trevor (Drew Starkey). A midnight jaunt with Trevor ends in the discovery of the puzzle box, an artifact that used to be in the possession of “hedonistic billionaire” Roland Voight (Goran Visnjic), who vanished six years before. When Riley solves the puzzle box’s first configuration, she unlocks the realm of the Cenobites, a group of demonic, sadomasochistic creatures who offer a world of extreme sensations to any who will offer sacrifices to them.
If the original Hellraiser sought to explore the lines between horror and sex, pleasure and pain, with the Cenobites representing extreme sadomasochistic desires, this reboot explores the same within the context of drug addiction. Riley’s pursuit of her addiction is both the pleasure afforded by the oblivion of drugs, and the pain she suffers and causes others to suffer because of her desires. The discussions between her and the Priest (Jamie Clayton) highlight this relationship, as the Priest reiterates that she was the one who sought out the Cenobites in the first place. It’s implied that the Cenobites, and particularly the Priest, take a greater interest in Riley than she realizes, compelled by her love of suffering.
The plot leads Riley in pursuit of the Cenobites and their world as she uncovers the relationship between them and the disappearance of her brother and others, eventually dragging in her loved ones as she journeys to Roland Voight’s house. But Riley is no innocent trapped in another’s game. The Cenobites see her as a kindred spirit who will understand and accept their gifts—the “freedom” they offer. Riley’s choice lies in how far she will go, and who and what she will be willing to sacrifice. The original film focuses on the pursuit of increasingly extreme sensations; this film explores the dichotomy of that pursuit from within its protagonist—the heroine trapped in a box of her own making.
This Hellraiser avoids the typical traps of reboots by being neither a straight remake nor a straight sequel. Rather, this is a different approach to the same material, utilizing the overall concepts, structure, and interests of Barker’s original novella and film in achieving its own ends. The design of the Cenobites and the use of at times excessive body horror should be enough to satisfy any Hellraiser fan but calling the Priest simply a “female Pinhead” somewhat diminishes the work being done here. Jamie Clayton doesn’t ape Doug Bradley’s performance in the original film, but creates her own, unique take on the Cenobite leader.
Some Hellraiser purists may take issue with the film’s comparative lack of eroticism, its focus shift from sexual hedonism and S&M to drugs and addiction, but isn’t this what the best reboots do? Take the concepts and structure of the original to create something new, with its own concerns and predilections? There are, after all, different kinds of sensations to experience, and different ways to understand the pleasure/pain of existence. There are many different ways to experience Hellraiser, and this is just one. But it has many sights to show you.
Hellraiser is available to stream on Hulu.
