Thoughts on the 2022 Hellraiser reboot?

I’m with the crowd that loves the first two. They were great—raw, brutal, and heavy on atmosphere. It feels like they were shot back-to-back, just flowing perfectly into one another. Those Cenobites have this specific charisma, too. Pinhead especially...

Those movies were my quiet nightmare growing up. I didn't actually sit down to watch them until college. My older friends would always go, "Man, you HAVE to see Lord of Hell! It's the scariest thing ever!" 😁 Since the VHS tapes were kept on the top shelf at the video store, I couldn't reach them. Plus, I was too embarrassed to ask my aunt about the sadomasochistic types on the covers. Memories...

For me, the series starts sliding downhill starting with the third, though the fourth is still watchable. The Cenobite designs were pretty cool to look at.

From five through eight—which was the last one I saw—good grief, they just got worse and worse. Just cheap, low-budget productions.

I stopped at nine because it looked like trash, and I didn't even know there was a tenth. I might check out this remake just to get a quick laugh at Višnjić's expense. 😁

Pinhead is definitely an iconic horror figure, but honestly, those movies just didn't hit the same level as Friday the 13th, Halloween, or Terror in Elm Street.

The Elm Street remake was a total train wreck, and the second Freddy version felt so pathetic compared to the original—I'm really hoping they don't pull the same stunt with Hellraiser.

Pinhead, Michael Myers, Jason, Chucky... they're all legends, but for me, Freddy Krueger is the absolute coolest. He’s the only one who can actually make you laugh while you're terrified out of your mind.

Just watched this and honestly, I wouldn't recommend it. It really shouldn't have hit the two-hour mark—they stretched out certain scenes way too much. There are some solid, tense moments in there, but they’re definitely the exception rather than the rule. Also, Pinhead looks almost feminine until he actually speaks, and none of the other members of the monastery can even come close to looking as good as the ones from the original. Višnjić was great, though—might actually be the performance of his life 😬 4/10

Christian Myers said:I checked this out and I honestly wouldn't recommend it, I guess. It really shouldn't have stretched to two hours because they just padded everything out way too much, though there were a few decent, tense moments buried in there somewhere. Pinhead looks almost feminine until he actually speaks, and none of the other members of the monastery can really compete with how they looked in the original films. Višnjić was great, maybe even gave a career-defining performance 😬 4/10

That seems a bit harsh, if you ask me.

The first half—before Višnjić's character shows up and we see fewer members of the monastery—is definitely slower, but I'd probably give the whole thing a 6.5/10, maybe.

The soundtrack is pretty good, though.

Drew Chavez52 said:I’m siding with everyone who loved the first two films—they were fantastic. To me, they felt like truly atmospheric, raw, and unapologetic horror movies. There’s a seamless flow between them, almost as if they were shot back-to-back, which makes the transition feel incredibly smooth. Plus, those Cenobites have such a unique charisma; they really stand out as iconic figures, especially Pinhead.

Those movies were a quiet torment to me when I was a kid—I didn't actually sit down and watch them until my college days. Back then, my older friends would always insist, "You have to see Lord of Hell, man! It's the scariest horror movie ever made, seriously." 😁 Since those tapes were tucked away on the very top shelf of the video store, I could never quite reach them—and honestly, I was way too embarrassed to ask my aunt about the sadomasochistic imagery on the covers. Ah, the nostalgia.

Personally, I feel like the series starts its downward slide right around the third installment—though, to be fair, the fourth one is still worth a watch. I found the design of the Cenobites particularly fascinating, though; there was something genuinely captivating about their aesthetic that kept me hooked.

I watched from the fifth installment through to the eighth—which, honestly, was a total disaster—and I have to say, they were all equally terrible. It felt like nothing more than some low-budget, bargain-bin production you'd find on a local cable channel.

I stopped watching at number nine because, frankly, the film looked like total garbage—and I didn't even realize there was a tenth installment out there. Honestly, though, I might give this remake a shot just to get a quick laugh at Višnjić's expense. 😁

Christian Myers said:I watched this one, and honestly, I wouldn't recommend it. It really struggles to hold anyone's attention for a full two hours—they overextended the runtime by dragging out certain scenes way more than necessary. While there are a few solid, tense moments scattered throughout, they’re definitely the exception rather than the rule. To be blunt, Pinhead looks almost feminine until he actually speaks, and even the rest of the Cenobites can't quite touch the look of the ones from the original film. On the bright side, Višnjić was great; it might have even been the performance of his career. 😬 4/10

I’m thinking along the same lines—everything was going smoothly right up until the fourth installment, and then suddenly, everything just falls apart. This reboot really shouldn't have dragged on for two full hours, though I will say it does have some standout moments—specifically those scenes involving the Cenobites. And honestly? It’s highly likely this is the performance of a lifetime from Višnjić.

Actually, I already covered that entire point in my review...

The movie is a complete wash.

The cenobites have never truly received the cinematic treatment they deserve, largely because even those first few sequels were pretty much bottom-of-the-barrel.

At least Pinhead used to look menacing; in this latest iteration, he looks more like a tacky, over-decorated Christmas tree.

There’s a slight nod to giallo during the opening sequence which makes it somewhat tolerable, but after that, the whole thing just falls apart completely.

As for Shakespeare, sure, he’s fine, but if this really represents the pinnacle of his career and the performance of a lifetime... well, what does that say about us?

frozenskipper12 said:Look, I get what you're saying about Shakespeare, but if this is really his big break or the role he'll be remembered for...

Isn't his peak actually those patriotic blockbusters he did with Spielberg? 😁

Just finished watching. It’s a decent enough horror flick. The whole design for the cenobites is actually pretty interesting and different. Instead of the usual black leather BDSM gear, they went with this look where their outfits seem to be made from their own skin. I also thought the bit about the box having different configurations was a cool touch. Shakespeare as the secondary antagonist is solid, especially during the second half. The female lead, though? Pretty irritating and honestly quite unlikable. It’s hard to connect with her or even root for her—I guess I spent most of the movie just hoping she’d get taken out by some chain. By the end, I found myself pulling for Shakespeare's character more.

I'm glad they didn't call the woman Pinhead and just went with Priest instead.

For a direct-to-streaming movie, which usually ends up being total trash, this is a solid way to kill two hours, especially if you're into horror. Maybe a 6.5/10. There's zero chance this becomes a cult classic like the original Hellraiser, but there's a very good shot at a sequel being made. That ending scene really sets things up.

Once again, we have those guys from India rigging the IMDb votes
I was right—this could have easily been skipped entirely, but here we are...
The devil just wouldn't leave me alone, I guess
I'm not even sure if it deserves a 6. Let's call it a 5.9 🤷
Imagine my surprise... when during the end credits I realize
that half the people involved in this total half-fiasco
are some kind of weird fringe faction. Clearly an American-made
production 😕 full of nothing but low-rent nobodies 😛
It’s hardly any wonder the quality is garbage

Tomislav b said:The lead actress needs to be incredibly irritating, but she ends up being okay by the end.

She isn't just "irritating"
she is probably the least attractive/striking
lead actress I've seen in recent memory
excluding movies from the 90s, obviously

You honestly have to be a bit of a genius to pull off a complete demolition of everything that actually worked in the original. I mean, they managed to strip away the atmosphere, the script, Christopher Young’s incredible score, and even the solid performances from the leads. It’s so spectacularly bad that it’s almost hard to believe.

I tend to skip over most unnecessary remakes and sequels. Quite simply, none of them ever manage to be any good.

Honestly, I thought this was pretty solid.
Shakespeare is surprisingly good here—he really nails this role, which is a huge departure from his usual stuff.
The two hours just flew by.
It's an American co-production.

Jeffrey Howard79 said:I skip all those pointless remakes and sequels just like everyone else. Honestly, none of them are actually good.

The first two, maybe the third. Everything else is total garbage.

Larry Walker24 said:The first two—and maybe even the third—are solid. Everything else is just junk.

That’s exactly right. You could count the first three as legitimate entries—I’d definitely include the third one, given it actually had some decent ideas and introduced those new cenobites while sticking to the lore of the 'demonic box'...
Everything after that? It's just a downward spiral... from part five through ten, the whole franchise basically just goes straight to hell.

ruggedmaker99 said:... when I realize during the credits
that half the people involved in this total clusterfuck
are just some random Americans—or whatever cheap offshore
production crew😕 full of nobodies and hacks😛
it’s no wonder the whole thing sucks

But hey, remember when we shot BloodRayne 3 (Uwe Boll) in the States? Pure masterpiece right there. 😁 We blame the extras and the lighting for why a movie fails instead of pointing fingers at the directors, writers, producers, or the lead actors (who were all foreigners anyway, btw)?
😵

I only caught the first one back in the eighties, and my memory of it is pretty hazy, but this one was alright. It’s an easy watch for a couple of hours.

Total nonsense. Even after all this time, Shakespeare still can't act for shit...

Most of this Hellraiser was shot right in New York City. I’d probably check it out just for that—plus, I'm a fan of the older films anyway.