After 15+ years in development Hell, Clive Barker’s iconic horror film HELLRAISER has finally been remade (Rebooted? Reimagined? Requeled?) in a splendid and surprising way.
The new film tells the story of Riley (Odessa A’Zion), a young woman struggling with drug and alcohol abuse, who can’t seem to get her life on track. Her illness endangers those around her, and before she knows it, she’s running from hellish cenobites with almost as much vigor as she is from her problems.
In some ways, this new film feels more “Clive Barker” than the original, which he directed himself. This is primarily due to the studio getting in the way of his gothic 1987 opus, leaving it feeling unbalanced and censored. Despite how much I love that movie, I’ve always felt it was missing something. Its sequel, HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II, picked up some of that slack, and while HELLRAISER III: HELL ON EARTH is a guilty pleasure of mine, I can’t in good conscience suggest any of the sequels that follow. Unfortunately, the series—after trading studio hands several times—really falls apart and loses what made it so impactful in the first place: the message that the people are the real monsters in these movies, not the cenobites.
HELLRAISER 2022 brings the story back to its original tone, basing its themes more closely on its source-novella, THE HELLBOUND HEART. Doug Bradley’s iconic Pinhead (a name given by fans—it actually wasn’t canon until the book’s sequel, THE SCARLET GOSPELS, was released in 2015—Barker always hated the name) is not to be found in the new film. The lead cenobite, officially known as The Priest, is portrayed by trans actress Jamie Clayton. I mention her gender identity because this film fully embraces Clive Barkers’ own queerness. His gay influence throughout his body of work has become more and more relevant through the years, and this film’s casual queerness feels refreshing and encouraging. As an actress, Clayton brings something truly wonderful to the character. Her interpretation is thoughtful and patient. Rather than a deep, booming voice, The Priest speaks in a gentle, spine-chilling whisper resting somewhere between octaves. Her reflective pins—dress pins, perhaps?—are alluring and delicate; she is both beautiful and terrifying.
Actually, all the cenobites are very well-designed. Their iridescent palate shimmers in lighting that should look silly but is elegant and haunting. The mere use of passing shadows seems to transform them without the use of CGI—props for all the practical makeup used in this film. Rather than the black leather/latex 80’s punk/BDSM garments of cenobite designs past, they are cloaked (or not cloaked) in their own flayed flesh, giving them an organic, eerie beauty. There’s a chilling elegance to their presence.
As Riley, A’zion doesn’t seem to know she’s in a horror movie—I mean this in the best way possible. She portrays her struggling character with the selfishness and earnestness of an addict—her voice always on the verge of breaking—with an impressive character arc that might not have been delivered in less careful hands. The whole cast, who seem fairly green, are very good.
The film includes many “if you know, you know” moments, expounding on how the famed Lament Configuration puzzle box works and driving home the results of tampering with it. There’s a lot to appreciate here for fans of Clive Barker, while those unfamiliar with his canon will not feel left behind.
The film is not perfect—while it is a suitable addition to the franchise, at a bold two hours, I wonder if there might have been a little tightening up that could have taken place. I never found myself bored, but I could have done with a little more action in the second act.
What worked most for me about this film is the realism of its stakes. As a sober person myself, Riley’s journey really hit home for me. There are consequences to an addict’s actions, and the recovery journey is not easy. The film makes a poignant point while not being preachy.
I recommend this film to fans of the original, but I am curious how it will fair in the long run. I find it very memorable and hope to see it remembered as one of the better films in the franchise. The iconic line from the original film keeps coming to my mind: “Demons to some. Angels to others.” I suspect that’s how the film will be received.
HELLRAISER is available to stream on HULU.
