Hulu and Spyglass bring us this latest attempt to drag the Hellraiser franchise back to some level of respectability following its descent into bankrupt sequel hell, and this 2022 take is definitely an improvement on the recent entries. The arresting and well-shot opening sequence shows promise, the classic Clive Barker themes of pain, sex and addiction are spelt out quickly, and the focus on recovering addict Riley as a female protagonist provides a good angle on the concept. Production values are strong - the film looks and sounds great - and the attractive cast generally delivers well. The power and pull of the Puzzle Box is restored, and the Cenobites have their sense of menace restored to a fair degree. A two-hours run-time may seem ambitious, but it pays off in character grounding and development; sadly, the film does lose some momentum in the final act, but overall this is a positive step forward in resurrecting a classic property.
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