David Bruckner’s Hellraiser 2022 is a modern retooling of Clive Barker’s 1987 classic and is a worthy addition to the series of Hellraiser films. Based on Barker’s original novella, The Hellbound Heart, the original Hellraiser exists in a titillating intersection of erotism, sadomasochism, and psychosexual horror. These themes return for the latest gory entry in the Hellraiser franchise.
Rather than being a reboot, Hellraiser 2022 pulls inspiration and mythology from the novella and the first two films. It follows a young woman named Riley (Odessa A’zion), an addict trying to get her life together but who consistently gives in to the temptations of her vices. Riley comes into possession of the puzzle box which summons the Cenobites, who offer both punishment and reward. Unaware of the consequences which lead to her brother’s disappearance, Riley solves the puzzle box which sets her up on a confrontation against Jamie Clayton’s sexy and menacing version of Pinhead.
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