Hellraiser

Though its sequels have been steadily dwindling in quality over the years, Hellraiser remains an entertaining and downright creepy piece of work – with writer/director Clive Barker’s stylish visual choices certainly playing a key role in the movie’s enduring success. The story follows bickering married couple Larry (Andrew Robinson) and Julia (Clare Higgins) as they move into a creaky old house, where Julia eventually discovers a blood-sucking monster living in the upstairs attic. Said creature is inevitably revealed to be her former lover Frank (Sean Chapman), who – after escaping from Pinhead and his demented band of Cenobites – must now feast on the blood of human sacrifices to regain his human form (Julia reluctantly agrees to provide a series of would-be one-night stands for this very purpose). Barker has infused Hellraiser with an exceedingly deliberate pace that admittedly does take a while to get used to, as the film initially possesses the vibe of a decidedly non-horrific familial drama. There’s little doubt that the slow-moving atmosphere proves instrumental in building an atmosphere of dread, however, and it’s subsequently impossible to deny the effectiveness of the gruesome (and sporadically frightening) third act. Ashley Laurence – cast as Larry’s estranged daughter (and the ultimate hero of the piece) – turns in a surprisingly affecting performance that essentially anchors the film, though it’s obviously impossible to overlook Doug Bradley’s work as the iconic Pinhead (his delivery of the film’s most famous line – “we’ll tear your soul apart!” – itself justifies Hellraiser‘s entire existence).

*** out of ****