The reviews are in for Hulu’s reboot of the “Hellraiser” franchise, and the reaction is very good.
According to Rotten Tomatoes, the film is pulling in 85% and a 6.7/10 average score. That makes it the highest of the franchise to date, even more so than the 1987 original at 70% (6.5/10).
Of course, the franchise has been famous for going downhill fast in the past as several entries have scored 0% whilst others sit around the 13%, 17% and 24% mark. Only the first three seem to have any real traction with the second film at 50% and third at 40%.
Whilst very few reviews are actually calling it the best entry to date, almost all are saying it is a major return to form, with Jamie Clayton’s performance as the new Pinhead scoring rave reviews across the board.
Here’s a sampling of quotes:
“Hellraiser infuses enough style and worldbuilding with a mesmerizing new Hell Priest to ensure we’re ready to sign up for whatever other sights Bruckner has to show us next.” – Meagan Navarro, Bloody Disgusting
“Bruckner, Collins, and Piotrowski plant their vision in fields that are no less rich, terrifying, or gorily violent than the hellbound story that started it all.” – Leigh Monson, AV Club
“Fans will be relieved to know that this Hellraiser definitely doesn’t skimp on the gore, providing enough viscera and flayed skin to satisfy the most bloodthirsty viewers.” – Frank Scheck
Hollywood Reporter
“The new “Hellraiser” works as a metaphor, as flesh-annihilating spectacle. Yet it doesn’t quite work as a story.” – Owen Gleiberman, Variety
“It mistakes spending time with characters for actually developing them. Once the second hour fully unleashes the Clive Barker-ness of it all, however, it doesn’t let up.” – Luke Y. Thompson, SuperHeroHype
“A 2022 rebirth for the franchise, free of all the sexy subversion that got it here in the first place. It’s perfectly entertaining, using Barker’s inventive tropes to tell a solidly gory nightmare, but it’s a pale vanilla shadow of the original.” – Jude Dry, indieWire
The new “Hellraiser” is set to premiere exclusively on Hulu in the U.S. from tomorrow and will appear in certain international territories in the Star section of the Disney+ service.
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