Hellraiser - The scoop and digest

David Bruckner reboots titular franchise and also re-imagines Clive Barker's novella The Hellbound Heart, which of course was the basis for Hellraiser.

Odessa A'zion - Riley

Jamie Clayton - The Priest

Adam Faison - Colin

Drew Starkey - Trevor

Brandon Flynn - Matt

Aoife Hinds - Nora

Goran Višnjić - Roland Voight

Summary

After his lawyer Serena Menaker buys a rare object in Belgrade, hedonistic occultist Roland Voight hosts a swanky orgy in Massachusetts.

Sex worker Joey is coaxed into a private room and solves a puzzle box, getting hooked for his troubles.

For delivering latest sacrifice, Voight demands an audience with Leviathan.

Six years later, recovering drug addict Riley and her boyfriend Trevor break into an abandoned warehouse and steal a certain box.

Later, she manages to solve it, but unlike Joey, avoids getting cut by the blade.  The Cenobites appear, demanding she pass it on to somebody else.

The carnage begins.

Not a complete waste of good suffering

Undoubtedly the best since Hellbound, but...

Only those ignorant to source material will take issue with 'Pinhead' being female, as Barker described things as 'sexless', so androgynous.  Frank himself had difficulty associating gender with any.

Fans will know concept isn't new, as Kirsty became a Cenobite in Part Four of Boom! Studios 2011 comic story Requiem, specifically issue 8.

Clayton's performance is acceptable, but incomparable to Doug Bradley.

While leather will always remain iconic, flesh gets a thumbs up and along with a new look Chatterer, new friends The Weeper, The Gasp and The Asphyx are worthy of gruesome lore.

The Mother and The Masque look stupid though.

Blood is spilled, but more could've been shown on-screen.

I loved everything about the box and the many shapes it takes.

Configurations:

Lament - Life

Lore - Knowledge

Lauderant - Love

Liminal - Sensation

Lazarus - Resurrection

Leviathan - Power

Okay, do the positives outweigh the negatives?

Let's find out.

There is no real plot development and characters are without backstories.

Bunch of disposable twenty-somethings are beyond fucking annoying and even before shit hits the fan, persistently shout at each other.

Consequently, I didn't give a shit if Cenobait lived or died.

Also, acting is largely subpar.

Climax inside Voight's house seriously lacks the isolated dread of 55 Ludovico Place and gave off the confusing vibe of Thirteen Ghosts.

Nearly two hours is too long and scenes are padded out.

Voight transforming into a new Cenobite leaves hell's door open and it'll be interesting to see what sights will be shown next.