Hellraiser Judgement: A gory rebirth

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: LIONSGATE FILMS
With a great plotline, incredible gory and positive acting, Hellraiser Judgement is one horror movie to put on your "must see" movie list.

Hellraiser has been one of those iconic franchises that tried to keep the legacy alive, but unfortunately saw a continual decrease in quality as more movies were produced.

The one thing that kept it alive was Doug Bradley (the original actor for Pinhead). This was until we were faced with Hellraiser Revelations (2011) where all the original cast and crew had abandoned the project, the movie tanked and fans lost all hope.

Seven years later, Hellraiser Judgement was released as a direct to DVD film. At first, I was skeptical (being a huge fan of the Hellraiser series), but I ended up being pleasantly and disgustingly surprised. This film was the rebirth the franchise needed.

Hellraiser Judgement takes a fresh look on the series where three detectives are trying to hunt down a gruesome serial killer who is terrorizing the town. As their investigation continues, they find they are faced with something much more sinister. The horrifying maze deepens and may just lead them into the depths of hell.

This film was so well done because it didn’t try to be like the original films. It brought a fresh new take to the franchise that was highly original and bloody disgusting. While we still saw some fan favourites like Chatterer, we were also introduced to new characters like The Auditor, The Assessor and The Butcher.

These new characters created the “judgement” process in the film that was definitely not for the faint of heart. As this film was directed by one of the franchises original makeup artists, Gary J. Tunnicliffe, not only were the special effects perfect, the film also gained a unique style to it. The movie contained very raw, practical effects that were used so often in the originals.

On top of the film being incredibly gory, the plot line was extremely captivating and progressed beautifully. It almost felt as if you were watching a CSI episode, mixed with Saw and the brutality of Hellraiser. There is nothing worse than watching an overly gory movie with absolutely no purpose or meaning. On top of the well thought out plot, you will also be faced with some twists and turns that are totally unexpected.

Although we don’t get to see Pinhead a lot in the film, the character was extremely well done. Paul T. Taylor definitely captivated the essence of Pinhead and translated it on screen perfectly. The makeup was impeccable, the voice was dark and sinister and the new costume was an excellent update that didn’t stray too far away from the original concept.

Overall, Hellraiser Judgement was really well done and is a must watch for all horror fans. The brutal special effects combined with a compelling plot line makes for a rebirth the franchise desperately needed. For any die hard Hellraiser fans, keep an eye out for some awesome references to the original.

“We have such sights to show you.”