Review for Hellraiser


(Originally posted on fight-evil.com)

This is a good film, and it's still a good film upon seeing it again, but some parts just rub me the wrong way, one of them being Kirsty's first on-screen appearance. She seems agitated, and is acting, in my opinion, oddly, yet no reason for this is given (unless it's just the stress of moving to London, which is possible). That's another issue I had, though - while this movie is supposed to take place in London, most of the characters seem to have American accents. I realize that this was a decision by someone who believed that it'd help with American viewership, but still, it sort of took me out of the immersive experience I'd have preferred.

Lastly, the homeless man/demon is following Kirsty before there's any real reason for him to do so. Again, never expanded on. Still, the movie is solid. Cenobites are fantastic, Kirsty is a decent (and easy on the eyes) character, and Frank/Julie are quite the threatening pair. And of course the special effects are extremely solid for the most part. Overall, it's a good film with a flaw or two. Certainly worth the watch if you've not seen it before. Great 80's horror. 8/10.

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[deleted]

Been meaning to read the novella, just haven't gotten to it yet. Indeed, the Cenobites are a great invention.

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Thanks for the review!

I quite enjoyed Hellraiser. And the design of the Cenobites is incredible. How do the sequels stack up?

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It did raise some interesting prospects that are never followed through with.

Also Mina, the others I'd recommend is 2-4 and revelations. The others were just scripts with the name only. I do say that some did prefer 5 but I didn't enjoy it.

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The second one is honestly on par with the first - in fact, I might like the second one even more. Third is a bit generic, but occasionally fun. Fourth is okay - others enjoy it more than me, whereas I think it's a bit below average. As Strannger said, the others were mostly scripts written for other horror films turned into Hellraiser movies, and change the style substantially. Fifth is a murder mystery, as is the sixth (while still being horror films, mind). Seventh is a bit more unique, but ultimately forgettable. The eighth isn't all that great, but I personally like it for nostalgic reasons, along with the twist, which I personally thought was cool.

And let's not talk about Revelations, if at all possible.

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Thanks guys :) I usually avoid sequels, especialy when they get past number 3 or 4, but I might check some of these out. I don't know if I have it in me so see the whole "series" through though.

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