HELLRAISER:JUDGMENT

The latest outing in this universe with our favorite pin-head is only the second without iconic OG Doug Bradley…though it feels like forever (15+ years?) since we’ve seen him all decked out in his regalia. HELLRAISER: JUDGMENT tries to atone for it’s…sins…since the last abysmal outing that did really nothing to elevate the franchise. That being said, the Pinhead actor for this one far more resembles our original player so kudos to him. This new one also could almost be looked at as more of an update to the original lore…although we get some new characters and some new rules along the way. The opening scene we see some poor schlub talk to some…auditor…confessing his previous misdeeds and then getting ‘judged’ for them in some Saw-like vomit/gore filled house. Gotta say, even for a Hellraiser flick some of those scenes almost induced dry-heaving. The main narrative overall is similar to some of the earlier direct-to-dvd offerings of police after a mysterious killer…with some twists and turns along the way. While we almost get more screen time of these new characters rather than Pinhead, the movie’s attempt to take itself seriously combined with the gutzpah to deliver a crazy end to the killer mystery and end to the movie itself makes it worthwhile. You almost get a sense that the filmmakers had the idea for the ending first…and then tried to find a way to navigate a twisting story until we reached the climax. While not all will be on board with the new universe rules this one tries to introduce, those who do should be in for a pleasant surprise. Part Seven, part Saw, part Hellraiser-esque elements, and we have a decent effort that shows they at least tried. Check it out…just don’t eat during it.

SLASH SCENE: The Judgment Process

SLASH SCORE: 3.5/5