Hellraiser: Revelations (2011)

Avoid this. I rarely write reviews so believe me, this flick is a stinker. Cardboard acting, cheap SFX, no likeable characters and just what the hell was going on with the Pinhead element? Worst of the franchise so far, by far

If it were possible to put a minus sign for the rating, I would have. The 75 minutes of your life spent watching this CRAP will be lost forever. Horrible acting and no Doug Bradley. The characters are all whiny and wooden. This movie doesn't deserve to have Hellraiser in the title.

So after what 6 years since Hellworld, there was suppose to be a remake to the 1987 Original but after the delay in production & Dimension Films nearing to losing the right to making anymore Hellraiser Films we get this, Hellraiser: Revelations! But wait, this time around, it's NOT Doug Bradley playing Pinhead! But a completely different actor! This wasn't bad in my opinion though a lot of fans of this franchise hate it!The film centers round 2 boys who go off to Mexico for a road trip but tamper with the Lament Configuration Puzzle Box & both (supposingly) die! It is revealed that it was a year later & that the footage we saw at the beginning of them film was off their camera. The family then starts to talk of the events, but are soon interrupted by the son of one of the families who burst in covered in blood! It is then the secrets & revelations start to unfold as they soon begin to realise they'll dealing with something more evil than they imagined!I found the film to be pretty good, considering how tight the shooting schedule was & how they pretty much rushed this film right in for the sake of keeping the rights. Even with Doug Bradley no longer playing Pinhead, it wasn't a bad film. It was bloody & had some interesting moments here & there. Though even for a 75 minute film, it lacked & sort of dragged a but at points & the characters were quite flat in all honesty, but it wasn't bad entirely.I give this film a 6/10! It was pretty decent even though it wasn't the greatest! As of this date (3|11|2016) of me writing this review, they've once again stalled a planned remake of the 1987 film for too long since this film was made (2011) & are now planning a 10th installment for 2017 under the name Hellraiser: Judgement! So we'll see then if it's any good & if then, they'll make another sequel or get that remake made which from what 08 time has been in development hell! No pun intended!

"Hellraiser: Revelations" does wonders with its primary limitations: small budget, short set time, and no Doug Bradley. But, as a fan of Clive Barker's world, I got everything I wanted: an expansion of the suspenseful Pinhead, and a formulaic honesty to the original two films before "Hellraiser III" transitioned the lively horror-drama into a pop franchise. Unlike the other 2000-era 'Hellraiser' films, "Revelations" honors the first two films by making Pinhead and the illustrious Box prominent foundations of the plot. It includes other gems of the originals as well: themes of the flesh, a complex family drama, and torturous visual artistry that isn't only gory, but also resonates within a dark part of our primordial psyche. Pinhead's presence is highly rewarding and a lot of fun to observe. But the character's longer dialogue seems written more fitly for an expansive 'Hellraiser' TV series, which makes you miss Doug Bradley's demigod-like presence all the more; with him, less was always more when it came to dialogue. I love 'Hellraiser' films because the fantasy is so intermingled with the conditions of human life. Everything we ever feared about sin, Hell, God, and evil comes to the surface through Clive Barker's themes. This film is conscious of these resonances and does its best to continue them. However demonic and detached he is, Pinhead is more humanoid in his motives and mannerisms than Jason, Freddy, and Michael combined. We want to go deeper with him. "Revelations" is that next step forward into Pinhead's realm since "Bloodline" which marked the conclusion of Barker's direct influence on the films.