Hellraiser: Hellworld (2005)

Well, if it is one thing that Dimension Films has done is they sure know how to milk dead franchises in mild attempts to breathe new life into them. Take for example the “Hellraiser” films, which started off with author Clive Barker in 1987 -and with a different studio at the time. Hard to believe it, but we’re on number eight now, which was shot back to back with number seven. Amazed how some people can keep track of all the sequels and what goes on in them? What’s more amazing than that, is that despite Barker’s depature from the series, they aren’t all that bad. On the other hand, I’m a bit weary of having Pinhead on the DVD covers when the horror icon is more like a cameo walk on than actually taking part in the story itself. In fact, if you wanted to be nitpicky an arguement can be made that Pinhead does not actually show up until the very end of the film. If you want to really nitpicky that you can also say that the puzzle box, Pinhead and other Cenobites do show up – but only in hallucinations. This isn’t a personal hell story like those in “Hellraiser Inferno” (that’s number five) or “Hellraiser Hellseeker” (number six), and despite filming right after “Hellraiser Deader” it has little in common with that well meaning mind screw.

But I’ll give the franchise some credit, because the makeup and gore never disappoints, and there is usually a slight effort to make up a marcarbe story. While Pinhead does not make too many appearances in this and the previous outing, it is true that the character only showed up in the original film in the last act. I’m also glad that the bloodbaths needed to bring back a Cenobite victim aren’t really done anymore, although if there is a number nine, maybe there could be a hint of it going on somewhere. As far as “Hellworld” goes, however, there is one thing I don’t want to see again. It’s called self-awareness. I was confused in this film: did the “Hellraiser” films happen, or is this a ‘real world’ continuity? We see characters wearing Pinhead T shirts, there is mention of “the rules” and what Pinhead should actually ‘do’, because Pinhead doesn’t kill folks with a big machete, he’s got the chains and hooks…and then, halfway into the picture, it’s implied that Lamont’s pandora box is real, and the puzzle box is only a game, of which some don’t want to play, but they will create a rave culture around it and they will party around giant replicas of the Lamont puzzle box. (i.e. “I never played with one of the boxes but I will gladly open one on the internet, so I can get a free invite to the bash”) and then when the co-eds a.k.a “The Group” are being shown around the house by the ‘Host’ (Lance Henriksen) he’s got this ‘collection’ of Lamont boxes and bondage equipment. The kids think this is, of course, way cool, right down to the Pinhead Tarot card. (That’s right, a Pinhead Tarot card, which, in case you wanted to know, was a card of ‘Death’) In other words, Pinhead is an angel to some, a demon to others and to be exploited through mass marketing by all.

The film then turns away from the self awareness, as we explore the house and the creepy basement, complete with the mention of the nun who first played with the bad puzzle box, the place briefly turned into a looney bin (a slight nod to “Hellbound: Hellraiser II” perhaps?) and then we get to the creepy looking labortory, where a big meathook still remains, along with deformed babies and severead heads, hands and feet perseved in pickle jars. Then it’s party time, as our Group splits up, and either get knocked off by The Pinhead and/or The Host (in this mind screw they could be one the same) or have wild hot sex with well endowed ladies who like to play rough. The only two seeming to weave through this haunted house/maze of mayhem is Chelsea played by the very attractive Katheryn Winnick, who I understand will play Ivana Trump in a TV movie. The camera likes Miss Winnick, and, using real life martial art and bodyguard type skills, she sneaks in a few moves. That’s neat stuff, but she’s screaming and running through most of the film, and as inventive and interesting as a scene where she cries for help to the police, a major letdown occurs when two tired horror cliche rears thier ugly head in near rapid continuity: stalled car and bad guy in the backseat. I also liked Christopher Jacot’s laid back performance, and it was a treat to see Henriksen, and the return of Cenobites Pinhead and (surprise) Chatterbox (!)

I was sort of glad that despite the opening of the internet- Hellworld website (there really isn’t one, just so you know) didn’t go into a riff of William Malone’s “feardotcom” although I’m sure someone at some point was tempted to do so. They could have made a better film, who knows. But Rick Bota and crew make due with what they have, and I do like the plot twist reveal at first, although the explanations are less than satisfactory. Now, if the party people were more like a cult around the Lamont (and it could be a loose tie in with the previous film, “Deader”) then they can go pay homage to George Sluizer as much as they want to, move on, take in more unsuspecting ‘Hellraisers” and restart the cycle. But, sadly, the actual plot twist makes no sense whatsoever, and when the real Pinhead stands up, instead of a sigh of refief and a nice gore slice up, I just get more questions- but at least I still get the nice gore slice up.

Hellraiser: Hellworld

Directed by Rick Bota
Starring: Lance Henriksen, Katheryn Winnick, Christopher Jacot and Doug Bradley.

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