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Hellraiser (2022)
Fresh update on a tiring franchise. Misses the gore but adds to the lore
Watch if you're a fan. Welcome to anyone who skipped everything after the first three.
Firstly this Hellraiser clears the slate. A bespoke film compared to the indie style thriller scripts from previous that linked the Cenobites via any means. This was ground up a Hellraiser film.
Horror has changed since the 80s for sure. But one thing they did well was gore. What is missed in this film is the visceral pain and fleshy gaudy ridiculousness of flesh you could almost smell hanging from the spinning pillar. Actually some of the middle films did this well too in a Se7en style tension.
There lacked tension like in 2005 Hellraiser: Deader with the body in the bathroom. Instead they opted for a newer, glossier effects driven film.
It's pointless to say what this could have been as that's not a review of what is, but this film doesn't bring it back to the original of that's what you are looking for. There is a Hellraiser film that's grounded in an indie horror done well that has the grit and grime of real human desire and pain. But this isn't it.
However... caveat... it is enjoyable. And it is MUCH better than aforementioned previous instalments. The lore of the box and sequencing of the puzzle was much more satisfying. This dimension drove forward the story. I can't say I felt any more for the characters because of this. But I did want to keep going.
Moreover this proves that 11 films deep, even though we all know "kinda" what's going to happen, it's still a thrill to spend time with familiar demonic characters. If you've been a fan and spent at least 22 hours watching these films in your life, it's satisfying to watch something better than the last.
That said, the new look was great in trailers and poster but the rounded pin heads on everyone felt a bit granny. But the blood between the cuts was welcomed visuals. Losing the 80s leather was also a nice touch but there just wasn't a feeling of flesh and torture which you'd expect. The leather mix almost accentuated where blood, skin and gore was seen. Now it's an all over thing you couldn't make out what was happening and what was peeled where.
Is it worth a watch? Yes. Is it a generic feeling glossy horror flick? Yes. Does it add anything new? Yes. Will it keep you talking about it for days? No.
It's a perfectly okay film but a welcome addition to the franchise.
Perfect Strangers (2020)
Bitter, depressing and unloving. Not a Christmas Movie
There's space in the movie-verse for Christmas films from Bad Santa to Krampus, through to tenuous links to Die Hard. But if you are marketing as a Christmas Romance/Comedy, your audiences expect both romance, comedy, warm fuzzy feelings or at least want the couple to get together already... even if you know that's what happens from the start.
There was unneeded bad language and an attempt to "make fresh" a tradition of Christmas movie rules. Netflix still aren't getting it totally right yet, attempting to garner the Hallmark and Lifetime audiences that see hundreds of millions flock to the cliche year in and out.
But it's because it didn't either go far enough that this film fails. The characters and story feels like the actors and writer are all bitter curmudgeons (yes even the young couple) who are deftly unlikable to the final beat. I don't route for them opposed to wish them a one night fling they'd regret and I'd say "I told you so". So in that way, maybe they are meant for each other.
It thinks it's a wise cracking dark comedy. It's not. It wants to be a Christmas film. It's takes more than decorations and snow to make a festive film. And it fancies itself a romance. Without an ounce of love or warmth.
Leads you to think no one who worked on the film has ever fallen in love or enjoys Christmas.
Both the leads need to learn what a smile is. Its so bleak. And though Scotland in the winter is a dark and chilly place, it's can't be as frosty as this relationship.
Give it a miss. The festive romance movie selection is in the thousands now Spend your time somewhere else. You'll not feel as depressed.