Critics have praised David Bruckner's Hellraiser reboot on Hulu, with many calling it a return to form for the franchise after a slew of bad sequels.
Critic reviews for Hulu's Hellraiser reboot have come out, and it looks like the franchise is getting back on track. Directed by David Bruckner, with a screenplay by Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski, the movie is the second adaptation of Clive Barker's The Hellbound Heart, and serves as an overhaul of the popular horror franchise after a string of subpar sequels. Jamie Clayton takes over the role of Pinhead from Doug Bradley, Stephan Smith Collins, and Paul T. Taylor, with the film also starring Odessa A'zion, Drew Starkey, Brandon Flynn, Goran Višnjić, and Hiam Abbass.
The development of a Hellraiser remake began in 2006, with filmmakers Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo attached to the project a year later. However, the adaptation was eventually canceled and retooled to another remake with director Pascal Laugier set to helm the movie. But that version, and many others, of the project were also canned, and Hellraiser was stuck in a perpetual state of development hell, until the success of David Gordon Green's Halloween ignited Spyglass Media Group's interest in developing a new version of The Hellbound Heart. With the Hellraiser reboot following a string of poorly received sequels, critics are finally sharing their thoughts on the film.
It looks like the wait has paid off. With the movie finally out on Hulu, critics have shared their thoughts on the latest installment in the Hellraiser franchise, and it's now the best-reviewed installment in the series since the first one, sitting at a 68 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Check out what some critics are saying below:
"David Bruckner's new Hellraiser brings the structure that was missing by supplying both a Final Destination-esque narrative engine and actual, comprehensible rules governing its supernatural creatures, creating a sturdier story that's easier to enjoy. On its journey to the horror-mainstream, however, it also sands down some of those sharp edges that made the original so compelling."
"Pinhead and the new cenobites here are effectively scary and strange — but good look trying to see them for most of the film. They all have slick new designs, but the film is so murky and dark that you might need to boost your TV brightness. Barker's original film trafficked in darkness, too. But we could still see what the frig was happening on the screen. The real issue with Bruckner's "Hellraiser," however, is that it often feels kind of generic. I don't even love Barker's original film all that much, but it felt different. Barker was never the best filmmaker, but he knew how to create an otherworldly atmosphere that stuck in your brain."