What made Hellraiser one and two brilliant besides the direct hand that Clive Barker had in it was the special effects. They were low budget films that they went out of their way to create this incredible fantasy world with well made special effects that drew you into their world and created this twisted fantasy world. When a film doesn't have a huge backing or Hollywood money I think the film makers get to do more creatively and have to work with less and that is what can make or break an indie film especially a horror indie film. So enter Hellraiser 3 which you can absolutely tell was the film where they started to get Hollywood money. The special effects are a little less realistic and more computer generated. The story is a little more mainstream and same with the characters. Sadly we also lose the main character of Kirsty Cotton who was the Hellraiser scream queen from one and two although fortunately she is shown in a small segment to help move the story along. Hellraiser 3 isn't bad and it still keeps the continuity going which is great but I felt like it sort of trivialized Pinhead and made him the joke rather than the evil killer.
Kevin Bernhardt is the sleazy club owner who is sucked into Pinhead's evil world of lust and pain. His character is vapid and emotionless and basically just there to be the evil human villain which I suppose he accomplishes. Terry Farrell is our new heroine and she does well as the strong headstrong reporter. Her connection to Pinhead's character works well and the investigation she does carries the story well. Paula Marshall is decent as the lost homeless girl being used and abused by Bernhardt's character. Marshall and Farrell have good chemistry together and I think are underused as a team. Of course Doug Bradley returns to his signature role as Pinhead and his real life counterpart Elliot Spencer. Bradley embodies Pinhead and is certainly a horror master in character. I cannot imagine anyone else playing Pinhead. The voice, his behaviour and the entire character is twisted and disturbing even though Hellraiser 3 made him seem a little less mysterious and evil and more mainstream.
One of the highlights of the film and perhaps some might think as a stumble is the addition of the creative, twisted, and almost humorous 'new' cennobites created by the puzzle box. Camerahead (played by Ken Carpenter) who also plays Farrell's human camera man before being turned, CD the DJ (my favourite as he has some incredibly gory kills with flashy saw like CD's), and Barbie Cennobite (a bartender turned killer). The climatic scene of the three cennobites attacking civilians in the street is without a doubt a cool scene although as mentioned very Hollywood. But for me it did not ruin the film, it simply made it a little more mainstream. It didn't hold the true level of fear and mystery and gore that the first two films did. Director Anthony Hickox started with some truly great really bad B-Movie horror films so this was right up his alley at the time but he definitely slipped into just straight up bad B-Movies which is unfortunate because I do see some talent here. If you're a true Hellraiser fan obviously this one might offend your senses but for a third instalment and as a huge horror buff I didn't mind this one bit. It was worthy albeit different than the previous ones. The series may be stepping downwards but its a slow stepping so not so bad. 8/10
Kevin Bernhardt is the sleazy club owner who is sucked into Pinhead's evil world of lust and pain. His character is vapid and emotionless and basically just there to be the evil human villain which I suppose he accomplishes. Terry Farrell is our new heroine and she does well as the strong headstrong reporter. Her connection to Pinhead's character works well and the investigation she does carries the story well. Paula Marshall is decent as the lost homeless girl being used and abused by Bernhardt's character. Marshall and Farrell have good chemistry together and I think are underused as a team. Of course Doug Bradley returns to his signature role as Pinhead and his real life counterpart Elliot Spencer. Bradley embodies Pinhead and is certainly a horror master in character. I cannot imagine anyone else playing Pinhead. The voice, his behaviour and the entire character is twisted and disturbing even though Hellraiser 3 made him seem a little less mysterious and evil and more mainstream.
One of the highlights of the film and perhaps some might think as a stumble is the addition of the creative, twisted, and almost humorous 'new' cennobites created by the puzzle box. Camerahead (played by Ken Carpenter) who also plays Farrell's human camera man before being turned, CD the DJ (my favourite as he has some incredibly gory kills with flashy saw like CD's), and Barbie Cennobite (a bartender turned killer). The climatic scene of the three cennobites attacking civilians in the street is without a doubt a cool scene although as mentioned very Hollywood. But for me it did not ruin the film, it simply made it a little more mainstream. It didn't hold the true level of fear and mystery and gore that the first two films did. Director Anthony Hickox started with some truly great really bad B-Movie horror films so this was right up his alley at the time but he definitely slipped into just straight up bad B-Movies which is unfortunate because I do see some talent here. If you're a true Hellraiser fan obviously this one might offend your senses but for a third instalment and as a huge horror buff I didn't mind this one bit. It was worthy albeit different than the previous ones. The series may be stepping downwards but its a slow stepping so not so bad. 8/10