A young woman struggling with addiction comes into possession of an ancient puzzle box, unaware that its purpose is to summon the Cenobites.

Another Hellraiser movie. I can’t imagine there were too many fans eagerly awaiting another instalment, following on from Clive Barker’s 1987 classic and an awful direct-to-video descent to hell in recent years. But the creatives behind it already piqued the interest. Screen story co-writer David S Goyer played a significant role in the Nolan Batman movies and David Bruckner directed the impressive folk horror movie The Ritual. In any event, could it be any worse than Gary J Tunicliffe’s shocking (and not in the right way) most recent entries?

For a start, it’s a reboot rather than a sequel, returning to Clive Barker’s 1986 novella The Hellbound Heart, although all human characters are new. Recovering addict Riley (Odessa A’zion) accidentally summons the Cenobites, led by The Priest (Jamie Clayton, Sense8), after she successfully completes part of the Lament Configuration puzzle box. However, because she does not cut herself on the protruding blade, she cannot be ripped apart, and this price must still be paid.

Riley’s brother is instead taken, and it’s up to her to try to save him, along with a bunch of friends, by going to the house of billionaire Voight (Goran Višnjić), which has been built as a magnet/trap for the Cenobites. Thus ensues multiple Cenobites, a lot of gore, and a generally good horror movie.

At two hours, it’s too long; the procedural aspects in the first hour would certainly benefit from being leaner. Once it reaches Voight’s house it becomes a siege movie, and is all the better for it. The Cenobites have been impressively redesigned – in addition to Clayton’s rasping Priest (never referred to here as Pinhead) there’s the Chatterer, the Weeper, the Gasp, the Asphyx and the Mother. The flesh-ripping and flaying doesn’t pull any punches and there’s even the odd flourish of Christopher Young’s score.

Verdict: Not as good as the first two, but ranking on a par with part three or four, this is a welcome course redirection for the Hellraiser brand and I welcome more. 7/10

Nick Joy