The original Hellraiser film found a place in the hearts of horror fans for its horrific imagery and examinations of both hedonism and sadomasochism. As Clive Barker's directorial debut, it divided critics upon its initial release but won big at the box office, meaning only one thing -- sequels. Since 1987, 11 Hellraiser films have been released with varying quality, each telling a separate story somewhat disconnected from the rest, with Doug Bradley's Pinhead loosely tying them together.
But the movie landscape has changed significantly since Hellraiser first hit the screen. The recent Halloween revivals have shown that, with the right amount of care and attention, the revitalization of aging franchises can rejuvenate them for contemporary audiences. With the recent success of Hulu's remake, we may just see a rebirth of the Hellraiser franchise with a brand-new set of rules and continuity changes.
The Lament Configuration Has Been Completely Reworked
Next to Pinhead, the Lament Configuration -- AKA the puzzle box -- is easily the most recognizable thing from the Hellraiser franchise. Remarkably, it has also seen the most significant changes out of anything else in the remake.
Those who have seen the original film likely remember how the box functioned. Frank Cotton, one of the film's antagonists, deliberately sought out the puzzle box for the purpose of experiencing untold pleasure. When he solved it, it summoned the cenobites -- interdimensional beings who mix pleasure and pain interchangeably -- who promptly ripped him apart with chains and damned him to eternal torture.
When Kirsty, the protagonist, solved the box by accident, she could only avoid a similar fate by leading the cenobites to a now-revived Cotton, who somehow escaped their clutches through the blood of others. After all was said and done, the box was returned to its original location by a mysterious, shape-shifting vagrant.
But now, the puzzle box is completely different. Instead of the puzzle-solver being immediately taken by the cenobites, the box now launches a lithe blade out from its mechanisms, meant to pierce the hand of whoever solved it. When the resulting blood is sucked into the box's crevices, the cenobites arrive to take the puzzle solver, after which the puzzle box rearranges itself into a wholly new shape. This repeats for a total of six times before the last combination can be used to contact Leviathan, a monstrously-huge being that can grant one of six "rewards." Each box configuration represents one of these rewards, including being spared from the wrath of the cenobites, experiencing an eternity of pain, or the opportunity to become a cenobite.
Naturally, you might think to yourself: what if the blade misses? What if no blood is spilled when the blade is opened? The cenobites then offer a choice to the solver: pick someone else or be taken as intended. As long as the blade pierces someone, they can be taken instead -- including cenobites, as shown by the explosive death of the Chatterer.
The film's ending also doesn't show what ultimately happens to the puzzle box. In the first film, the box is returned to its original location, implying that its connection to pleasure is cyclical. The changes in the remake's themes -- focusing more on addiction instead of hedonism -- wouldn't necessarily need the box to be "reset" in such a way.
The Cenobites Play a More Active Role
Coinciding with how the Lament Configuration changed, it only makes sense for the cenobites to play a more active role as well. Originally sticking to the shadows for most of the first film, the cenobites now take center stage as soon as the first configuration is solved. From there, until Leviathan is summoned, the cenobites will be a constant presence in the solver's life until they are ultimately taken or six sacrifices are made.
The cenobites have also seen a drastic visual change in addition to their behavior. While the original monsters rocked slick black leather and latex, they now utilize torn and folded portions of their own flesh, metal instruments, and piercings of all shapes and sizes to create a monstrous visage that echoes the sickly, dripping special effects from the original film.
A New Villain Makes an Appearance
The film's main antagonist, Roland Voight, is an interesting addition to the Hellraiser series. While the original film's villain was promptly ripped apart as a conclusion to his quest for "experiences," Voight undergoes a similar fate. The main difference between the two, however, is that Voight deliberately dictates the course of events throughout the film. He is the orchestrator behind the Lament Configuration's involvement in the plot, the organizer behind the big twist, and the receiver of not just one but two gifts from the cenobites.
Despite getting his comeuppance at the end of the film, the ending sequence where he is transformed into a cenobite is a little too drawn out for a simple cathartic resolution. The graphic way his body is torn asunder and reassembled feels like a look at his potential future as a reoccurring villain. Whether he'll stand just as tall as the remake's new female Pinhead remains to be seen.
Overall, the new Hellraiser is a starkly different film compared to the rest of the franchise. If you're expecting a retread of familiar territory, you may walk away feeling a little disappointed. But seeing as the franchise has gone on for so long, sometimes a new spin on old ideas is what's needed to keep things fresh.