Parents' Guide to

Hellraiser (2022)

By Brian Costello, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Reboot of horror classic has gory and bloody violence.

Movie R 2022 121 minutes
Hellraiser (2022) Movie Poster

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

  • Hellraiser (2022) Movie: Scene One
  • Hellraiser (2022) Movie: Scene Two
  • Hellraiser (2022) Movie: Scene Three

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What's the Story?

In HELLRAISER (2022), Riley (Odessa A'zion) is in a 12-step program to work through her struggles with drug and alcohol addiction. She lives with her brother, Matt (Brandon Flynn), his boyfriend, Colin, and friend Nora while also spending time with her new boyfriend, Trevor (Drew Starkey), who Matt and the others think is sketchy and not good for her. While struggling with addiction, she's also struggling to make ends meet, when Trevor, who works as a courier for expensive items and artifacts, has an idea to help her make some money. Trevor knows about a nearly abandoned warehouse where he has made deliveries that surely has artifacts that would be easy to steal and then sell. He convinces her to do this, and, fortified by booze, Riley and Trevor break in, rip open a crate, and hammer out a safe, which contains an ornate puzzle box. After returning home, she gets into a heated argument with Matt over her obvious intoxication, so she moves out on the spot. While trying to sober up in a nearby playground, Riley begins playing with the puzzle box. After solving the first round, a sharp blade shoots out, missing her hand, but unleashing, once again, Pinhead and the other Cenobites onto an unsuspecting world.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1 ):

This is a fine, if not great, reboot of one of the more infamous and highly regarded horror movie franchises dating back to the 1980s. It more or less stands on its own, while still having some Easter eggs for fans of the other Hellraiser movies. It's also violent, bloody, and gory, and while there's some style and innovation in presenting the familiar in newer packaging, it doesn't quite cross over into interesting new directions, even if the reboot itself is decent enough to (no doubt) lead to more sequels.

At times, the lack of context makes this version not the one to pull in new audiences. Those who are already hip to the Cenobites and their creepy sadism will understand their talk in this movie of "threshold"-this and "pain and pleasure"-that. This movie doesn't have much of that undercurrent beyond what the Cenobites sometimes wheeze out of their demonic mouths, aside from hinting at a billionaire's penchant for decadent pleasures as well as the lead character's struggles with drugs and alcohol addiction. There are also too many horror story clichés, obvious plot "twists," and characters making stupid decisions that lead to untimely and gruesome deaths. Still, especially in the context of reboots in general, this could have been so much worse than it is.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about horror movie reboots like Hellraiser. Why do you think so many popular movies and franchises from decades past are remade with the same infamous villains and different stories?

  • How do the violence, blood, and gore compare to that in other horror movies? Was it necessary, or did it seem excessive? Why do you think gory violence like this has an appeal for some audiences?

  • How does the movie portray Riley's struggles with drug and alcohol addiction and the strains on her relationships with her brother and roommates as a result?

Movie Details

  • On DVD or streaming: October 7, 2022
  • Cast: Odessa A’zion , Brandon Flynn , Drew Starkey
  • Director: David Bruckner
  • Studio: Hulu
  • Genre: Horror
  • Run time: 121 minutes
  • MPAA rating: R
  • MPAA explanation: Strong bloody horror violence and gore, language throughout, some sexual content and brief graphic nudity.
  • Last updated: October 12, 2022

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