When someone offers you something very attractive at bargain price, the actual price is much higher and significantly less pleasant. This is the lesson that is about to be learned by a character that appears in the opening of Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth, 1992 horror film directed by Anthony Hickox and the third film in popular Hellraiser franchise. J, P, Monroe (played by Kevin Bernhardt) is owner of Boiler Room, popular New York night club, who wants to buy a strange pillar-like statue to be used as decoration. He takes for small sum of money, unaware that it contains dark forces that, when unleashed, might bring hell to everyone around. One person that suffers such fate is young thief who took away strange-looking puzzle box which was part of the statue. Joanne “Joey” Summerskill (played by Terry Farrell), television reporter sent to routine assignment in hospital emergency room, witnesses the consequences when the unfortunate man comes with chains hooked into his flesh only to be torn apart in freak accident. Terri (played by Paula Marshall), Monroe’s former girlfriend who witnessed the theft, contacts Joey and helps her with investigation, which revolves around the box. Joey wants to dig deeper, while Monroe accidentally has one of romantic conquests swallowed by statue. The statue is revealed to contain Pinhead (played by Doug Bradley), demonic Cenobite who wants to be freed and wreak havoc in human realm. He receives help from Monroe, while Joey gets message from Captain Elliott Spencer (also played by Bradley), former human who had created Pinhead in his search for forbidden pleasures, and who now wants Joey’s help to set the trap for Pinhead and send him back to Hell.
Hellraiser III was made years after the second film, with production being hampered by bankruptcy of original studio New World Pictures. Clive Barker, the creator of the series, initially had very little to do with the production and he actually wanted to distance himself from production. His complaints were the same as those from fans of previous two films – script by Peter Atkins strayed from Barker’s subversive exploration of blurred lines between extreme pain and extreme pleasures, and the connection between sex and violence. What audience got instead was somewhat standard slasher film with iconic Pinhead, who had been nameless and mysterious force in previous two films, turned into major character and chief villain. Script by Atkins, on the other hand, tried to give some depth to the character and even explore traces of his humanity, giving him alter ego. Hellraiser III also dealt with the issues of real life horrors in the form of war, which haunts memories of Joey, whose father disappeared in Vietnam, as well as Pinhead/Spencer whose descent into Hell began with traumatic experiences during trench carnage of First World War. Those themes are, however, not explored in depth. Anthony Hickox, director known for low budget horror films like Waxwork that later got cult status, doesn’t add anything particular new to the series. Special effects are decent, there are some imaginative scenes featuring carnage and gore, but once the second half starts, experienced viewers have some idea how the film would end with Terry Farrell (who would later become famous as Jadzia Dax in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) trying her best with somewhat thankless and one-dimensional role of Final Girl. The rest of the cast is mostly solid and the music by Randy Miller is adequate, accompanied by heavy metal songs. While Hellraiser III is nothing to write home about, it can provide solid entertainment for horror genre fans, especially those who have their expectations lowered.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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