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Directed by Written by Starring Presented by Rated R 93 minutes |
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HELLRAISER III: HELL ON EARTH Review
With New World Entertainment collapsing, the rights to HELLRAISER were bought by Dimension Films and in 1992 Pinhead returned. As a result, HELLRAISER III is the franchise’s most mainstream film, with some very interesting moments but it does take a step back by feeling not so different from other horror franchises at the time. News reporter Joey Summerskill (Terry Farrell) is looking for the next great story when she stumbles onto a hospital scene of a boy being ripped apart by chains while holding the dreaded puzzle box. The boy is brought to the hospital by Terri (Paula Marshall), a confused twentysomething draped in black and in an abusive relationship with J.P. Monroe (Kevin Bernhardt), an arrogant, yuppie type owner of a nightclub where he buys a new sculpture. The sculpture, shown at the end of HELLBOUND, has the trapped soul of Pinhead (Doug Bradley). When J.P. discovers its inhabitant, he strikes a deal to give Pinhead bodies so he can be free from the sculpture. In the meantime, Joey is visited in her dreams by the ghost of Elliot Spencer (also Bradley) who tells her of Pinhead and how he became free from the demon. The biggest flaw with HELLRAISER III is that at points it does feel like your typical horror movie, with Pinhead and others delivering wink wink one liners that really have no place in a HELLRAISER film. At least they are contrasted by Pinhead’s activities as he is at his nastiest here, particularly in a great scene where he wrecks havoc on J.P.’s nightclub, slaughtering everyone inside while forming a new army of Cenobites. With his WAXWORK films, director Anthony Hickox is no stranger to gore, and he does deliver here, with some overall crazy moments. The best thing about the series is out of all the times Bradley has played Pinhead, this is his greatest performance. He really is given a chance to shine not just as Pinhead, but as Elliot, proving just how underrated an actor he is. Without the sensitivities of Elliot inside him, Pinhead is a true monster, wanting the box back at any cost. It’s a showcase for Bradley and it’s his shining moment. Terry Farrell, one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever laid eyes on, is an engaging lead as Joey, proving a good foil for Pinhead. Her character’s not as structured as Kirsty in the previous films, but Farrell is more than just the perilous damsel being stalked by Pinhead. Her moments with Elliot provide some of the film’s best acting moments. Paula Marshall is good as the confused Terri. For some, I know the character was annoying, but Marshall does an excellent job of playing someone completely insecure about themselves, and in making the wrong decisions which leads to a pivotal moment with the arrogant J.P, well played by Kevin Bernhardt. Aside from Julia, he is perhaps the most vile human character in the HELLRAISER franchise, and his demise is one of the best moments in the film. Ashley Laurence returns in a very brief cameo on a videotape Joey views while investigating Pinhead, and is good in her one scene. I missed the other Cenobites, as the new ones are good but not as memorable. Ken Carpenter played Camerahead better than his human counterpart, Joey’s main camera guy who gets killed investigating Pinhead (and quite gruesomely too). Barbie was probably my new favorite, played by screenwriter Pete Atkins, who does remain faithful to Barker’s original story in some areas. The direction by Hickox is fine without being memorable, but the one great thing about him is that he loves horror, and it does show in moments. In all, HELLRAISER III: HELL ON EARTH is a good sequel that brings Pinhead to the mainstream, showing some great moments but some awkward ones, as it changes the formula and sets the stage in the rest of the franchise to deliver sub par films. It is worth watching for Bradley’s performance and a must for gore fans. HELLRAISER III: HELL ON EARTH: 6 Out Of 10 Maggots
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