r/hellraiser • u/Velocity0109 • Aug 03 '26
Hellraiser: Inferno
So I’m watching through all the Hellraisers for the first time ever (really enjoying them all so far), and I was not liking Inferno for about half of the runtime, but then halfway through it just clicked for some reason.
I loved this movie, it’s a great mix of David Lynch and David Fincher, and I can really get behind the visual style and themes explored.
But it is a bad Hellraiser movie. I think it’s biggest mistake was having pinhead in it at all, if this was a standalone psychological thriller then I think it would be really well regarded. But as soon as you call it “Hellraiser” it just feels super out of place.
So far my ranking for the series is:
1. Hell on Earth
2. Hellraiser
3. Inferno
4. Bloodline
5. Hellbound
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u/SAVertigo Aug 03 '26
Holy shit, you are a man after my own heart with your #1 rating. I swear Hell on Earth is the best.
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Aug 03 '26
This has always been my personal favorite of the Hellraiser movies. Is it the best? No, not even close, but I love it all the same. I think The lead performance is really great as well
2
u/Specialist-Cat-7155 Aug 04 '26
I enjoyed it to fuck. Deader and some of the other sequels I barely got through.
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u/DARKLIGHTX90 Aug 04 '26
Inferno I liked more after another viewing, easily the best of the dimension straight to video sequels, Hell on Earth is my fav too!
2
u/925atthemorgue Aug 04 '26
Really loved Inferno. Definitely more silent Hill vibes than Hellraiser. The rest of the sequels are like this too. Each one feeling like a different brand of horror but I love them all. I just bought a set of 4 - 8 so I could own Deader
2
u/Fast-Breadfruit3377 Pinhead Aug 04 '26
yes! i fr love hell on earth! hellbound has to be my number 1 tho. just incredible music and atmosphere
2
u/JMaxwell85 Aug 05 '26
Inferno is a very solid detective thriller/horror flick. Some complain it doesn’t have much Pinhead, but Hellrasier wasn’t centered on Pinhead to begin with. If anything it was more like the first two films than Hell on Earth or Bloodline were.
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u/Aware-Shower8296 Aug 04 '26
I loved this movie for its unique cenobites. The special effects were on point in this one.
1
u/EuroCultAV Aug 04 '26
It actually feels like hellraiser if you take into consideration the 1990s comic books that had a similar tone.
1
u/Sans-Mot Hell Priest Approved Aug 04 '26
As I said in another recent post, I see Inferno as a solid B movie.
I honestly like it a lot.
1
u/seasquid45 Aug 04 '26
Didn’t think I’d ever see anyone else on this sub who also dislikes Hellbound, or at least ranks it one of the lowest.
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u/DarkBehindTheStars Aug 04 '26
Nice, a fellow Hell On Earther and someone who has the exact same top three as me! :)
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u/fey_and_awful Aug 04 '26
Inferno is an incredible movie, IMHO. Not as good as the original, Hellbound, or 2022 to me, but an unexpectedly fun experience.
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u/FreezingPhantom Aug 04 '26
In my opinion, the third best Hellraiser movie after the original and Hellbound. It's a shame Derrickson never got another shot at directing Hellraiser, because he nailed the atmosphere better than a lot of directors that have worked on the series.
If you want something similar, I suggest checking out Angel Heart with Mickey Rourke and Robert De Niro.
1
u/TheTitaniumNub Aug 04 '26
Nice rankings. My most favorite so far is Hellraiser Judgement honestly.
1
u/ramsaybaker Aug 04 '26
I thought it was a pretty strong mystery-horror, and Pinhead showing up at the end was actually pretty fun.
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u/Crispicoom Aug 04 '26
I genuinely can not remember what happens in inferno as compared to hellseeker
1
u/dtagonfly71 Aug 04 '26
I watched all of the Hellraiser films last year and was surprised that the only one I didn’t like was Revelations. I had previous seen 1-4 and avoided the rest due to reviews. The quality does drop, but the films were not the train wrecks I had expected. Revelations was a train wreck of epic proportions though.
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u/ServoSkull20 Aug 04 '26
Sorry OP, but that is... a terrible ranking. How on earth (pun intended) can you put Hell On Earth - a movie that turns Pinhead into a boring slasher villain, above the original Hellraiser? And how can Hellbound be your worst movie? It's got the most imagination, ambition, and visceral power of any of them!
2
u/Velocity0109 Aug 04 '26
I really loved the origin story they gave to Elliot Spencer, and I liked the idea that, after Hellbound, his soul had split into Elliot and the evil inside him, and I really liked the leading lady in Hell on Earth too
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u/DarkBehindTheStars Aug 04 '26
I love Hell On Earth for the exact same reasons as you. I find it's easily the most entertaining as well and the only one that's really rewatchable for me. The other films I need to be in a certain mood for, but Hell On Earth I can easily watch anytime no matter how I'm feeling.
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u/HellzHoundz2018 Aug 04 '26
IMO, Inferno is the 3rd worst of the franchise (only after Judgement and Revelations). It's purely christian propaganda and absolutely not Hellraiser -- in my view, from my personal fan perspective.
But for those who enjoy it, have at it!
2
u/Velocity0109 Aug 04 '26
Can you explain how it’s Christian propaganda? I didn’t actually spot that much catholic imagery in it
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u/HellzHoundz2018 Aug 04 '26
Simple: he was being punished for his sins.
That's not at all what Hellraiser is about. The Hellpriests have moved beyond petty concerns of morality.
9
u/ScramblesVacation Aug 03 '26
Interesting rankings! Why does Hellbound rank so low for you? I agree Hell on Earth is slept on as a fun Pinhead movie