HELLRAISER 3: HELL ON EARTH

The final moments of Hellraiser 2 saw Pinhead trapped in the pillar of souls, the iconic structure of torment from the previous movies. Hellraiser 3 picks up where part 2 ended and the story is based on Pinhead trying to break free. Purchased by a wealthy nightclub owner, the pillar winds up in a retro apartment where Pinhead talks to the new owner and strikes a deal for release. This is the last movie in the series which dealt with the concept of spilled blood to resurrect the diseased. For me that was an important and alluring element of the movies and the series loses its way from this moment on. Hellraiser 3 isn't a great movie but its a whole lot of fun. It remains true to the vision and features a lot of the iconic imagery. The movie also explores Pinhead's former human self, WWI British army captain Eliot Spencer. He is presented as a lost soul trapped in Limbo who helps the main protagonist of the movie. There is a different vibe to this installment because it was made in the USA (previous two are British). This one feels a lot more polished and doesn't quite have the same putrid stench of horror about it... but its a welcome addition to the series and still works within the context of Hellraiser. 

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