HELLRAISER 5: INFERNO

After Hellraiser 2, 3 and 4 it was clear that Pinhead had become the central character in the franchise and consequently he started losing his menace. It was fun to explore his origins in previous movies but at this point in time the series needed to think up something new... and then came Inferno. This installment divided the fans. Some considered it TOO removed from the mythos while others welcomed it's themes. In this movie Pinhead takes a back seat with no more than 5 minutes of screen time. For those of us who want a little more substance from the Hellraiser stories, this is a welcome return to Pinhead's purpose. Back in the first movie, before we bestowed his name upon him, Pinhead was barely present. He would appear as an usher to escort lost souls into Hell and that is his purpose in this movie. While it still qualifies for an R rating, Inferno is the least gruesome of them all. Onscreen violence and gore is swept aside for a far more psychologically tormenting story. A corrupt police officer opens the Lament Configuration and we spend the entire movie trapped with him in his own personal Hell. This is the movie that shows us that the Cenobites not only torture people physically but also psychologically. I consider this a welcome addition to the Hellraiser franchise and I think it's a strong film. 

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