Hellraiser first reactions praise 'gnarly, horny' reboot of iconic horror franchise

The first reactions are here after the new Hellraiser film was unleashed to the public Wednesday night at a "secret screening" at Austin's Fantastic Fest.

How was filmmaker David Bruckner's movie received? Folks seem to have been delighted by the sights they were shown, judging by the social media response following the screening.

Fans of the flick — a reboot of the classic franchise that has its origins in writer-director Clive Barker's 1986 novella The Hellbound Heart — included The Black Phone and Doctor Strange screenwriter C. Robert Cargill.

"Hellraiser is a gnarly, gory, horny reinvention that feels closer to Barker's prose than any movie before it," wrote Cargill on Twitter. "Hardcore and faithful, it expands the mythology without treading on it. It's going to create a whole new generation of Hellraiser fans. F---ing LOVE it."

Phil Nobile Jr., the editor in chief of horror magazine Fangoria, also found pleasure in the pain of the film's characters.

"An emotionally mature Hellraiser that leaves behind the Brechtian energy of the originals might feel like a puzzling fit at first, but it clicks satisfyingly into place," he wrote. "The bargaining, bloodletting, and BDSM of the mythos are all present, but faceted in a fresh way."

Filmmaker and podcaster BJ Colangelo praised the performances of both Jamie Clayton, who plays Pinhead, and Odessa A'zion, who portrays the movie's heroine, Riley.

"New Hellraiser is a fantastic addition to the franchise, paying homage to the original while feeling completely unique," wrote Colangelo. "Odessa A'zion's Riley is an outstanding successor to Kirsty Cotton, and Jamie Clayton brings the pleasure and pain you crave. Easily the best since part 2."

Hulu Jamie Clayton as Pinhead in 2022's 'Hellraiser'

Actor Graham Skipper, whose horror film credits include 2015's The Mind's Eye and 2016's Beyond the Gates, was similarly enthusiastic.

"Hellraiser rules," he wrote. "Super violent, beautiful gore, poetic, genuinely scary, and bathing deeply in Barkerian themes. Jamie Clayton is elegant & terrifying, the script by Luke Piotrowski & Ben Collins soaks in lore & love & David Bruckner absolutely crushes it. So excited."

Chris Evangelista was less thrilled in his review for IndieWire. "Hellraiser 2020 really finds its groove in its final hour, but getting there is tough going," wrote the critic. "I wanted to dig this, as I dig Bruckner's work. But every scene felt like it was missing one key ingredient to make it all click."

In Bruckner's film, A'zion's character comes into possession of an ancient puzzle box, unaware that its purpose is to summon the dreaded and pain-obsessed supernatural beings known as Cenobites.

"It's the tale of a young woman, who's struggling with addiction and compulsive behavior, that comes in contact accidentally with the box and unfortunately begins to dabble with it," Bruckner told EW earlier this year. "And chaos ensues."

Read the first reactions below.

Hellraiser premieres Oct. 7 on Hulu. Watch the film's trailer below.

Want more movie news? Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more.

Related content:

• How X and Pearl star Mia Goth ended up playing three of 2022's greatest horror roles

• Satanic Hispanics trailer teases tales of terror from 5 'kick-ass' Latino filmmakers

• Get first look at Jamie Clayton's Pinhead (and a brand new Cenobite) in Hellraiser reboot

• Fairy Tale review: Stephen King's epic story takes an unexpected turn

• The best house-rental horror movies to watch before seeing Barbarian

• We compel you to watch the trailer for '80s-set horror-comedy My Best Friend's Exorcism

• Event Horizon director says restoration of long-lost footage would require Snyder Cut efforts

• How A24's Bodies Bodies Bodies became the summer's must-see horror-comedy