Hellraiser IV: Bloodline / Hellraiser V: Inferno Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		2.5
Audio		2.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		2.5

Hellraiser IV: Bloodline / Hellraiser V: Inferno Blu-ray Movie Review

Little pinhead and no patriots in this not-so-grisly, not-so-much-traditional 'Hellraiser' DTV sequel.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman May 18, 2011

Note: This review covers only 'Hellraiser: Inferno,' and all scores represent only its half of this Blu-ray release. For a review of 'Hellraiser: Bloodline,' which is available separately from Echo Bridge, please click here.

You open it, they come for you, and they tear you apart.

Hellraiser: Inferno plays like it should be titled A Day in the Life of Pinhead. It's a completely irrelevant entry in the series (and the first not to enjoy a theatrical release) but it does manage a decent script and a strong twist ending that definitely gives it the feel of a genuine Hellraiser movie even if it is visually, structurally, and emotionally detached from the rest of the previous films. "Minimal" gore (compared to other films in the series), a real lack of Cenobite action, and so little work and screen time for Pinhead actor Doug Bradley that he probably learned his lines five minutes before going on-stage for his so-incredibly-brief-appearances that Pinhead seems more like he makes a cameo appearance rather than serve as a character worthy of appearing front-and-center on the poster, Hellraiser: Inferno might not -- scratch that, definitely won't -- satisfy fans in search of a bloody and frightening entry akin to traditional series structure, but taken at face value, Hellraiser: Inferno will reward fans who want to look past the carnage and see Pinhead at work in an everyday sort of capacity, torturing a sinful soul and laying out a diabolical scheme that will forever shape the man's destiny, all before his two o'clock tee time, it seems.

Blink and you'll miss me.

Det. Joseph Thorne (Craig Sheffer, A River Runs Through It) is highly intelligent, gifted at the game of chess and crossword puzzles and who possesses an inherent ability to perceive the unseen, but his personal life is a mess. He spends precious little time with his loving wife and daughter, instead choosing to lay with prostitutes using money he steals from evidence to pay them. He justifies his corruption as the glue that holds his marriage together, but he's about to get a crash-course in the consequences of sin. When an old high school acquaintance turns up dead, Thorne becomes the lead detective on the scene, and he discovers embedded in a candle a child's severed finger. Soon, other people in his life -- prostitutes, informants -- begin turning up dead after he inadvertently opens up the Lament Configuration puzzle box, and more fingers appear at every crime scene. The hallucinating detective must ward off visions of deformed demons while attempting to solve the grisly crimes, though little does he know that he may have inadvertently sealed his own fate along the way.

The nice thing about "ending" a series way out in the future is that it gives followup filmmakers the chance for a logical continuation of the series in subsequent entries. As long as the movie is set in the present or near-present, it's all good, because whatever happened in Hellraiser: Bloodline stays in Hellraiser: Bloodline. Hellraiser: Inferno does just that, returning the series to the "present day" and building a story that examines the work of Pinhead and his demonic minions from a different perspective, a welcome addition to be sure even if the film considerably tones down the violence and barely features the series's main character. In fact, Pinhead appears for all of about two seconds and doesn't factor into the film again until the final moments when he has a couple of lines and delivers a performance that basically requires him to stand in front of the camera. Fortunately, Pinhead's never been one for doing much more than standing around and talking, but really, even the diehard Hellraiser fans will probably be disappointed that the Horror icon enjoys only about two minutes of screen time. That means the movie absolutely has to stand on its own merits; will franchise fans be satisfied with what is a fairly radical departure from the previous four films?

Fortunately, Hellraiser: Inferno is a satisfying picture in part because it's different and in part because it stays so true to the series's backbone, which is the torture of troubled souls. The film only truly comes together in the final minutes through a very strong finale that makes the entire thing worthwhile, even considering how little blood and guts and Pinhead there is. It even overcomes some downright goofy segments -- a Cenobite in a cowboy hat? -- that seem like little more than time fillers to get the movie to the desired runtime, but despite a few missteps Hellraiser: Inferno is a fairly strong little noir-inspired whodunit that nicely and sometimes even smartly meshes old-fashioned Detective pictures with modern Horror sensibilities. The main character is well-defined and Craig Sheffer does the whole "slow descent into madness" bit as well can be expected of a performance in a direct-to-video feature. The picture plays like a grisly morality tale more than a straight Horror/Police Procedural type picture when all is said and done, but when the consequences of sinful living is a date with destiny with Pinhead and crew picking up the tab, well, being good suddenly doesn't look so bad.

Hellraiser IV: Bloodline / Hellraiser V: Inferno Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Hellraiser: Inferno's hit-or-miss 1080i transfer is frustrating but at the same time not too bad given the circumstances. Given the film's low budget and this Blu-ray's low price, mediocrity seems like the ceiling, and that's exactly what this is, at its best, anyway. Bright scenes fare very well, revealing a decent amount of depth, neutral colors, and nice detailing as evident on skin textures and other intricate surfaces. A light layer of grain positively accentuates the image. Unfortunately, the image falls apart in its many darker stretches. Things can get downright mushy and messy in such instances; detail vanishes, blacks turn murky, and depth disappears. Flesh tones are consistently warm but not hot in most cases. Banding is present but not problematic, and blocking in darker backgrounds is evident but not debilitating. The print is free of excess debris. This is a tale of two transfers, on one hand steady and good-to-go, on the other messy and barely better than a quality standard-definition DVD.

Please note that the included presentation of Hellraiser: Bloodline appears to be identical to that featured on Bloodline's standalone release.

Hellraiser IV: Bloodline / Hellraiser V: Inferno Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Hellraiser: Inferno's DTS-HD MA 2.0 lossless soundtrack suffices, but chances are fans will be disappointed with the overall sensation of mushiness that hangs over the entire thing. Clarity isn't bad in spots, but never does this approach even a midlevel presentation. The openging title music is decidedly lacking in both energy and volume. Both improve as the film wears on, but not to any drastic level of increase. Most crashes and heavier sound effects play as just-plain-puny, but a larger rumble near the end of the film does manage to eek out just enough oomph to make the scene work. Imaging isn't bad and there are a few scattered, albeit minor, discrete and directional effects at work, but across only the front speakers, of course. Minor ambience is minimal to nonexistent; a downpour in one scene barely even registers at reference volume. Fortunately, dialogue is steady and adequate, never experiencing problems of volume or clarity. This is a track that will get listeners through the movie, but it sure doesn't step up beyond the bare minimum.

Hellraiser IV: Bloodline / Hellraiser V: Inferno Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Unfortunately, no supplements are included with this Blu-ray release of Hellraiser: Inferno.

Hellraiser IV: Bloodline / Hellraiser V: Inferno Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Hellraiser: Inferno isn't the sort of blood-splattered gore fest that Hellraiser fans have come to expect from the series, but it is a crafty, well-made movie that combines two genres with some smarts and with a purpose. Fans might be disappointed, but the picture stays true to the series's roots and lays on a strong finale that makes the entire thing worthwhile. The film is definitely lacking in Pinhead, though; Doug Bradley appears on-screen for about a total of two minutes out of nearly 100, and while the film doesn't feel complete without more of him, it's still strong enough to stand on its own two feet. Echo Bridge's Blu-ray release of Hellraiser: Inferno features a good/bad video transfer, a puny two-channel lossless soundtrack, an no extras. Fans who don't like Hellraiser: Inferno but who want Bloodline have the opportunity to purchase the fourth film in the series separately, but this two-pack is currently the only way to own Hellrasier: Inferno on Blu-ray.