Hellraiser - Bloodline
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Movie Reviews of Hellraiser - Bloodline
Movie Review: May have been great before editing.
Summary: 2 Stars
Hellraiser: Bloodline (Alan Smithee, 1996)
Somehow, despite the fact that I have seen every other film in the Hellraiser franchise, no matter how awful (and the two most recent are movies that try their best to redefine that term in the language of the critic), I somehow managed to miss seeing Bloodline until last week. Eleven years after its release, it is likely best remembered for being disowned by its director (Kevin Yagher, a wonderful make-up artist whose work has recently been seen in the TV show Bones) and released under the Alan Smithee moniker used for films that have suffered such a fate. And now that I have seen it, I understand why Yagher would have had his name taken off this. Bloodline is a terrible, terrible movie, but it is a terrible movie that, in its original state, was probably a very good one.
This installment of the Hellraiser series interweaves three storylines set in different times, with three protagonists from the Merchant family, all played by Bruce Ramsay (Killing Zoe). Set against the various Merchants is Angelique (Valentina Vargas of The Name of the Rose), a princess of Hell called forth when the first Merchant's patron uses the infamous Chinese puzzle box (designed by said Merchant) for the first time. The first story details the creation of the box. The second, which takes place not long after the end of Hellraiser 3, in the building we see at the end of that movie. The architect, Merchant's great-great-ish grandson, must battle Pinhead for the lives and souls of his wife and son. The third story, which takes place in the future, has the third Merchant on a space vessel, trying to create the design the first Merchant created centuries ago that will undo the damage the box has done.
It all sounds rather Corinthian in its design, and it is, but to be fair, it all plays out pretty well; there's no sense of overcomplication in the actual movie. The problem is, what we got seems to be an outline of the original; it's well-known that the studios slashed a great deal out of it (how much only Yagher knows, and he isn't telling yet), focusing on the action and the gore instead of the characters, who might well be interesting if given a chance. Not that the acting is all that hot; Ramsay wanders around looking kind of clueless most of the time, while Vargas doesn't have much to do but vamp around and look good. (I must say, though, she is quite good at doing so.) Note, however, that one of the new cenobites (the twins) is played by Michael and Mark Polish, the guys behind the twisted and wonderful Twin Falls Idaho. They are the exception to the rule here; they're playing dunderheads, and they play the roles very well.
I really have to reserve judgment on this one until I've seen a director's cut, which I'm hoping will be released when the Hellraiser remake shows up in 2008. Until then, I'm inclinced to give it not as terrible a rating as I normally would, since what we got and what the director seemed to have in mind are such entirely different beasts. Blame the awfulness of this movie solely on the Weinsteins, and give Yagher another chance. **
Movie Review: Very weak sequel, Check it out if you're a fan,but expect to be let down.
Summary: 2 Stars
Pin head is back. This story tells how the box was created and what pin head plans on doing with it. It spans three generations and tells the story of one families quest to shut pin head and his plans down for good.
The cons
I love the actor who portrays pin head Doug bradley he almost makes this picture worth watching alone. You finally get some back story on the cube and why it was created and how. You get informtion on what it's purpose really is in this film. The story line is some what intersting with 3 different generations of male family members being involved in creating the toy box and trying to stop pin heads plans. The picture has a few interesting kills in it and some gore as well for horror fans. You also have two other new cenobites that were some what interesting like the two who are joined together.
The cons.
The new cenobites aren't as interesting as the ones in the first two film by a long shot. They look pretty generic to be honest and could have been characters from the borg in star trek the next generation. Doud bradley is awesome,but the rest of the cast leaves me wanting. It's like they picked people up at wallmart and asked if they wanted an acting job. The picture does have a few intersting kills,but the level of blood,gore violence and sexuality is toned way down from the first two films. I was kind of disapointed by that as this is the first hellraiser film I've watched in years besides the first two. Also the idea of setting parts of it in the future on a space ship doesn't work for me. It was only a small part of the film,but doesn't fit right in my opinion. Also the budget for this film must have been lower than the first two as the effects look much worse. One guys shooting laser beams at pin head in the end made me laugh. It looked worse that the effects on the original star trek tv show. Maybe their is another version with some special features on it,but the copy I purchased has very little. You don't get any directors commentary or any behind the scenes stuff at all. This would have been a nice thing to have as I usually enjoy watching those things. The only thing I got was some previews of other films.
All in alll a decent film,but it doesn't live up to the first two film at all. I can't suggest this to any one and I'm a big fan of the first two films. Also I ca't understand the high rating some of the fans here are giving this film. It doesn't deserve any more that two stars at best. This is worth a rental or maybe just watching it on youtube or something. I'm glad I didn't pay much for this weak film.
Movie Review: So dull it's almost mindnumbing
Summary: 2 Stars
The original Hellraiser was one of the scariest and finest horror movies ever crafted. Hellbound: Hellraiser 2 and Hellraiser 3 were... well, let's just leave it at that. Anyway, Hellraiser: Bloodline marks the first installemnt of the series under Dimension/Miramax films (a year or two before we'd be introduced to the first Halloween movie under the studio), and by the time you see the words "Directed by Alan Smithee" you know that this horror movie will be anything but horrifying. However, Bloodline does have a few things going for it that saves it from landing in a garbage dump: Doug Bradley returns once again as Pinhead and gives his best performace since the original film, the storyline attempts to trace the secrets of the "box", and most of the special effects are pretty well done. However, Bloodline is not without it's flaws. While the idea of tracing the origins of the box sounds like a good idea, the storyline is convulted and sometimes confusing and there are quite a bit of things never explained, not to mention Bruce Ramsay seems to be a bit over his head in his three different roles. Also, and this is my biggest complaint of the film, is that Pinhead is on screen for far too long. Bradley is entertaining as Pinhead, but he's just not scary anymore. Remember the first time you saw the original Hellraiser? Remember how seeing Pinhead the first time scared the absolute hell out of you? Bloodline just doesn't live up to that because now Pinhead is a comedian (just like Freddy Kruger turned into in the later installments of the Nightmare on Elm Street series) without much menace. All that aside, Hellraiser: Bloodline isn't the worst Hellraiser movie (Hellraiser 3 anyone?), but I strongly suggest watching the original before seeing this or any other Hellraiser film.Movie Review: To Set the Record Straight...
Summary: 2 Stars
I just want to be clear that director "Alan Smithee" is a pseudonym. For who? Who knows? It is used when a director is ASHAMED of the movie they did. For instance, David Lynch used "Alan Smithee" on the TV version of DUNE. If you see a director with this name STAY AWAY! I will only give BLOODLINE a 2, and that is only because it's part of the HELLRAISER series, and is worth watching with the volume down to get a good look at the nasty Cenobites. Buy this if you've got some extra spending money and everything else in the world that you already want. Otherwise, wait until your friend happens to rent it, and watch it in an altered state of consiousness.Movie Review: Poorly done
Summary: 2 Stars
The setting-sometime in the near future. The premise-a family man who is making a space repisintation of the box, only to find out that an ancestor of his made the original box that unleased the hell demons that we know so well. Give it a break, the future and evil demons have been done before. Give it a rest. A poorly thought and unoriginal movie about a man who is trying to close the gates to hell. This sound familiar? If it doesn't don't even consider watching this horrible movie.