Hellraiser: Judgment (2018)
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The story
In the realm of Hell, Pinhead and the Auditor of the Stygian Inquisition discuss how to adapt their methods of harvesting souls as human technology makes the gateways to Hell obsolete. On Earth, three detectives—brothers Sean and David Carter and Christine Egerton—investigate a serial killer known as the Preceptor, whose murders are based on the Ten Commandments. A connection with one of the victims leads the detectives to a local criminal who went missing near an abandoned house. When Sean enters the house, he is transported to the Stygian Inquisition's domain. After escaping with a stolen puzzle box, he is haunted by the visions of Hell's denizens who offer judgment and redemption to anyone who opens the box.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In Hell, Pinhead and the Auditor of the Stygian Inquisition discuss the obsolescence of the Lament Configuration due to human technology. On Earth, detectives Sean, David, and Christine investigate the Preceptor, a killer whose crimes mirror the Ten Commandments. After Sean is briefly captured by the Inquisition and escapes with a puzzle box, he becomes haunted by the Cenobites. The investigation leads them to a hideout where Sean, having discovered his role as the Preceptor, holds his wife Alison hostage. He forces David and Alison to open the box, summoning the Cenobites. Sean attempts to trade them to Pinhead, but because the Inquisition also claims his soul, no deal is made. Jophiel intervenes to protect Sean as part of a divine plan, leading to a confrontation between the Inquisition, the Cenobites, and the angel. Pinhead eventually arranges for Christine to kill Sean and dispatches Jophiel. As punishment for his actions, God banishes Pinhead to Earth to be tormented by the want of suffering. The film concludes with a post-credits scene showing a group of Mormon missionaries in Germany being approached by the Auditor.
- First release year
- 2018
- Runtime (minutes)
- 81
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Gary J. Tunnicliffe
- Writers
- Gary J. Tunnicliffe · writer
- Cast and characters
- Damon Carney · Detective Sean Carter / The Preceptor; Randy Wayne · Detective David Carter; Alexandra Harris · Detective Christine Egerton; Heather Langenkamp · the Landlady; Paul T. Taylor · Pinhead; Gary J. Tunnicliffe · the Auditor; John Gulager · the Assessor; Mike Jay Regan · the Chatterer
- Genres
- horror; supernatural horror
- Themes
- Judgment; Redemption; Sacrifice; Divine Intervention
- Tone and mood
- Dark; Somber; Atmospheric
- Premise and plot tags
- Police Procedural; Supernatural Horror; Expansion of Lore
- Source material / true-story basis
- Characters created by Clive Barker
- Franchise connections
- Hellraiser
- Content notes
- Violence
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews; while some critics praised its expansion of the franchise's mythology and its visual style, others criticized its low budget, generic police procedural elements, and acting.
- Production trivia
- The film was shot in Oklahoma at the same time and place as Children of the Corn: Runaway.; The character of the Auditor was influenced by Sam Lowry from Brazil (1985) and Itzhak Stern from Schindler's List (1993).; The film's score was influenced by Trent Reznor and the score of Seven.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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