I must admit that although I am a huge fan of the first two films, I had pretty much given up on this franchise. Part 3 was just silly. The intriguing potential of part 4 was chopped up into an incoherent mess. Part 5 decided that it was just going to do its own thing and not really be a Hellraiser film. What I'm trying to say here is that my expectations were low.
Although _Hellseeker_ isn't as good as _Hellbound_, it's very satisfying because it's the first sequel since that has actually catered to fans of the original two films. Kirsty's resurfacing is a huge factor in this: the Hellraiser saga was never better than when it was her story. Granted, the focus isn't on her for most of the film. However, we are treated to a peek at her post _Hellbound_ existence as well as some very startling revelations about her character. Without giving anything away, let's just say that what we learn about Kirsty is both incredibly disturbing and undeniably consistent with her previous behavior. Her actions also shift the focus of the franchise away from the moralistic overtones of parts 3, 4, and 5 back into the darker territory of the original Cenobites and their function.
The filmmaking itself is adequate, though it leaves much to be desired. In his commentary, director Rick Bota says that Kirsty and the other elements from the previous films have been minimized so as not to alienate people not in the Hellraiser fan base. While this is understandable, I would advise Mr. Bota to remember that the fan base is what is keeping the franchise alive. Don't ignore us. That said, the alternate scenes on the disc need to be in the main film, as they make it more enjoyable for those of us who have been following this thing since 1987.
I would have liked to see more of the husband-wife scenes and less creepy _Jacob's Ladder_ stuff. Again the director's fault. Make a note for next time.
It would be interesting to see the next film build off of this one. Definitely a film horror fans will enjoy.
Although _Hellseeker_ isn't as good as _Hellbound_, it's very satisfying because it's the first sequel since that has actually catered to fans of the original two films. Kirsty's resurfacing is a huge factor in this: the Hellraiser saga was never better than when it was her story. Granted, the focus isn't on her for most of the film. However, we are treated to a peek at her post _Hellbound_ existence as well as some very startling revelations about her character. Without giving anything away, let's just say that what we learn about Kirsty is both incredibly disturbing and undeniably consistent with her previous behavior. Her actions also shift the focus of the franchise away from the moralistic overtones of parts 3, 4, and 5 back into the darker territory of the original Cenobites and their function.
The filmmaking itself is adequate, though it leaves much to be desired. In his commentary, director Rick Bota says that Kirsty and the other elements from the previous films have been minimized so as not to alienate people not in the Hellraiser fan base. While this is understandable, I would advise Mr. Bota to remember that the fan base is what is keeping the franchise alive. Don't ignore us. That said, the alternate scenes on the disc need to be in the main film, as they make it more enjoyable for those of us who have been following this thing since 1987.
I would have liked to see more of the husband-wife scenes and less creepy _Jacob's Ladder_ stuff. Again the director's fault. Make a note for next time.
It would be interesting to see the next film build off of this one. Definitely a film horror fans will enjoy.