Movie Info
Movie Name: Hellraiser: Deader
Studio: Dimension Home Video
Genre(s): Horror/B-Movie
Release Date(s): June 7, 2005
MPAA Rating: R
Do what with my box!?! I think you have the wrong number…
An investigative reporter named Amy Klein (Kari Wuhrer) who really gets into her story is called upon to investigate a group called Deaders who appear to have conquered life after death. When she discovers a Lament Configuration puzzle box, Amy accidentally unleashes Pinhead (Doug Bradley) who reveals Winter LeMarchand (Paul Rhys) is operating outside of his control. As Amy is pulled in by the Deaders, Amy’s soul could be damned.
Directed by Rick Bota, Hellraiser: Deader (also called Hellraiser 7: Deader) followed Hellraiser: Hellseeker from 2002 but also converted a story that wasn’t originally intended for the Hellraiser franchise.
This just isn’t as easy as Botox
Hellraiser: Deader isn’t a very inspiring franchise entry in the series. The story is a rather very generic cult based story and it doesn’t involve the Cenobites very much. The Hellraiser comic book series followed a similar style by telling stories that were tangentially involved with the Lament Configuration instead of stories of the Cenobites.
There is too much going on in the story and Kari Wuhrer isn’t a strong enough actor to really pull it off. I don’t believe her as a tough-as-nails type of reporter that would go to any extreme to expose the truth and for this movie to possibly work, she has to be. In her defense, it probably wasn’t going to be a good movie whoever was put in the role so honestly she probably does the best she can with what she has.
Pinhead…you’re in this movie?
With a Hellraiser film I at least expect extreme…extreme gore, extreme monsters, extreme images. It doesn’t really seem to happen. There is gore, but it isn’t anything revolutionary or different from other Hellraiser and with less monsters, that means less fun.
Hellraiser: Deader is only for completists. The series at this point really needs a reboot and reimagining. I like that the Hellraiser sequels (mostly do the adapted scripts) try to do something different each time, but an investigation into a satanic cult seems pretty common place. Hellraiser: Deader was followed by Hellraiser: Hellworld also in 2005.
Related Links:
Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)
