Hellraiser Review: 6 Ups & 4 Downs

2. It Feels A Bit Sanitised

To be clear, the new Hellraiser certainly doesn't skimp on the brutal skin-flaying and revolting body horror the series is famous for, even if it makes you wait for it.

Yet another crucial aspect of Hellraiser lore has been toned down considerably - and that's sexuality.

Anyone who's seen the 1987 original knows that it's a profoundly horny film that compellingly explores the dichotomy of pain and pleasure through the realm of sex - a facet that's aggressively downplayed here.

Though there are two tame, PG-13-worthy sex scenes in this reboot, they're in no way integrated into the film's story in the same way that sex is such a core component of Clive Barker's original movie.

While director Bruckner has stated in interviews that this was a conscious artistic choice, it's ultimately a disappointing one that feels more like a reflection of the delicate current entertainment climate, rather than because it actually benefited the story in any sense.

A new Hellraiser would certainly need to tread carefully with its depiction of sexuality, yet to plane it away almost entirely feels like the least interesting - if not most cowardly - approach.