Hellraiser

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1:27

Hellraiser

R

Released Sep 18, 1987

1h 33m

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

70%

Tomatometer

53 Reviews

73%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Sexual deviant Frank (Sean Chapman) inadvertently opens a portal to hell when he tinkers with a box he bought while abroad. The act unleashes gruesome beings called Cenobites, who tear Frank's body apart. When Frank's brother (Andrew Robinson) and his wife, Julia (Clare Higgins), move into Frank's old house, they accidentally bring what is left of Frank back to life. Frank then convinces Julia, his one-time lover, to lure men back to the house so he can use their blood to reconstruct himself.

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Critics Consensus

Elevated by writer-director Clive Barker's fiendishly unique vision, Hellraiser offers a disquieting - and sadistically smart - alternative to mindless gore.

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Chris Stuckmann

ChrisStuckmann.com

The reason the movie works as well as it does is because of its human characters.

Rated: B+

Oct 14, 2019

Full Review

William Thomas

Empire Magazine

Horror is at its best when it's relentless. Clive Barker knows this, and his debut feature as director is so gleefully vicious, so relentlessly grim that it's going to be very hard for fans of the genre not to like it.

Rated: 4/5

Nov 13, 2017

Full Review

Bob McCabe

Empire Magazine

With Hellraiser, Clive Barker created one of the most genuinely disturbing movies of the last 20 years.

Rated: 4/5

Nov 13, 2017

Full Review

Grant Hermanns

Screen Rant

Clive Barker's original adaptation of his Hellbound Heart novella, Hellraiser, remains a tightly-paced genre classic, despite its narrative flaws.

Rated: 8/10

Feb 7, 2025

Full Review

Michael Sragow

San Francisco Examiner

The acclaimed young fiction writer turned filmmaker, Clive Barker, here wears his heart on his sleeve -- along with his brains and his intestines... By pushing his horror gimmicks to the limit, Barker becomes a pain for the audience.

Rated: 1.5/4

Sep 21, 2022

Full Review

Trace Thurman

Horror Queers Podcast

Sexy, gooey and filled with imagination, Hellraiser is Clive Barker's magnum opus.

Rated: 4.5/5

Sep 20, 2022

Full Review

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Jude H.

Clive barkers vision of pain and pleasure is why this movie is one of the best horror movies out there. The special effects are fantastic and the movies very violent plot makes it so interesting to watch. Hellraiser is very unique and interesting movie of the horror genre. Its later sequels not worth watching but this first movie is one amazing work of cinema

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/12/25

Full Review

thiago s

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas de terror são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

07/02/25

Full Review

Nick O

Possibly the most original horror movie of the 1980’s! As disgusting as it is seductive, once you open the box, there’s no turning back!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/02/25

Full Review

Eric G

Great effects, character design and a really captivating story. The gore makes you cringe, the humor makes you smile, and every scene leaves you wanting more.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/16/25

Full Review

Gabriel L

I loved this movie. The special effects and makeup are incredible for the time. The cenobites acted as a cool threat that was looking in the background, and the plot is really interesting

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/30/25

Full Review

Adam B

It is very easy for stories of such darkness and depravity to feel miserable and unwatchable in a movie standpoint. However, Hellraiser is able to be as dark as it wishes will keeping you invested with great effects, good performances, and some of the most iconic villain designs in horror with the Cenobites: Pinhead and his Gash (yes, the offical term). Their backseat role feels sensible in this movie, unlike the rest of this franchise.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/08/25

Full Review

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Clive Barker

Director

Andrew Robinson

Larry Cotton

Clare Higgins

Julia Cotton

Ashley Laurence

Kirsty Cotton

Sean Chapman

Frank Cotton

Oliver Smith

Frank the Monster

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Hellraiser: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Sexual deviant Frank (Sean Chapman) inadvertently opens a portal to hell when he tinkers with a box he bought while abroad. The act unleashes gruesome beings called Cenobites, who tear Frank's body apart. When Frank's brother (Andrew Robinson) and his wife, Julia (Clare Higgins), move into Frank's old house, they accidentally bring what is left of Frank back to life. Frank then convinces Julia, his one-time lover, to lure men back to the house so he can use their blood to reconstruct himself.

Director: Clive Barker
Producer: Christopher Figg
Screenwriter: Clive Barker
Distributor: New World Pictures, Anchor Bay Entertainment, Image Entertainment Inc.
Production Co: Rivdel Films
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 18, 1987, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Feb 5, 2025
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 25, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $13.3M
Runtime: 1h 33m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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