“Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth” (1992) is a Dumpster Fire

So the reviews of the Hellraiser films continue, and I’m not even halfway through the franchise…

After the second film, I had high hopes for the third film in the Pinhead installment but it was a huge disappointment. From the plot, the characters, the acting, I mean the list goes on…I was bored. And it takes a lot to bore me during a horror film. But this film just didn’t do it for me, for lots of reasons.

From the very beginning of the film introducing new characters and having a journalist as the protagonist, I was extremely suspicious. Not that having new characters is bad in a film – they just need to have a strong enough background in order for the audience to root for them in a horror film. Because otherwise, we want them to die. And what fun is that?

Joey is the main protagonist in this film, and she’s a bad reporter. How is it that a journalist decides in a hospital seeing a victim in a gurney and think, hm…maybe I have a story here? I frankly laughed because this didn’t make any sense to me. Of course she needs to investigate and learns that Pinhead was the one behind the entire thing.

And then you’re probably wondering, why is the main character a journalist? I’m not quite sure but somehow she has the ability to stop Pinhead because she dreams of her dead father. Once again, huh? How does that make any sense? She has no connection to Pinhead but somehow she can help defeat him.

Only wait, didn’t Pinhead die in the last film? Yes, but he comes back to life from a statue. Yes, I said that right. A statue. And his former human self is trying to send his evil-self back to hell. That is probably one of the dumbest plots I have ever heard and makes zero sense. I would rather him appear from the box instead of a statue.

And after he appears from the statue he goes on a killing spree killing random people in a club. I understand what a slasher film is, but I would prefer when slashers have a target and purpose in who they kill. The makes it more enjoyable, or else it’s just boring. Pinhead has killing purpose in the last films where his victims have something in common. They are seeking out pain and pleasure. In Hellraiser III, he kills random people and I didn’t enjoy that aspect of it. It sucks the life out of the Pinhead character and makes him rather unlikable.

And let’s not forget the Cenobites that appear in this film. They are utterly ridiculous. How they are made and their abilities, you can’t help but laugh. And I’m not sure they didn’t wanted this film to be laughable – but it was.  

But probably the worst part of the film was that the acting was terrible. And quite frankly, I think that was why I was bored. The characters weren’t compelling, and I could care less if they got out alive.

Overall, if you’re watching the Hellraiser franchise I would say you can skip this film. You aren’t missing anything.

Now, after that experience, I’m not sure if I’m excited or nervous to watch the fourth film in this franchise. I just hope it’s better than the third film. Have you seen “Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth?” If so, drop your comment below and tell me your thoughts. Is it one of your favorites in the Hellraiser franchise or one of your least favorites?