Hellraiser: Bloodline

Plot synopsis:
In 2127, Dr. Paul Merchant, an engineer, seals himself in a room aboard The Minos, a space station that he designed. As armed guards attempt to break through the door, Merchant manipulates a robot into solving the Lament Configuration, destroying the robot in the process. The guards break through the door and apprehend Merchant, who agrees to explain his motivations to their leader, Rimmer.
The film flashes back to Paris, France, 1796. Dr. Merchant's ancestor, Phillip LeMarchand, a French toymaker, makes the Lament Configuration on commission from the libertine aristocrat Duc de L'Isle. Unbeknownst to LeMarchand, L'Isle's specifications for the box make it a portal to Hell. Upon delivering the box to L'Isle, LeMarchand watches as he and his assistant Jacques sacrifice a peasant girl and use her blood to summon a demon, Angelique, through the box. LeMarchand runs home in terror, where he begins working on blueprints for a second box which will neutralize the effects of the first. Returning to L'Isle's mansion to steal the box, LeMarchand discovers that Jacques has killed L'Isle and taken control over Angelique, who agrees to be his slave so long as he does not impede the wishes of Hell. The pair kill LeMarchand, and Jacques informs him that his bloodline is now cursed for helping to open a portal to Hell.
In 1996, LeMarchand's descendant, John Merchant, has built a skyscraper in Manhattan that resembles the Lament Configuration. Seeing an article on the building in a magazine, Angelique asks Jacques to take her to America so that she can confront him. When Jacques denies her request, Angelique kills him, as Merchant poses a threat to Hell. Angelique travels to America, where she fails to seduce Merchant. Discovering the Lament Configuration in the building's foundation, Angelique tricks a security guard into solving it, which summons Pinhead. The two immediately clash, as Pinhead represents a shift in the ideologies of Hell, which she left behind two hundred years ago: while Angelique believes in corrupting people through temptation, Pinhead is fanatically devoted to pain and suffering. Despite their conflicting views, the pair forge an uneasy alliance to kill Merchant before he can complete The Elysium Configuration, an anti-Lament Configuration that creates perpetual light and would serve to permanently close all gateways to Hell.
Angelique and Pinhead initially collaborate to corrupt Merchant, but Pinhead grows tired of Angelique's seductive techniques and threatens to kill Merchant's wife and child. Having grown accustomed to a decadent life on Earth, Angelique wants no part of Hell's new fanatical austerity, and she intends to force Merchant to activate the Elysium Configuration and destroy Hell, thus freeing her from its imperatives. However, Merchant's flawed prototype fails. Pinhead kills Merchant, but his wife opens Angelique's Lament Configuration, sending Pinhead and Angelique back to Hell.
In 2127, Rimmer disbelieves Dr. Merchant's story and has him locked away. However, Pinhead and his followers—now including an enslaved Angelique—have already been freed after Merchant opened the box. Upon learning of Dr. Merchant's intentions, they kill the entire crew of the ship, save for Rimmer and Paul, who escape. Paul reveals that the Minos is, in fact, the final, perfected form of the Elysium Configuration, and that by activating it, he can kill Pinhead and permanently seal the gateway to Hell.
Paul distracts Pinhead with a hologram while he boards an escape pod with Rimmer. Once clear of the station, he activates the Elysium Configuration. A series of powerful lasers and mirrors create a field of perpetual light, while the station transforms and folds around the light to create a massive box. The light is trapped within the box, killing Pinhead and his followers, thus ending Pinhead's existence, this time, permanently.

Tags: gothic, violence, horror, flashback, good versus evil, sadist

Review:
So the space thing is not so bad.As I mentioned in my review for "Hellraiser 3", I dislike how writer Peter Atkins introduced new cenobites.
Seeing this undeservedly LOW score here made me feel that I really had to 'say' something.First off, YES, I am indeed a BIG fan of the first three films; before these just recently came out on glorious Blu-ray, years ago, I even sprang for the UK Puzzle Box set of the first three films (mainly because at the time UNCUT versions were not available here in the States and also for the full commentaries and the bonus DVD that came with it : ) Now, I know it is hard to believe, but I just NOW for the very first time saw this one, part 4; the reason being is that from some casual stuff I had read, I was under the impression that pretty much all the other 'HELLRAISER' films were not very good.
The movement back and forth from the distant future to the distant past was also a bit detrimental at times to the tension of the story, but luckily the film did present a few cool new cenobites (one that was satisfactorily created out of a couple of idiot security guards), and Bloodline also displayed probably one of Pinhead's best performances ever.
Yes, all lame horror franchises eventually go to space to die, where they re-enact the second Aliens Movie.the plot line here is that an eccentric scientist has hijacked a space station of his own design, and relates to the authorities that in fact, his ancestor created the puzzle box that releases the Cenobites, and that they have spent the last few hundred years tormenting his family.There are three stories within the movie, on in 18th century France, another in Modern America, and the last in space.
For Hellraiser fan, like me, this is the movie I wanted to see, where did the box come from, how did it first exists and it goes right into the future for the end for pinhead.
I don't see where all the hate is coming from on this movie.I first saw it when i was about 15, and it was a great horror flick, I never heard there were other Hellraiser movies to be honest, and after watching this, I was slightly creeped out by Pinheads dialogue, his lines in this movie gave me goosebumps, to the fact on the creepy and messed up scene of the creation of the "twin" cenobites from the 2 security guards which gave me a little more gore and mutilation than i asked for.
The make-up and gore was nothing to make it seem fake, I actually didn't notice anything odd about it, it seemed very well done for this direct to video release.Some people are against this movie that its getting to the point where Pinhead is in space, I did notice this, however still after watching the first 3 movies, i didn't think it was that bad.
It shows the fate of Pinhead seeing that this is far into the future.All in all, it was a good horror movie, but if you're easily offended by mutilation in a twisted sick and grotesque degrading way by means of chains and machinery coming out of nowhere, then this might not be for you.
but i found bloodline to be very exciting and enjoyable, the films plot is original and helps to shape the series, Doug Bradley as the greatest horror movie creation pinhead is again on tip top form, his speeches may bore some but for most fans they bring the character to life and give him more added menace, in my own humble opinion rarely have sequels to horror movies been almost or better than the original, Elm streets and Halloween to name a few, but in the case of Hellraiser this has happened, in fact many feel the 3 sequels surpass the original i am in agreement with this, this film keeps up with the gore and horror of its predecessors and still manages to make you sit on the edge of your seat, i would highly recommend the Hellraiser series to all horror fans who have not yet see them, even if you are not a fan of the genre i would still urge you to give them a try you may be very surprised.
The one time there's some cenobite-forming action, it's completely predictable (beforehand the future victims say stuff like "Let's stick together" and "Somebody's messin' with our heads").The first two Hellraisers are good, solid horror films, and the third one is passable, a credible effort if not a successful one.
This is a boring piece of crap, more suited to being a Sci Fi Channel original movie than a theatrical-release sequel to a beloved Horror series.Pinhead is dead..
it's easy to write off Hellraiser: Bloodline as "the one set in space," but the reality is that only 1/3 of the film takes place in the future.
Given the low budget and messy production, it's no minor miracle that it works as well as it does.Hellraiser Bloodline tells both the beginning and ending of the story Clive Barker unleashed on the big screen in 1987.
Not only do we find out how the puzzle box was created, as well as by whom and for what initial purpose, but we also get a front row seat for its destruction, providing a sense of closure to the franchise.other sequels followed, but by jumping so far into the future for the outer space-set finale, Dimension Films was able to make the rare franchise sequel that actually feels like the end of the franchise.
In many ways, it's sort of the last Hellraiser sequel that matters.Ambition and a respectable amount of imagination are also on display in Hellraiser: Bloodline's standout makeup effects, particularly when it comes to the birth of a siamese Cenobite that Pinhead creates by literally twisting two twin brothers together.
What is meant by being by far the best of the 'Hellraiser' films is that it is the only one to be above very good, the nine sequels were very variable (leaning towards the disappointing) and the latter films particularly are suggestive of the franchise having run its course.From personal opinion, while a bit of a disappointment 'Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth' is still watchable and one of the better sequels in the series.
The dialogue is toe-curling again like in the previous film and further manages to be convoluted, Pinhead's dialogue also being too rambling, and didn't really see any need for some of the gore, which didn't unnerve that much and came over as cheap and gratuitous instead.Furthermore, the story is a mess.
The second movie taking place directly after Hellraiser III where the building we see in the end is the setting of a sort of Ghostbusters copy where the building is architected to summon demons and the the ancestor of L'Merchant lives there with his family.
So I put off watching this one as the thought of Pinhead in Space kinda made me feel nauseous, especially after Jason X - sometimes you shouldn't trust your gut or your precognitive intuition; because I missed probably the best Hellraiser film.
What is so good is the intrinsicalities within the story that leads to a believable final act, tying all four films together to give a credible ending to the saga.At one point in the late '80's and '90's horror was going orbital.
Then when she meets Pinhead, taking a place by his side, she's nearly as fear-inducing as he.For the most part, the special effects are on par with the previous movies, though the CGI has gotten better it still looks dated.
But 5 years earlier Kevin Yagher had to direct pinhead in space, the most hated entry in the franchise were Doug Bradley plays pinhead.The story takes place in 3 era's, the important one is in space and they are all connected due a bloodline.
Written by Peter Atkins, with Clive Barker serving as executive producer, Bloodline is the century- spanning origin story of the puzzle box that featured throughout all the Hellraiser films up until this point - and the sequels which followed.Director Kevin Yagher disowned the film when the studio began re-editing it, ordering re-writes and re- shoots, and generally preventing him from realising his grand vision.
Chappelle had previously directed the equally misguided- but- strangely-fascinating Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers.Again, as with the prior films, there is a strong sense of continuity present in Bloodline, and kudos must go to writer Peter Atkins, a veteran of the series at this stage, who, with the character of Angelique, creates what actually feels like a bona fide Clive Barker character.
Bloodline gets one thing right at least; it feels like a Clive Barker film.
Both the Leprechaun and Friday the 13th series's would follow suit in the years to come, but Bloodline at least makes sense of the setting and smartly works it into the plot rather than haphazardly building some ten-cent story around the idea of "Horror figure in space." It's never as goofy as it sounds, but as the fourth picture in the series, it's a misunderstood genre masterpiece.
Bloodline is good enough to satisfy fans while bringing to light some of the history that's heretofore gone unseen and unknown in the diabolical world of Pinhead and the grossly disfigured Cenobites.Hellraiser: Bloodline sees the franchise come full circle.
Though the film got hacked up and reduced the plot to a mess (as only Dimension and Joe Chappelle could do it!), the multiple story lines stretched over three time periods makes for an interesting take on the Hellraiser mythos.
It also features some slick gore and makeup gags, which comes as no surprise considering Kevin Yagher was at the helm (before he was unceremoniously dumped in post-production); A three part anthology spanning five centuries, it explores the origin of the puzzle boxes and the family that created them.The movie worked as an excellent slipcase for the entire series.
The story Merchant tells is how the Cenobites were first released and how they connect to his family ties.The fact that Atkins went in even further than before to explain the back story to Pinhead and his origins is again commendable, but sadly this new information totally contradicts the three films before it.
Much of these tracks use the same string build up, choral echoes and percussion but its the deviations that make it more appealing to listen to than recycled tracks.It still doesn't anywhere match the first two original movies and most will probably find it equal to that of the Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992) quality, but even for the production troubles that it had and nonsensical story telling, it can be a more entertaining watch.
The director of the film, it turns out, is Kevin Yagher, the go-to guy for creature effects on such franchises as "Child's Play" and "A Nightmare On Elm Street." It seems he was at odds with Dimension (the studio that produced the film) and when they decided to go behind his back and re-shoot some stuff with director Joe Chapelle ("Halloween: The Curse Of Michael Myers") in tow, he walking away, burdening this film with the Smithee trademark.Truth be told, there's an interesting story beneath all the issues this film has, mainly a back-story that tells the creation of the puzzle box, and the war raging between Hell and the bloodline of the creator of the puzzle that spans from the 18th century to modern day (well, 1996, mind you) and all the way to the final frontier of space.
The Joe Chapelle scenes, while directed well, stick out like a sore thumb and are a serious detriment to an otherwise solid sequel.All in all, for a film that was directed by Alan Smithee, "Hellraiser: Bloodline" is a worthy affair.
Rarely seen a movie that deviates so much from the original premise and still remains (more or less) acceptableBloodline is a rather short (which is a good thing in this case) escapade that focuses on the mysterious Hellraiser box.
Rarely seen a movie that deviates so much from the original premise and still remains (more or less) acceptableBloodline is a rather short (which is a good thing in this case) escapade that focuses on the mysterious Hellraiser box.
Yagher has yet to direct another film.Not nearly as bad as you'd expect a fourth entry in a horror franchise to be, "Hellraiser: Bloodline" is worth checking out if you're a horror fan.
The character of Pinhead had basically became the new villain for the Hellraiser series by now.The first film he had a bit part,the villain was Frank,Pinhead was just brought in to send him to hell.Perhaps it was the way Doug Bradley udder-ed "We have such sights to show you" or perhaps it was the great make-up job,but people fell in love with Pinhead.In Hellbound,we find out who Pinhead really was,and a bit of about the demon he is now.I admire Hellraiser III for taking an all most Freddy Krueger like approach,but it couldn't reach one or two.By Bloodline,most of the story wore thin.Bloodline tells the story about how the box was made,and about the cursed family.Pinhead should have had a lesser role here,it's not his story,he plays a part in it though.Angelique is basically the main villain,but when she gets out of line Pinhead turns her into a cenobite.The film has some interesting elements,but is flawed overall.5/10.
I was looking forward to Bloodline,once i watched it,i realised it WAS the worst of the series.Although not such a bad movie in general,Pinhead was least active in this film,but was taken over by the Angelique mole.I think this movie would have succeeded if Angelique was OUT...and Pin was back in it,he did nothing here!A lot of good special effects,but not worth it,some disgusting scenes which i seriously didn't enjoy.Like those 2 cops heads twist together,that was awful,but i think i've seen worse,anyways a disappointment to a series going well,try it if you think you have un-finished business about the series.5 out of 10  C-.
The way the story was told, with Dr Merchant telling his family history to a captor, worked well and gave the box an interesting story from its creation by an innocent man; its evil first use; the way it effected his family and ultimately giving a good reason for it to be set in space.
Most of the hellraiser films are'nt so good, they're mainly about bringing on gore and chains,  But bloodline was interesting.
If you've seen the previous Hellraiser movies, then you'll know they're not exactly feel-good films.
Its not a bad idea and with makeup whiz Kevin Yagher (who was the Alan Smithee of the film) has some impressive gore FX, but it can't save from the poorly written script, wooden acting (with the exception of a wasted Doug Bradley who doesn't get to have as much fun playing Pinhead, but makes the best of it), and a very slow moving pace.
And Hellraiser Bloodline doesn't exactly deliver a cult-horror film; instead it delivers an interesting, reasonably complex film that works best if seen as a stand-alone story, rather than a popular horror film sequel.This fourth movie focuses less on the sadism elements of the original films, and plays around with ultimately more interesting ideas...
In Bloodline, the fourth film in the popular Hellraiser series, the cenobites go where no horror movie icons have gone before: into space (although both Leprechaun and Jason have followed since).
Having failed to unleash Hell on Earth in Part III, Pinhead and chums attempt to deliver sweet suffering and torment to the occupants of a space station, after being summoned to the facility by its designer, Paul Merchant, who intends to destroy the evil creatures once and for all.Although the film starts and finishes in the future, most of Bloodline's story takes place in the past, as Merchant recounts his family's history, detailing how a distant ancestor, French toymaker Phillip L'Merchant, was tricked into making the first lament configuration, and also how subsequent generations have suffered for his mistake.The result of a very troubled productionone which resulted in director Kevin Yagher opting to use the infamous Alan Smithee pseudonymBloodlines sometimes feels rather disjointed and a little confusing.
However, despite this, the film isn't as bad as one might expect and still offers plenty to enjoy: the origin of the pesky puzzle box fleshes out the whole Hellraiser mythos nicely, there is plenty of the nasty splatter that fans have come to expect from the series (including the bloody creation of a brand new cenobite made from a pair of identical twins!), and the film's fun finalé sees a surprised Pinhead getting his just desserts by way of the biggest puzzle box in the galaxy.A long way from the greatness of Barker's original, but better than part two, and no worse than three, Bloodlines gets a reasonable rating of 6/10 from me..
But even by that low standard this is a terrible film.Essentially an anthology movie, this fourth installment in the Hellraiser saga tries to be an origins story and a wind-up to the entire series at the same time.
While things never looked good for the film, Part IV of Miramax's cult franchise isn't actually quite as bad as you would expect.In 2127, engineer Dr. Paul Merchant (Bruce Ramsay) uses a robot to solve the Lament Configuration puzzle box on board space station The Minos.
Again though, the story does come off pretty darn bland and just doesn't seem like a "Hellraiser" movie most of the way through.3.8/10.