Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992)

Anthony Hickox made both Waxwork movies, so that qualified him to take on the third trip to visit the Cenobites, which was necessary as the two films that had already come out were huge rental successes.

Series creator Clive Barker reprised his role as executive producer, though he was largely uninvolved until post-production, while Tony Randel at least contributed the story.

At the end of the last film, as Pinhead tried to reclaim his humanity, he finds himself split into his demonic form and as the limbo-trapped British Army Captain Elliot Spencer. As for Pinhead, he and the Lament Configuration remain within the Pillar of Souls that appeared as the last movie finished.

The pillar is bought as art by a club owner and when one of his sexual conquests is dragged into it and absorbed, Pinhead emerges and demands more blood. Without the influence of Spencer, Pinhead has become true evil and is using our reality for his own pleasure, which is against the regimented laws that the Cenobites live by.

Ashley Laurence returns for a cameo, as her Kirsty character explains the events of the previous films. And hey — Armored Saint plays the club!

Between the Barbie and CD Cenobites and the more American locale, this film suffers in comparison to the first two movies. That said, when viewed against what was to come, it ends up being pretty decent. The idea that Pinhead lost his faith in humanity after war rings true even many decades later.

You can watch this on Tubi.

One thought on “Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992)

  1. I find Hellraiser to be like The Fast and the Furious, Hellbound like Fast Five as things started to get wacky and the world got bigger, and Hell on Earth is like Luda and Tyrese in a quasi-spacecraft and The Rock tossing torpedoes in F8-9. These movies are practically each in their own subgenres, so comparing one to a predecessor will come with one hell of a critical eye.

    I enjoy H3 for what it is as well.

    my review:

    John’s Horror Corner: Hellraiser 3: Hell on Earth (1992), Pinhead in the big city and the biggest action sequence of the franchise.

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