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Parents' Guide to

Hellraiser

By Charles Cassady Jr., Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Gore-torture-horror-ghoul fantasy from the '80s.

Movie R 1987 94 minutes
Hellraiser Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 14 parent reviews

jul885
jul885 Adult
November 11, 2019
age 16+

Stylish & Inventive Horror Film - for Adults Only

Adults only for this film. I wouldn't let any under 16's see this film. It really is very scary, not just with the gore and graphic violence; the dark themes are not for children. If I were to have seen this as a child I would have been scarred.
David M.
David M. Adult
October 24, 2019
age 14+

Fun And Gory Movie!

Hellraiser is a wild gory and fun ride of a movie! It’s an absolute classic and any horror fan should watch it! But there is 2 sex scenes and skinned and dismembered bodies. If your child is very mature i would say 13+ but 14+ is fine for most teens
See all 14 parent reviews

What's the Story?

The grisly directing debut of horror-fantasy author Clive Barker, HELLRAISER proposes that a fist-sized decorated box is a paranormal puzzle, literally the Rubik's Cube from Hell, opening gateways to nasty places beyond death. Frank Cotton (Sean Chapman), a globetrotting thrillseeker, solved the puzzle and was torn to shreds (which he perversely enjoyed) in some grim underworld. His estranged brother Larry (Andrew Robinson) moves into Frank's abandoned house with his wife Julia (Clare Higgins), who secretly had a kinky adulterous affair with Frank. To Julia's not-exactly-displeasure, Frank reappears -- portions of him anyway- - in the house, a skeletal, blood-dripping ghoul. Frank has Julia sexually lure a series of victims for him to devour and more fully regenerate. Meanwhile Larry's daughter Kirsty (Ashley Laurence), who hates stepmom Julia, senses something ominous and finds the puzzle box. Unwittingly, she summons Frank's ghastly former captors, sadistic supernatural torturers called cenobites.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (14 ):
Kids say (18 ):

Hellraiser made a mint at the box office when it was released in 1987, in part, perhaps, because it really pushes the envelope (not to mention limits of human anatomy) in depicting the gruesome. But more so than just being a boo! spook show, Hellraiser conveys creepy family betrayal and spiritual evil just as bad as the obviously grotesque violence. When the special-effects ambition goes beyond the filmmakers' talent and budget -- puppet monsters, cartoon energy bolts -- the horror gets a bit comical. Still, the slicker, more CGI-laden The Mummy also had a dead guy reconstituting himself, and it wasn't half this disturbing. Several ripoff sequels followed, some just as gross, none as effective.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what were the scariest parts of the movie, and why. Did the violence and horror go too far? What is the appeal of horror movies?

  • Is it possible, as some fans of this movie claim, that the savage cenobites are beautiful? What is the appeal of the "goth" look of black vinyl, pallor, and piercings? What are some stereotypes people have about the goth look?

Movie Details

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