November 9, 2018
Written by: Clive Barker
Starring: Scott Bakula, Kevin J. O'Connor, J. Trevor Edmond
Budget: $12,000,000
Quote: "There are two worlds of magic. One is the glittering domain of the illusionist. The other is a secret place, where magic is a terrifying reality. Here, men have the power of demons. And Death itself is an illusion."
Trivia: The scene with Swann (Kevin O'Connor) biting his finger and pouring his blood on the screws in order to drill the mask into Nix's head was excised from the original cut in order to obtain an R-rating from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). The scene was later reused for the unrated director's cut edition of the film.
Along with Wes Craven, Clive Barker was one of the big the names in '90s horror. Although his time as a horror director was short lived, he did carve a niche in horror history with his unique style of supernatural horror. His style incorporates inventive storylines, elaborate monsters, religious elements, and sexuality. These elements would all combine to create Hellraiser, his first and best full length film, a movie that deserves a spot as one of the all time great horror movies. However, he followed Hellraiser with Nightbreed a silly monster movie that while it is a fun and weird movie, doesn't not hold a candle to the very dark Hellraiser. It'd be like if Coppola followed The Godfather with The Money Pit... I mean I like both those movies, but it's a weird leap to make.
Then there is his third and final directed film, Lord of Illusions. This movie has some really great scenes and incorporates all the elements that made Hellraiser so great (supernaturalism, fanaticism, great practical effects, etc). However, the story is stretched so thin that it becomes difficult to follow and care about any of the characters. The excesses of this film in both the plot and special effects resulted in a $12 million budget that I am shocked it was able to recuperate. Additionally, the CGI special effects definitely do not stand the test of time. They have that weird CD-ROM look of 1990s sci-fi films like The Lawnmower Man. That being said, there are definitely some memorable moments and some genuinely cool characters.
The movie begins with a cult lead by a charismatic psychopath named Nix who has the ability to use real magic. He had plan to sacrifice a young girl before two former cult members, Swann and Quaid, attack the cult and Nix is shot in the heart by the young girl. A magic iron mask is placed over Nix's head and the group vows to bury Nix so deep that no one will ever find him. Fast forward thirteen years, detective Scott Bakula is mixed up in the middle of magic and murder. A couple of the cult members are trying to revive Nix, Quaid is killed, and Swann is a famous illusionist who dies performing an illusion on stage. Actually he didn't, he faked it. But he finds out Bakula has been banging his wife (who was that little girl). A cult member kidnaps the wife using her as a hostage to get Nix's body. Nix is resurrected then kills his cult members because only Swann is good enough to receive his knowledge. Nix changes his mind and kills Swanna. Actually he didn't, he faked it... again. The wife shoots Nix... again. And Swann uses his final magic to finally kill Nix.
The movie starts out so strong! It is this introductory scene that is the most memorable scenes in the film. It not only introduces nearly all the main characters (aside from Bakula's protagonist) but also sets the tone of the film. Nix's attempt to kill a child ups the ante in regards to what is possible in the film (nearing close to breaking a cardinal rule in horror movies, ie killing a child). The violent battle between Nix's cult and the former cult members, only five to ten minutes into the film, is sets forth a pace that unfortunately cannot be held throughout the film. Finally, the closeup cutting of the finger adds a specific gore element that also cannot be held throughout the film. From here on out the movie drags and drags.
Scott Bakula does a good job of playing the protagonist, but the rest of the film (nearly) completely falls apart. None of the characters have been developed past a superficiality that makes it really hard to sympathize with any of them. Also, oddly enough, the film focuses on Bakula's relationship with the girl Dorothea, a girl the viewer does not recognize the significance of until halfway through the film. Additionally, the fact that she was married to another major character who seemed to love her makes Bakula and her character all the less likable (he has sex with her day after her husband is killed). I found myself confused about who I should root for and instead just rooted for the movie to be over with.
While I did find myself looking at my phone and zoning out for a good chunk of the middle hour of the film, the movie was not all that bad. A twelve million dollar budget and elaborate story line might have been excessive, but it was still a decent way to spend nearly two hours. Clive Barkers practical effects and unique story make it a horror need to watch, albeit one that does not necessarily need a second watch. Wes Craven in the late 1980s predicted that Clive Barker was going to be the future of horror. I wish that would've been true...
...what's your thoughts?
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