‘Hellraiser III’: Stylish, Grisly

Even though the “Hellraiser” movies, the creations of novelist Clive Barker, specialist in the macabre and fantastic, possess a powerful, original vision of the eternal struggle between good and evil, the series is nevertheless a familiar instance of diminishing returns. The 1987 original is a classic. The 1988 “Hellbound: Hellraiser II,” like the new “Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth” (citywide), goes in for far more elaborate sets and lots more grisly effects, but there is just so much violence and cruelty a film, no matter how skillfully made, can sustain before it becomes merely numbing.

However, the series could conceivably go on indefinitely, thanks to the ingenuity of Barker’s premise, which involves a kind of super-evil Rubik’s Cube, which when locked into a certain position summons the Cenobites, monstrously mutilated demons from hell. Each time that cube, with its exotic silvery decorations, turns up, it could launch yet another “Hellraiser.”

This time the two key figures are an ambitious young TV newswoman, Terry Farrell (Joey Summerskill), and the Cenobite spokesman called Pinhead (Doug Bradley), whose skull has been sliced and diced like a baked ham, with pins marking each intersection. The way these two, each on his and her own odyssey, converge in the world of the supernatural is quite imaginative and even poignant, thanks to writer Peter Atkins and director Anthony Hickox, but the getting there requires a tour through a needlessly excessive display of slaughter and bloodshed that soon becomes a turnoff.

“Hellraiser III” opens with the handsome, cocky proprietor (Kevin Bernhardt) of an immense rock club purchasing a large, bizarre sculpture that those who’ve seen the earlier films will realize as depicting Cenobites and even the malignant cube itself. Soon terrible things start happening at the club; Farrell latches on to Bernhardt’s girlfriend (Paula Marshall) and starts digging into the story.

Meanwhile, a British officer (also Bradley) victimized by Pinhead wants to lure him back to limbo in order to destroy him. None of the principals, who are on the callow side, are up to the level of Bradley, a fine actor of much resonance.

Those looking for sheer gore for its own sake probably won’t be disappointed by “Hellraiser III” (rated R for strong violence and sexuality, and for language), but those expecting the quality of the first film in the series most likely will be. Although the effects are too obviously synthetic to scare adults, the film could easily give small children nightmares.

‘Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth’

Terry Farrell: Joey Summerskill

Pinhead/Elliott: Doug Bradley

Terri : Paula Marshall

J.P. Monroe: Kevin Bernhardt

A Dimension Pictures (a division of Miramax Films) presentation of a Nostradamus Pictures production. Director Anthony Hickox. Producer Lawrence Mortorff. Executive producer Clive Barker. Screenplay Peter Atkins, from a story by Atkins and Tony Randel based on characters created by Barker. Cinematographer Gerry Lively. Editor Christopher Cibelli. Costumes Claire Porter, Leonard Pollack. Music Randy Miller. Production design Steve Hardie. Art director Tim Eckel. Set designer Carey Meyer. Set decorator David Allen Koneff. Sound Austin McKinney. Running time: 1 hour, 32 minutes.

MPAA-rated R (for strong violence and sexuality, and for language).