Synopsis
In a perpetually gray, rainy, decrepit Bucharest, a series of strange murders is taking place. Brutal street-cop in search of redemption Sean Pertwee is paired up with enigmatic Interpol agent John Light. Light is not, of course, what he seems. Angels and demons are at war, as ever, and the demarkation lines of the battle are very blurry. Are there any good guys at all? Hard to sasy, but Kari Wuhrer had better hope so, as she is being used and stalked, respectively, by the different sides, a… she has in her possession a prophetic book that is continuing to write itself. Whoever gets hold of the book will have a huge edge in the war.
There is no reason for this film to be any good, but it is easily the strongest film in the series after the first. It even takes the original’s ideas of moral ambiguity among the Heavenly and Infernal powers and pushes them even further. Clever, thought-provoking, and suspenseful, this is a textbook case in how to make a solid little B-movie (the makers of Hellraiser: Deader, which shares some of the cast and the location with this pic, please take note).
Audio
The environmental effects are very good. When it rains (as it does often), water pours down on all sides, and there is some nice placement of the creepier sound FX as well. The volume could be pumped up a bit, but generally this is a very nicely rendered track.
Video
The picture isn’t bad, but isn’t perfect either. The grain is noticeable (though it doesn’t hurt the gritty, grimy atmosphere, it must be said). The picture could be a bit sharper. On the other hand, the picture isn’t exactly soft, either, and the colours (limited as the palette might be) are good.
Special Features
The commentary is another one of those round tables where it becomes difficult to tell whos is who. You have director Joel Soisson, make-up FX man Gary Tunnicliffe, production executive Nick Phillips, and cast members Wuhrer and Georgina Rylance. If you don’t might not keeping all the voices straight, the track is still informative. The extended ending is one that really should never have been cut, as the speech given by Doug Bradley is crucial, but it’s nice to see it here. There is also one deleted scene, a solid making-of featurette, cast auditions, and a slide show. The menu is basic.
Closing Thoughts
A very pleasant surprise. I went into this expecting nothing at all, and got a film that not only didn’t suck, but was actively good.
Special Features List
- Audio Commentary
- Making-of Featurette
- Cast Auditions
- Extended Ending
- Deleted Scene
- Slide Show
