Hellraiser (1987)
Demon to some. Angel to others.
A hedonistic man finds a mysterious puzzle box that summons a group of gruesome beings known as the Cenobites. These otherworldly entities open the doors to a dominion where pain and pleasure are indivisible.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 11 September 1987 |
| Genre | Horror, Thriller |
| Director | Clive Barker |
| Starring | Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins and Ashley Laurence |
| Runtime | 93 min |
| Rated | R |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 6.5/10 · Metacritic 56/100 · Rotten Tomatoes 71% · TMDB users 6.9/10 |
| Budget | $1 million |
Where to watch Hellraiser
Hellraiser is streaming on Prime Video ($8.99 a month) in the US. It is also on Fubo, Peacock ($16.99 a month) and Tubi. If that is the only reason to subscribe, one month of Prime Video is $8.99 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 27 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
Rent or buy
You can rent or buy Hellraiser on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch Hellraiser in 14 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Australia | Prime Video $12.99 AUD, Foxtel |
| Belgium | Prime Video €4.99 |
| Cameroon | Prime Video |
| France | Prime Video €6.99 |
| French Guiana | Prime Video |
| French Polynesia | Prime Video |
| Ghana | Prime Video |
| Japan | Prime Video ¥600 JPY, Hulu |
| Kenya | Prime Video KSh560 |
| Malawi | Prime Video |
| New Zealand | Prime Video $8.99 NZD |
| Nigeria | Prime Video ₦2300 |
| South Africa | Prime Video R79 ZAR |
| Uganda | Prime Video |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track; prices where Binge Boss has a price list for the country. "About" marks a price the service bills in another currency, converted at the day's rate. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
Hellraiser is a 93-minute horror film directed by Clive Barker. The hook is a puzzle box that summons the Cenobites, beings who treat pain and pleasure as the same thing. The tagline calls them demons to some and angels to others, which is a fair warning. It is a film that believes in its own discomfort, delivering its hooks with surgical precision. Press play only if you are ready for a very specific kind of trouble.
What the critics said
Rotten Tomatoes holds a 71% Tomatometer score as of January 2026. Metacritic sits at 56, a middling mark for a film that Time Out London called "a serious, intelligent and disturbing horror film." The praise was sharp, but the reservations were specific. Kim Newman noted the setting shift felt "unbelievable," and Roger Ebert found the whole thing "dreary.
How it did with audiences
Hellraiser cost $1 million to make and took in $15 million at the box office. In horror math, that is a solid return; in any other industry, it is a respectable Tuesday. TMDB users give it a 6.9 score. The money spoke clearly, even if the theology remained optional.
What came next for the cast
Andrew Robinson arrived with credits for Dirty Harry and Cobra, then stepped into Child's Play 3 and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Oliver Smith had The First Great Train Robbery under his belt before heading to Hellbound: Hellraiser II. The timeline shows what followed, not why.
Where it left its mark
The British Film Institute called Clive Barker’s debut one of the 1980s' defining horror films. They also named Doug Bradley’s Pinhead a "movie monster for the ages." That reputation stuck. Paul W. S. Anderson later cited Barker’s imagery when building Event Horizon (1997), specifically pointing to the mutilated Sam Neill character. The Cenobites eventually drifted into mainstream fashion. David Bruckner, directing the 2022 reimagining, noted that sadomasochistic imagery had already been absorbed by popular culture, prompting a redesign. Even the 2026 video game Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival returned to the original as its primary source.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Hellraiser.
Sources
- Hellraiser on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q1162728 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Hellraiser” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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