The Hellraiser Chronicles: A Question of Faith

A priest returns to the scene of a hellish slaughter that took place years ago and involved his friends with the intention of confronting a defrocked priest now turned Cenobite and freeing him from his hell-bound existence.

That's the story in a nutshell and it has to be said that against the odds and with obvious budgetary restrictions, R.N.Millward and crew turn in a surprisingly effective entry into the Hellraiser canon. The film boasts an intelligent script, solid central performances, effective make-up effects, and at no point does the film succumb to the temptation of substituting clever story-telling for excess gore, as so many other low-budget filmmakers have a tendency to do. Director Millward directs with a kinetic energy, the camera roves and moves and is never static or uninteresting. There is a firm grasp here by R.N.Millward of how to direct cleverly and to keep the story moving along at a healthy pace. Thes filmmakers have learnt the most important lesson of all; it's not enough to simply enjoy making a movie - but you also have to keep the audience entertained! After all, it's the audience who are going to decide whether you sink or swim.

All-in-all I found this a very satisfying piece of work and hopefully someone will give these guys a decent budget and let them deliver what their current budgets disallow. I sincerely hope that R.N.Millward will forge notable career in film-making and I eagerly anticipate any future offerings from this obviously talented director, who has a sharp eye for detail and a keen sense of what works and what doesn't. Millward has honed his craft well - and it shows.