[MOVIE ID] Help with an Obscure 2000s Sci-Fi Horror B-Movie

[NimbostratusWide]

Underground Lab, Burning Sacrifice, Time Jump!

Hey fellow obscure film enthusiasts and B-movie hunters!

I've been trying to track down a lesser-known horror/sci-fi film for a very long time, and I'm really hoping someone here, among the true connoisseurs, can help me out! I've got a strong feeling this is exactly the place where someone might remember it.

Genre: Horror/Sci-Fi, possibly with crime/supernatural investigation elements in the second part. It's definitely a B to Z-movie production, with a look similar to "LD 50 Lethal Dose."

Opening Scene (approx. first 10 minutes): This scene is set in the past and is crucial for explaining the opening of a portal/gate.

Setting: An underground laboratory or base, but it feels more like a mining pit – industrial, dark, with intense heat.
Characters: One of the "mechanics/soldiers" is wearing black protective goggles and is heavily sweating. He's operating a machine with long levers.
Action: The experiment turns into a sacrifice/experiment on a woman. She is burned in some kind of furnace, which then triggers fire and reveals a demonic portal/(face). There's a quick cut immediately after this.
Plot Transition: After this opening scene, the story jumps to the present day, where a couple (or two main characters) get involved in dealing with the consequences.

Release Year: I believe it's after 2000, probably between 2000-2015.

I've already searched through many databases and checked common B-movies, so I'm really looking for something very specific and perhaps quite obscure, where these details might not be listed in standard annotations.

Does this sound familiar to anyone here? Any help would be greatly appreciated!


Safety googles (left) spotted in that movie
example

Note: I've asked this question before on other forums (e.g., r/tipofmytongue: https://www.reddit.com/r/tipofmytongue/comments/1la8fz5/tomtmovie_horrorscifi_bcmovie_with_very_specific/)

[NimbostratusWide]

I believe someone must have seen that movie, otherwise I fell into another parallel dimension