Hellboy: The Crooked Man - Film Review

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Hellboy: The Crooked Man was written by the legendary creator of the Hellboy universe Mike Mignola, and from the producers of The Expendables and The Hitman's Bodyguard. Of the horror/action genre, it's directed by Brian Taylor, and stars Jack Kesy as Hellboy, Adeline Rudolph as Bobbie Jo Song the rookie agent, Jefferson White as Tom Ferrell, Joseph Marcell as Reverend Watts, Hannah Margetson as Cora Fisher, Leah McNamara as Effie Kolb, and Martin Bassindale as The Crooked Man. The film will be released in cinemas nationally on 10 October 2024 through Rialto Distribution , and will also screen at Monster Fest 2024, the week prior.

Set in 1959, Hellboy and Bobbie Jo Song the rookie agent from the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defence find themselves stranded in 1950s rural Appalachia after the sample they were taking back to the Bureau cuts loose. They stumble upon a secluded house and ask to use the phone. There they discover that the town has been infested with witches for quite some time and that the community of witches is led by The Crooked Man who has returned to earth to harvest souls for the devil. They meet Tom Ferrell who has just returned from the war and gives Hellboy and Bobbie a bit of a history lesson about the town and himself, and his own run-ins with the witches. He carries a token from childhood, a lucky bone desired by the Crooked Man. In a bid to end evil and finish the fight for good, Hellboy and Tom go in search of the Crooked Man's house, while Bobbie stays behind with the reverend on holy ground - the church. It is here that Bobbie learns that the tunnels of the mine shaft under the church are a direct link to the Crooked Man's house.


The fourth film in the Hellboy series, Jack Kesy as Hellboy is the third actor who takes on the titular role occupied by Ron Perlman in Hellboy (2004); andHellboy II: The Golden Army (2008), both directed by the great Guillermo del Toro; with David Harbour taking over for one film titled Hellboy (2019) yet again, like the original in 2004, directed by Neil Marshall. Hellboy: The Crooked Man is a different beast than previous versions, and focuses on the horror element of the comics rather than a huge apocalyptic storyline. Stepping into Hellboy's shoes for Kesy is no easy task, given the widespread love for Perlman as Hellboy in the first two films. Though lacking screen presence, Kesy plays the role of the monster hunter with a believable balance of being tough and likeable at the same time. As long as you leave behind del Toro's brilliance in the first two films (the best two of the four Hellboy films) with Ron Perlman at the door, along with your expectations, you may be able to salvage what there is to love about Hellboy: The Crooked Man.

The first half of the film is rather ho-hum and filled with all the horror tropes available to throw at the audience. In spite of its horror genre, the weakness of the script debilitates the ability to make you feel horrified or scared at all. I didn't think that was too bad, to not be scared out of my wits, as it allowed me to concentrate on this gritty low-fi chiller. This is no origin story, but just another day at the office with an obligatory attractive female sidekick. Though sadly lacking in storytelling and stylistic savvy, the second half of the film engages you a little more than the first, even with its disappointing, uninspiring demon-slaying scenes. It is nothing on the scale of the Guillermo Del Toro movies which remain the best live-action Hellboy adaptations thus far. Many will not like this interpretation that's taken a new direction, but at 90 minutes, thank goodness it's a refreshingly short time to spend with a weak plot, a lot of neck cracking, and a pretty boring nemesis with a top hat. The only shining light amongst the dead-on-the-inside expressions of the cast has to be Adeline Rudolph as Bobbie Jo Song the rookie agent who lifts the game in her scenes and is very watchable. The Hellboy franchise lovers will be compelled to watch the film, for continuity and no doubt, if nothing else, this film will give the audience a lot to talk about.





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