In the opinion of this writer, we don’t thank Guillermo del Toro enough for his contributions to cinema. From his beautiful tribute to creature features via The Shape of Water (2017) to his dedication to animation with his Pinocchio (2022), this man has done more for pop culture in the last 20 years than many other directors. But the one thing we as a culture need to admire del Toro for, above any else, is his interpretation of Hellboy. Within the span of two movies (2004; 2008), del Toro (along with the one and only Ron Perlman (Hellboy; Pacific Rim)) brought Mike Mignola’s half-demon paranormal detective to life in ways very few could ever have imagined back in 2004. And while some viewers might not appreciate the pair’s whimsical approach to the iconic sleuth, it’s the passion that both del Toro and Perlman had for this character that made those two Hellboy flicks a joy to watch. This fact is made even more true when you compare them to 2024’s latest Hellboy adventure, Hellboy: The Crooked Man, which just arrived on Blu-ray.
L-R: Adeline Rudolph as Bobbie Jo Song and Jack Kesy as Hellboy in HELLBOY: THE CROOKED MAN. Photo courtesy of Ketchup Entertainment.
Directed by Brian Taylor (co-director of Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance and Crank), Hellboy: The Crooked Man adapts one of Mignola’s most famous Hellboy tales, yet with a down-and-dirty feel unlike his previous studio ventures. The story centers around our titular shaved-horned hero (played by Jack Kesy) and his Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense partner, Bobbie Jo Song (Adeline Rudolph) as they try to bring back a supernatural spider to their headquarters. But when said creature attacks them and strands the duo in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains, the pair becomes entangled with an intriguing local named Tom Ferrell (Jefferson White) and discovers his connections to an evil Appalachian force named Jeremiah Witkins aka The Crooked Man (Martin Bassindale)
Now, from the perspective of this longtime fan of the character, there’s no denying that the dream of seeing a more grounded Hellboy adaptation has always been there, especially since Mignola’s comics feel more like a dark roasted coffee next to del Toro’s more hot chocolate approach. But within that desire is an equally important need for quality. Because, if David Harbour’s Hellboy proved anything, it’s that you need the right combination of talent in every department (who can leave their egos at the door) for everything to go according to plan (a phrase that is the opposite of what happened with that 2019 version). And while this 2024 Hellboy certainly seemed on paper to be going in a better direction, production-wise, you need a lot more than good intentions to make Red and his world work cinematically.
For starters, this Hellboy installment reads more cosplay fan flick than any other entry in the franchise. While certain frames (thanks to cinematographer Ivan Vatsov) come across with good intentions aesthetically, there’s a cheapness to the overall production value that undermines the in-camera work. Take, for example, the creature design of our lead hero which, compared to previous live action incarnations, doesn’t evoke the massive scale that the character is often known for. Kesy (Deadpool 2) also comes across immensely uncomfortable with the prosthetics, especially during the sequences when he’s supposed to impose an intimidating impression both on the ensemble and to the audience. All of this combines for a Hellboy that feels more man than half-beast, and doesn’t at all produce the wonder and delight that separates Red from his fellow comic book film contemporaries.
Similarly, Jack Kesy’s Hellboy is easily the most monotone and detached compared to the character’s previous on-screen portrayals. While Perlman’s blue collar approach might have not been ideal to certain viewers, nor were many admiring Harbour’s chaotic choices, Kesy’s rendition doesn’t have the right cinematic formula to sizzle. Perhaps it is his commitment to the dry nature of Mignola’s original vision of the character, or that we’re meeting his Hellboy within the confines of a random episodic story, but there’s an empty quality to Kesy’s performance that makes it hard to connect to our hero’s core. It also doesn’t help that most of Kesy’s dialog comes off as if he’s mumbling with a slight southern twang, all of which seems out of sorts for this B.P.R.D agent.
This issue then leads to another central foe that this Hellboy movie faces — a lack of chemistry. Every single actor in this film feels like they’re all acting miles away from each other, even when they’re within feet of one another in a sequence. No one seems to be “in the same movie” (tonally speaking) nor do any of the characters who are supposed to have intimate connections feel like they know each other. This especially becomes awkward when watching Hellboy with his fellow B.P.R.D agent, Bobbie Jo, as the movie is trying to make them have an attempt at some kind of bond. But considering that she’s a new character written exclusively for the film, and the lack of spark between the actors, this aspect falls flat on its face.
Yet, easily the most frustrating element within this new Hellboy is the screenplay. Co-written by Taylor, Mike Mignola, and Christopher Golden (Slayers: A Buffyverse Story), the script, rather than establishing the world within this reboot, throws you in with little to no cinematic parachute. Instead, this film assumes that the viewer knows everything to do with Hellboy — including who the B.P.R.D. are, Hellboy’s relationship to his adopted dad, his inner conflict with his demonic origins, along with a plethora of other details. And while certain seasoned viewers are primed for a movie like this, Hellboy doesn’t sit on the same Americana shelf as Spider-Man or Batman. He instead resides within a pop culture landscape somewhere between obscurity and niche fandom.
Now, this isn’t to say that the script needs to hold the viewer’s hands when it comes to giving information. In fact, it’s clear that this movie was made much more with hardcore fans in mind than any other demographic, but since this is yet another reboot of the character and its narrative is set within the 1950s, it would have been a real treat to establish what this era of the B.P.R.D looks like on screen, how this version of Professor Broom is co-existing with Hellboy, and how people of this decade know of/accept our partly demonic hero. Are all these details necessary within the confines of a comic arc? No. But in a cinematic re-introduction to a character, they’re essential to the final emotional goal (and can’t just be explained with random exposition.)
This lack of information is all the more peculiar when, amid the film’s second act, we encounter Hellboy having a vision involving the history of his witch/human mother. While it’s easily the best sequence in the entire film, it feels so out of left field to have such a crucial, emotional detail appear in the middle of the film’s narrative when so much about Hellboy’s life has been omitted from the story almost entirely, leading this fan to wonder exactly what Mignola and company were trying to accomplish cinematically here, especially for newcomers.
Thankfully, the one saving grace within this Hellboy is the spooks inside it as Taylor’s film perfectly captures the outlandish vibe of Richard Corben’s original comic art during the film’s more horrific scenes. This is particularly the case when the film gets to focus on the titular Crooked Man as it displays his unhinged nature in such a way that you feel your stomach turning with every close-up he’s given. There’re also quite a bit of fun, grotesque, Sam Raimi-adjacent horrors inside, particularly when it comes to the witch-focused sequences which involve familiars hosting lifeless bodies. Is some of it unnecessarily gross? Sure. But in a story such as The Crooked Man, it’s to be expected.
To put simply, if you had told me Hellboy: The Crooked Man was an abandoned pilot for a streaming series, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised. In fact, if that had been the case, much of these flaws would have been pushed to the side in favor of the potential within this (non-existent) TV series. But since that isn’t the case, it’s hard to examine this Hellboy through any sort of big screen prism. Instead, Taylor’s take on Hellboy, while well intentioned, feels as misguided (and hollow) as they come.
As for the home video release, this Blu-ray is sadly as lifeless as the film. The picture quality of the feature is sharp and deep within its color palette, so no complaints to be had there. Yet, when it comes to the bonus content, all that it contains is a trailer (a feature that feels as dated as the film’s CGI) while the rest of the disc is the barest of bones (which, considering Hellboy horror aesthetics, works). It is a shame, though, there aren’t any behind the scenes materials, especially with Mignola, since it would have been cool to hear how the team translated his story from page to screen.
Jack Kesy as Hellboy in HELLBOY: THE CROOKED MAN. Photo courtesy of Ketchup Entertainment.
Ultimately, Hellboy: The Crooked Man serves as a cautionary tale that sometimes the better comic adaptations are ones that go outside the lines, rather than sticking too close to the source material. Because, at the end of the day, Hellboy is a larger-than-life character (and property) who deserves a film franchise on the scale befitting his pop culture presence. And while it’s wonderful to have a film version that feels just like picking up one of those classic Hellboy tales (tonally speaking), that doesn’t mean you’ll feel cinematically satisfied by the movie’s last frame. So here’s hoping we get a Hellboy installment that matches the grand nature of the source material, while also adhering to the character’s pulp nature. Until then, I’ll be paying my respects to del Toro forever and always.
Available on VOD October 7th, 2024.
Available on Blu-ray and DVD December 17th, 2024.
Final Score: 1.5 out of 5.
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Categories: Home Release, Home Video, Recommendation, Reviews, streaming
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