After two decades on the big screen, and three separate adaptations of Mike Mignola’s acclaimed do-gooding demon, Hellboy needs little introduction. At this point, audiences should be well-aquatinted with Big Red. Despite his well publicised history in the cinematic landscape however, he has had a slightly turbulent ride thus far. Ordinarily, a reboot of a well known series shouldn’t be held up to its predecessors. But, for a film being advertised as ‘the fourth instalment in the global franchise’ this should be expected. So, how does ‘Hellboy: The Crooked Man’ fare?
In a change of pace from Del Toro’s beautifully realised fantasy epics, and the disastrously bombastic 2019 reboot, things are scaled back quite a bit here. Sharing more in common with an indie gothic horror, this time Hellboy is stranded in rural Appalachia investigating a mystery involving witches in 1959.
Taking place predominantly in the woods and various cabins, there is an earnest simplicity to the film that might catch some viewers off guard. Previous adaptations might have you believe a character as fantastical as Hellboy is only suited to apocalyptic backdrops, but he is surprisingly effective here. The unique camerawork coupled with a disturbing score from Sven Faulconer (surely influenced by Hildur Guðnadóttir’s work on Joker) create an atmospheric aura.
These positive qualities don’t necessarily alleviate the films shortcomings. Despite its relatively modest runtime of only 99 minutes, it does feel slow and a tad dull at times. It is also very much an ensemble piece, with The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s Joseph Marcell giving a particularly entertaining performance. This does occasionally make Hellboy feel like a supporting character in his own film though.
Speaking of the right hand of doom, it would be a crime not to discuss his new portrayer, Jack Kesy. Clearly taking more visual and spiritual cues from Perlman than Harbour in his interpretation, Kesy is the clear standout. Striking a fine balance between gruff and likeable, he manages to find a nice sweet spot here. Simultaneously strong, but also vulnerable, Kesy’s Hellboy is something we would very much like to see again.
Clearly lacking the budget of previous silver screen outings, the film is very creatively selective with how it uses it. This does mean that it is slightly lacking in the action department, aside from a fun Church-set zombie shootout sequence. But, the creepy Evil Dead-esque horror visuals on display just about make up for it. And the practical effects from director Brian Taylor (half of the duo behind ‘Crank’) are also appreciated.
Not a slam dunk overall, but some solid foundations for a franchise we would be interested in seeing more of. With Hellboy’s new period setting it would be nice to see a potential sequel take advantage of a less rural 60’s environment. There are a lot of intriguing possibilities and ideas at play here, and with a slightly grander stage it could be great.
Icon Film Distribution presents Hellboy: The Crooked Man in UK Cinemas from 27 September.
Hellboy: The Crooked Man
Summary
A visual feast for horror fans and Kesy nails the title role.
