HELLBOY: THE CROOKED MAN (2024)

Hellboy: The Crooked Man (2024)
Directed by: Brian Taylor
Written by: Brian Taylor, Christopher Golden, Mike Mignola
Starring: Adeline Rudolph, Carola Colombo, Hannah Margetson, Jack Kesy, Jefferson White, Joseph Marcell, Leah McNamara, Martin Bassindale, Nathan Cooper

HELLBOY: THE CROOKED MAN (2024)
Directed by Brian Taylor
Icon Film Distribution presents Hellboy: The Crooked Man in UK and Irish cinemas from 27th September 2024

When the dangerous cargo they’re transporting escapes, supernatural investigator demon-human hybrid Hellboy and B.P.R.D. research assistant Jo find themselves in the Appalachian mountains, in a community besieged by an evil presence. Determined to capture their cargo and without any ability to contact the outside world in this remote locale, Hellboy and Jo assist a villager named Tom Ferrell who’s returned to his childhood home after many years away. Together, they discover that this place holds more darkness than they first realised.

The fourth instalment of the comic-book adapted franchise, HELLBOY: THE CROOKED MAN, involves Hellboy’s creator Mike Mignola, who’s co-written the script with Christopher Golden and Brian Taylor, adapted from the 2008 comic mini-series. Set in the 1950’s, Hellboy must take on the personification of evil and also deal with demons of his own.

Compared to the first outings of Hellboy directed by Guillermo del Toro, this particular instalment of Hellboy has such a gritty, almost B-movie feel to it. With a small cast and a dedicated storyline,  HELLBOY: THE CROOKED MAN packs an effective punch that feels authentic and suitably creepy, with its eerie, witchy folklore setting of an insular community that has been overcome by an evil presence that feasts upon the land. As mentioned, the characters are few and far between which works to the film’s strength, as the plot of the Crooked Man is unravelled before our eyes.

The fourth film also marks the first appearance of Jack Kesy as Hellboy, following in the footsteps of Ron Perlman and David Harbour as Big Red. Kesy shines as the Cambion detective, smouldering with understated attitude, concern and protective values for those around him. Kesy’s performance is such a strong one that it made me forget that Perlman’s Hellboy even existed. The choice of a lesser-known actor to fill the shoes (and the Right Hand of Doom) is a much-preferred decision than opting for a big name, like David Harbour, who’d already made a name for himself in Stranger Things. Kesy excels in the quieter moments as well as rising to the occasion during the action scenes, bringing to life Mignola’s creation effectively on-screen.

Going head-to-head with Hellboy, we have Martin Bassendale as the titular Crooked Man. Prowling the woodland, the Crooked Man is a disturbing creature, with his rotting teeth and hardened fingernails presenting a grotesque facade, and that’s before he starts cracking his neck to one side. He’s aided and abetted by a beautiful witch whose looks deceive her true self as she preys upon the community, determined to convert souls with the lure of witchcraft, for the the Crooked Man to claim. Judging from the neighbourhood, she’s been pretty effective at it. If she’s working on commission, she’d be sales person of the year!

Accompanied by solid performances by supporting stars Jefferson White and Adeline Rudolph, as villager Tom Ferrell and BPRD agent Bobbie Jo Song, Hellboy’s outing in the Appalachians is a journey fraught with danger, where a threat to all humanity lies simmering beneath the wafer-thin veneer of normality.

Director Brian Taylor has managed to craft a period gothic chiller that feels every inch a bonafide horror with HELLBOY: THE CROOKED MAN able to unnerve and unsettle at every turn. The film starts off very strong and maintains the sinister energy throughout, though the story feels like it stumbles a bit upon its conclusion that falls a little short of expectation. Nevertheless, as a whole, the movie was a splendid surprise. The small, tight-knit screenplay has a certain quality and appeal that would fit a TV series so well should they decide to go down that route for future instalments. There’s certainly no lack of material if they do!

I sincerely hope this isn’t the last we see of Hellboy in this incarnation. If it retains such dark storylines and disturbing chills, then there’s so many more supernatural avenues yet for Red to explore.

Rating: