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Sometimes I write things, but mostly I watch movies.
Hellboy: The Crooked Man is the second attempt to revive the Hellboy film franchise. This time, the storyline of “The Crooked Man” from the comics by Mike Mignola and Richard Corben has been adapted to the screen. Hellboy comic creator Mignola himself, as well as Christopher Golden and Brian Taylor, wrote this particular film. Taylor also directs the feature. Hellboy: The Crooked Man stars Jack Kesy (The Strain, Deadpool 2, David Fincher’s The Killer) as Hellboy. Joining Kesy are Jefferson White (Blindspot, Yellowstone, Eileen, Civil War) as Tom Ferrell and Adeline Rudolph (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Mortal Kombat 2) as Bobbie Jo Song.
The Crooked Man follows Hellboy and Bobbie as they get embroiled in an Appalachian folk horror story following a mission gone wrong.
Comic Accurate
Since this film is co-written by Mike Mignola, it is no surprise that this is the most accurate Hellboy film. It sticks very closely to “The Crooked Man” storyline, making only a handful of changes, presumably due to budget constraints. Also, this is the only film to fully capture the low-key vibe of the comics. Here Hellboy isn’t some superhero; he’s just a guy doing his job. His job just happens to involve the supernatural.
It’s nice to see the core of the Hellboy character finally put onto the screen. Kesy embodies the role of Hellboy quite well, even if the makeup doesn’t quite do him justice. As for the other characters, the main roles are solid. Jefferson White is pulled straight from the comics in the role of Tom Ferrell. He feels like a relatively real person, and White delivers all his lines well. Opposite them is Adeline Rudolph as Bobbie Jo Song, Hellboy’s colleague. Song is an original character created for the film. She’s fine, however, she doesn’t get much to do in this role other than act as an audience surrogate.
The main trio is done well enough. Yet, the side characters’ performances leave a lot to be desired. From the witch Effie Kolb (Leah McNamara) to the Reverend Watts (Joseph Marcell), these side characters all feel half-baked. Not to mention that there are so many bad accents being thrown around among them that it’s not enjoyable to watch.
Aesthetically Hollow
While this film closely adapts the plot and characters of the comics, it lacks one key aspect: aesthetics. A large appeal of the comics is the look of them. Whether they are drawn by Mignola himself, or in the case of “The Crooked Man” a guest artist like Corben, Hellboy has a very unique look. That look is what contributes so much to the tone and appeal of the books. However, in the film that look is replaced by dull bland, lifeless grey tones. This look is devoid of color. No shadow. Nothing is engaging to look at.
Not to mention the cinematography by Ivan Vastov is unspired. It’s competent, no doubt, although it never rises above that. There is never a frame on the screen that feels ripped from the comics. It looks like a dozen other generic horror and action films out today. All of this does a disservice to what should be a solid folk horror journey.
Even, The Crooked Man (Martin Bassindale) himself is a disappointment. In the comic, he is grotesque and almost monstrous in appearance. Here, he is just a disfigured guy; certainly one that’s uneasy to look at, but nowhere near as indicative of being a villain. This is likely a result of the film’s small budget, which in turn also affects the few major computer-generated sequences. The CG is very noticeable and ruins any sort of immersion, however little there may be, in the film.
Verdict on Hellboy: The Crooked Man
Hellboy: The Crooked Man sticks closely to the plot of the comic but is executed poorly and offers nothing new. Audiences are better off reading the comic instead and getting a superior and more artistically rich experience.
Score: 2/5
Hellboy: The Crooked Man is now available on video-on-demand (VOD) services.
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Sometimes I write things, but mostly I watch movies.
