Hellboy Delivers in ‘The Crooked Man’ – A Thrilling Adventure!

Hellboy: The Crooked Man is the fourth live-action feature film and third incarnation of a massively beloved comic book character, who has become a household name thanks to the two excellent Guillermo del Toro films and the not-so-excellent 2019 reboot. With a reputation like that, one would think Hellboy’s newest adventure would be the talk of movie town, yet the film unexpectedly skipped theaters, and Hellboy: The Crooked Man was dropped on VOD with zero fanfare. If you’re reading this review, whether you’re a hardcore Big Red fan or not, I’d even be willing to wager that you didn’t even know a new Hellboy movie had come out.

After the crushing mediocrity that was 2019’s Hellboy, the idea of Crank filmmaker Brian Tyler taking on an adaptation of the Hellboy: The Crooked Man graphic novel was intriguing. Not only is the comic itself one of Mike Mignola‘s best, but it’s also a smaller-scale thriller instead of an explosive action extravaganza, which sounded like just what the franchise needed to regain relevancy. Those hopes were seemingly dashed following the sudden VOD release that did not inspire any sort of confidence. However, Hellboy: The Crooked Man is a flawed but audacious new take on a pop culture icon.

What Is ‘Hellboy: The Crooked Man’ About?

Hellboy: The Crooked Man starts the live-action continuity over yet again, completely disconnected from the versions that starred Ron Perlman and David Harbour as the title character. It also takes place in a brand-new time period, moving from present-day cities to the rural woods of Appalachia in 1959. Here, Hellboy (now played by Without Remorse star Jack Kesy) and his fellow BPRD agent Bobbie Jo Song (Adeline Rudolph) are trapped in the woods after their train gets derailed. After a chance meeting with the noble Tom Ferrell (Jefferson White), Hellboy and Bobbie Jo soon become involved in a dark and twisted tale of demonic witchcraft, the source of which is a malignant demon known only as The Crooked Man (Martin Bassindale).

To put it nicely, Hellboy: The Crooked Man‘s opening is rough enough to make anyone say “Ah crap.” Right off the bat, the film’s biggest problem rears its head — clear budgetary constraints, with what could be one of the most unconvincing CGI monsters in a movie all year. Things don’t get much better for a bit, with some awkward dialogue and uneven pacing, but once Hellboy, Bobbie Jo, and Tom start to dig deep into their demonic adventure, the film does start to pick up.

Conclusion

Despite its flaws, Hellboy: The Crooked Man is a unique and refreshing take on the Hellboy franchise. While the film’s budgetary constraints hold it back from being a truly great film, Jack Kesy shines as the titular character and the horror noir tone is a welcome change of pace for the franchise.

FAQs

Q: What is the release date of Hellboy: The Crooked Man?
A: September 19, 2024

Q: Who directed Hellboy: The Crooked Man?
A: Brian Taylor

Q: Who stars in Hellboy: The Crooked Man?
A: Jack Kesy, Jefferson White, Martin Bassindale, Adeline Rudolph, Leah McNamara, Hannah Morgetson, Joseph Marcell, and Nathan Cooper

Q: Is Hellboy: The Crooked Man available to stream?
A: No, the film is currently available to buy on VOD.