Hellboy The Crooked Man Review : Should You Watch Or Skip

The “Hellboy” franchise has long been a favorite among fans of dark fantasy and comic book adaptations, but its journey has been anything but smooth. With its latest installment, Hellboy: The Crooked Man, many were hoping for a return to form, while others feared another misstep in a series of underwhelming reboots. In this review, we’ll break down the movie’s highs and lows, and see if it lives up to its potential, or if it’s just another unfortunate chapter in Hellboy’s cinematic saga.

The Legacy of Trash Cinema

Before diving into the specifics of Hellboy: The Crooked Man, it’s worth exploring the concept of “trash” cinema. Films that fall into this genre are often low-budget, poorly made, and filled with cheesy dialogue or laughable special effects. Yet, despite or perhaps because of these flaws, they hold a special place in cinematic history. Cult classics like Evil Dead II and early works of directors such as Peter Jackson (Braindead and Bad Taste) are prime examples. These movies embraced their limitations, carving out a niche for fans who appreciated their gritty, campy charm.

Hellboy is no stranger to this world. As a character from the Dark Horse Comics universe, Hellboy has always straddled the line between serious dark fantasy and the campy elements often associated with cult films. However, translating this balance to the big screen has proven challenging, particularly with the shift from Guillermo del Toro’s vision to the more recent reboots.

A New Hellboy for a New Era

Hellboy: The Crooked Man attempts to reintroduce Hellboy with a fresh, folk-horror twist. Based on the comic arc by Mike Mignola, the movie places Hellboy in the Appalachian mountains in the 1950s. There, he and a rookie BPRD agent encounter witches and a devil connected to Hellboy’s past.

At first glance, this seems like a recipe for success. Mignola himself is involved in the production, giving fans hope that the film might stay true to the source material. The rural folk-horror setting also adds a unique flavor, differentiating it from previous Hellboy films. But as the trailer and early reviews show, the execution may leave much to be desired.

Promising Start, Disappointing Execution

The movie opens with a familiar scene Hellboy, now played by Jack Kesy, fighting off a CGI demon in typical Hellboy fashion. The atmosphere feels right, dark and foreboding, with a touch of that low-budget charm fans of the genre have come to expect. Everything seems in place, from the muted color palette to the offbeat humor that Hellboy is known for.

But as the movie progresses, things start to unravel. The pacing slows to a crawl, and the energy that made the opening scene so engaging fades away. The villain, Crooked Man, who should be the film’s central menace, lacks any real impact. His development is vague at best, and he never manages to evoke the fear or dread that the story seems to demand.

The Downfall: Losing Its Trashy Charm

One of the key problems with Hellboy: The Crooked Man is its failure to embrace its “trash” roots fully. While the movie hints at its campy potential in the first act, it quickly shifts gears, trying to be something more serious and introspective. This is where it stumbles. Instead of leaning into the fun, fast-paced, and over-the-top elements that made the early scenes work, the film becomes bogged down in a dull, overly dramatic narrative.

The cinematography, which initially set the tone with moody, shadowy visuals, starts to feel repetitive. Long, drawn-out shots replace the dynamic, fast-paced action, and the sense of humor that Hellboy thrives on is all but gone. The movie, which could have been an entertaining low-budget romp, instead takes itself too seriously, trying to be something it’s not a highbrow horror film.

The Villain Problem

A major flaw in The Crooked Man is its mishandling of the central antagonist. In the best Hellboy stories, the villains are not just monsters to be defeated; they carry a sense of gravitas and personal connection to Hellboy’s own journey. Crooked Man, however, feels flat. There’s no real sense of danger, and his motivations and backstory are underdeveloped.

Without a compelling villain, the stakes feel lower than they should. Fans who were expecting a tense showdown between Hellboy and a terrifying supernatural foe are left wanting more. Instead, Crooked Man’s lackluster presence diminishes the movie’s impact, especially in its final act.

What Could Have Been

As the credits roll, it’s hard not to feel a sense of missed opportunity. Hellboy, as a character, is perfectly suited to this kind of dark, folk-horror setting. And yet, The Crooked Man squanders its potential by not fully committing to the elements that could have made it great. The tone is inconsistent, the pacing is sluggish, and the central villain fails to deliver.

For fans of the franchise, this is especially frustrating. Guillermo del Toro’s Hellboy films set a high bar, blending epic fantasy with quirky, offbeat humor. While del Toro’s vision was much grander in scale, it always felt true to the heart of the Hellboy universe. In contrast, the more recent reboots, including The Crooked Man, seem to miss the mark, struggling to find a clear identity.

A Glimmer of Hope?

Despite its flaws, there are still a few reasons to hold out hope for The Crooked Man. For one, Mignola’s involvement means that the movie is likely the closest adaptation of the Hellboy comics we’ve seen yet. The folk-horror elements, while underwhelming in execution, do have potential. With the right direction and stronger storytelling, future films could build on this foundation, finally giving fans the Hellboy movie they’ve been waiting for.

There’s also the possibility that The Crooked Man could find its audience among die-hard fans of cult cinema. Low-budget horror films often gain a second life after their initial release, as audiences come to appreciate their quirks and flaws over time. Whether The Crooked Man will follow this path remains to be seen, but it’s not entirely out of the question.

Conclusion: Not the Hellboy We Wanted

In the end, Hellboy: The Crooked Man is a mixed bag. It starts with promise but ultimately falls short of delivering the kind of experience that fans of the character and the genre are looking for. The movie’s tonal inconsistencies, sluggish pacing, and underwhelming villain leave much to be desired.

While there’s still potential for the Hellboy franchise to find its footing, The Crooked Man isn’t the film that will do it. For now, fans will continue to dream of what could have been a return to the glory days of del Toro’s Hellboy, with all the spectacle and heart that made those films great.

Rating: 1.5/5. A missed opportunity in what could have been a unique addition to the Hellboy universe.