HELLBOY: THE CROOKED MAN
US, 2024, 99 minutes, Colour.
Jack Kesey, Jefferson White, Adaline Rudolph, Leah McNamara, Joseph Marcell, Hannah Margeson.
Directed by Brian Taylor.
The Hellboy comics are the work of Mike Mignola. They have been very successful, independent, not part of the Marvel Universe or the DC World. They had something of a spectacular introduction to the cinema world with the 2004 Hellboy with Ron Perlman in the title role and a very strong starring supporting cast. There was a successful sequel and a later version with David Harbour.
The commentary was that the creator, Mike Mignola, was not happy with the previous films. However, he has collaborated with this particular episode, one of his favourite stories.
A surprise for Hellboy fans will be that this is comparatively low key in terms of spectacle but very strong in terms of horror elements. The setting is 1959, the strange-looking Hellboy (Jack Kesey) with his mysterious origin, is travelling across the United States with an assistant scientist. They have a sealed cargo for experimentation – which comes loose, a giant spider, conflict in the carriage and a derailment, stranding the two in Americas South.
What follows is a variation on a southern Gothic Horror, a soldier returning home to find his family only to find death. And, there are strange local characters, a beautiful witch with her spells, her ability to take over othe characters, especially the young man’s girlfriend. The trio then go in search of the witch for confrontations.
Audiences will have to pay a bit of attention to work out who is who, especially in the witch department, beauty and ugliness, often literal darkness, characters taking over the others, violent confrontations Hellboy having to come into his own, not always as victorious as he might like (as as the audiences might like him to be), but ultimately conquering to be available for his next episode.
Definitely a film for those who are fans of the Hellboy comics and of the vision of Mike Mignola. It will be something of a surprise and, perhaps, disappointment rather low-key, for those who enjoyed the more spectacular action adventure films and Hellboy’s exploits.
- The popularity of the Hellboy comics? The vision of the creator? The previous films in this spectacle? This film more to the liking of the creator?
- Audience response to Hellboy, his mysterious origins, powers, strength, appearance, manner of speaking, skills, tough, action?
- The Southern American settings, the train, Hellboy and his assistant, the cargo, the breaking free of the spider, the fight, the derailment, the carriage, the attack of the spider, Hellboy and his destroying it?
- The atmosphere of Southern Gothic horror, the woods, the isolated cabins, the people, witchcraft, possessions, supernatural experiences?
- The arrival of Tom, his background, the war, the return, his fiancee, the encounter with Hellboy and? The explanations, Effie as a glamorous which, her powers, the past, taking over people, shape shifting, inhabiting Cora?
- Hellboy’s character, origins, mystery, determination, strength? Song, her background, academic, wanting to join in the action? Tom, the search, collaboration with the group?
- Going into the woods, the discoveries, the witchcraft, the powers, the horror?
- The confrontation, the dangers, the threats to each of the characters? The revelation of the Crooked Man?
- Hellboy, attacking, not always winning, the complications, drawing on his strength, the final confrontations and victory?
