As a seasoned movie buff who has witnessed the highs and lows of comic book adaptations, I must admit that my expectations for Hellboy: The Crooked Man were not particularly sky-high. However, after reading through the early reviews trickling in from the United Kingdom, where it’s already premiered, I find myself intrigued and slightly hopeful.
Is this third attempt at rebooting Hellboy any more successful than the previous ones? The latest version is set to premiere in the UK tomorrow (it has already been released in some other countries), and initial reviews are starting to come out. So, was it worth revisiting Hellboy again this year? We’ll see.
Dan Jolin from Empire expressed disappointment, giving the comic book adaptation only a modest 2/5 stars and describing it as resembling “an unsold pilot episode for a ’90s monster-of-the-week TV series that never got aired.” However, he did acknowledge that The Crooked Man succeeded in delivering what it did with limited resources.
Despite a valiant effort with limited resources, this new take on Hellboy struggles to surpass its evident financial constraints, as it falls short in both narrative depth and stylish finesse.
Luckily, the momentum has been restored due to Jamie Graham’s review from Games Radar+. He awards Hellboy: The Crooked Man a 3/5 and describes it as “The most comic-like version on the big screen so far” and expresses optimism for more installments featuring this recent portrayal of the character.
Initially, Taylor’s movie offers a lot, but as it progresses, it shifts towards multiple prolonged fight sequences. The occasional CGI elements disrupt the mostly practical effects, and some unusual edits also add to the problem. However, there are many aspects worth praising, and these positive elements make one hopeful that Taylor will indeed return to the world of Hellboy in the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s as planned.
Erika Bean of Film Hounds gave the film a score of 3/5. Although she noted that the movie wasn’t flawless, she did find pleasure in the latest Hellboy escapade where it struck all the right chords for her.
Although ‘Hellboy: The Crooked Man’ isn’t polished or smooth, it’s got its quirks – clumsy, clunky, awkward, even cheesy at times. But when it strikes the right chords, those notes resonate perfectly, and comic enthusiasts will instantly identify with them.
Hellboy: The Crooked Man Will Skip Theaters in the United States
As a devoted cinephile, I must say that the performance delivered by Jack Kesy in “The Crooked Man” left me utterly impressed. Stepping into the shoes of previous Hellboy stars Ron Perlman and David Harbour, he has truly set a strong foundation for what could potentially be an exciting franchise worth looking forward to!
Without a doubt, Kesy’s portrayal leans more towards Perlman’s style than Harbour’s, making him the undeniable star. He skillfully straddles the line between rough and likable, delivering a compelling performance. His Hellboy is robust yet sensitive, leaving us eager for a repeat appearance.
Although Hellboy: The Crooked Man appears to be an average entry in the comic book film genre, it looks like it could steer clear of the pitfalls experienced by the 2019 Hellboy reboot. Interestingly, the movie’s U.K. release is set for September 27, but it has been announced that it won’t hit American theaters; instead, it will debut on video-on-demand platforms on October 07, 2024 at 9:00 PM PDT. Directed by Brian Taylor (known for Crank and Happy!) and written by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden, you can find the official synopsis below.
In the 1950s, Hellboy and an inexperienced BPRD agent found themselves stuck in a secluded Appalachian town. Here they uncovered a tiny community tormented by witches, with a local fiend having a chilling link to Hellboy’s history – The Crooked Man.
In the movie titled “Hellboy: The Crooked Man,” Jack Kesy, known for his roles in “The Strain” and “The Killer,” portrays Hellboy. Joining him are Adeline Rudolph, recognized from “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” and “Resident Evil,” Jefferson White from “Yellowstone,” Leah McNamara from “The Gentlemen,” Joseph Marcell famous for “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” Hannah Margetson from “Min kamp,” and Martin Bassindale from “Masters of the Air.” Each of them takes on the role of the Crooked Man in this production.
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2024-09-26 18:32