“Hellboy: The Crooked Man” has an unassuming quality that might put audiences off. Made in a budget of $20 million, significantly lower than its previous big screen iterations from Guillermo Del Toro, there’s a noticeable roughness in all of it which lacks the Hollywood glow-up.
It would be unfair to say that it looks like a fan film, made by and for dedicated Hellboy enthusiasts. It does. But take my tip that once you get past how it was presented, you’ll find yourself appreciating its harmlessness.
I’ve talked to people who mentioned that it captures the supernatural weirdness of Mike Mignola's original Hellboy comics. This is a quieter and smaller approach to Hellboy than what Del Toro has done in the past. Budget limitations aside, the action sequences are simpler, and our characters are largely spent doing procedures to investigate a community of witches.
But “Hellboy: The Crooked Man” is not without its imperfections. It can get slow and uneven. Jack Kesy, the new Hellboy actor, felt uninspired and lacked the authority to lead the entire narrative. It could be because the script is also limiting, but it’s not enough to justify this.
“Hellboy: The Crooked Man”. I liked it. As someone who likes a breather in between blockbuster noise, this is a welcoming refresher. It’s not the best thing, but I appreciate it for what it is.
“Hellboy: The Crooked Man” is now showing in New Zealand cinemas.
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