When a routine op goes wrong, Hellboy (Jack Kesy) and fellow B.P.R.D. agent, Bobby Jo Song (Adeline Rudolph) find themselves lost in a remote part of the Appalachians. There the pair cross paths with local man Tom Ferrell (Jefferson White), who has returned to the area to face his demon (Martin Bassindale). Sensing the evil that lurks there, Hellboy resolves to help Tom with his quest.
Maybe I've just had my head in the sand, but the release of this latest Hellboy reboot seemed to come and go unnoticed. I remember the trailer dropping back in July, and then radio silence until I saw it on iTunes. Unfortunately, now that I've watched it, I'm pretty sure I understand why.
Before getting into the bad I'd like to point out that Jack Kesy did not have an easy trench coat to fill, and he did a grand job. Naturally, he's the one driving this story, and there are times that if it weren't for Big Red you'd likely give up. His take on Hellboy is the perfect blend of jaded, cynical and possibly antisocial. You could even say he's awkward or difficult. But even through the makeup and prosthetics - which are fantastic - Kesy is able to emote the good demon's inner turmoil, as he struggles to do good and protect this world, while maybe feeling like he's fighting a losing battle. He looks pretty good when he finally gets the chance to kick a little ass, too.
By setting the movie in 1959, we're also seeing a much younger Hellboy, even though he comes across more like an older version of the character. But it's also interesting to see him traverse a less connected world, because they really do feel lost. Hellboy: The Crooked Man definitely leans more towards its horror side than its predecessors, making it feel more like a ghost story than a movie based on a graphic novel. The untamed wilderness really adds some seriously creepy vibes, and that's before you get to the strange goings on - it's certainly not hard to see why Tom Ferrell left home! As for the Crooked Man himself, well he's a curious character who haunts the movie like he haunts the mountain, and he is as creepy as they come. Martin Bassindale - the other guy buried under some pretty impressive makeup and prosthetics - is deliciously sinister as the undead man most in need of a chiropractor, even if he doesn't get a whole lot to do.
The trouble is for a relatively short movie, Hellboy: The Crooked Man seems to take forever to really get going. And the overuse of 'fade to black' - like Zack Snyder and slow-mo - not only proves annoying, it really screws with the movie's pacing. It's like the editor was predicting where the ad-breaks will be on the TV edit! The movie meanders toward its antagonist as Hellboy and his friends visit upon those who can't or won't escape this grim place. All the while the soul collector's minions torment our heroes, but it can feel more like a torment for the audience with Big Red almost restrained. Then when he finally is allowed to bring a little hurt to all the evil minions, there isn't enough of it. Honestly, if it weren't for the fact that Hellboy is such a compelling character - the demon trying to do good - and Jack Kesy does such a good job of bringing him to life, Hellboy: The Crooked Man would simply fail to engage with pretty much anyone. That said, I'd be happy to see Kesy return to the role.
Jack Kesy is great as Hellboy, and the Crooked Man makes for a haunting villain, but this latest reboot of the Dark Horse Comics character takes far too long to get going. And when it finally does, it doesn't go far enough.
3/10
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